LONDON, UK — In a move that signals a significant shift in the landscape of independent music production and supervision, LALA Music has officially announced the opening of "179 Studios." Located at the company’s headquarters in the historic creative district of Soho, the new facility represents a flagship investment in immersive audio technology. Centered around a sophisticated Genelec 9.1.4 monitoring array, 179 Studios is designed to meet the burgeoning demand for Dolby Atmos content across the film, advertising, and gaming sectors.
The launch marks a pivotal moment for LALA Music, a boutique house that has rapidly ascended the ranks of the UK’s music industry since its inception. By integrating world-class monitoring and spatial audio capabilities, the firm is positioning itself not just as a service provider, but as a technological leader capable of handling the most complex audio requirements of the modern era.
Main Facts: A New Benchmark for Immersive Audio
179 Studios is defined by its commitment to the Dolby Atmos format, a technology that has moved from a niche cinema requirement to an essential standard for home entertainment and streaming platforms. The studio’s 9.1.4 configuration—comprising nine ear-level speakers, one subwoofer, and four overhead speakers—provides a seamless hemispherical sound stage, allowing sound designers and mixers to place audio objects with pinpoint precision.
The choice of Genelec as the primary monitoring partner was a strategic decision driven by the need for tonal consistency and acoustic reliability. The system features the flagship 8361A "The Ones" coaxial monitors for the Left-Center-Right (LCR) positions, supplemented by 8351Bs for the surrounds and overheads. Low-frequency duties are managed by the 7382A subwoofer, one of Genelec’s most powerful sub-bass solutions, capable of delivering the high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL) required for cinematic mixing.
Beyond the hardware, the studio represents a fusion of aesthetic design and functional engineering. Situated in Soho, an area synonymous with post-production excellence, 179 Studios provides LALA Music with the infrastructure to compete with global post-production giants while maintaining the personalized, agile approach of a boutique agency.
Chronology: From 2025 Vision to 2026 Reality
The journey to 179 Studios began in the summer of 2025, when LALA Music was founded in London. In an industry often dominated by legacy institutions, LALA sought to disrupt the market by offering a comprehensive suite of services under one roof: music supervision, bespoke composition, sonic branding, and sound design.
By late 2025, the company had already secured a blue-chip client list including Amazon Studios, Netflix, and Warner Bros. As these platforms began mandating Atmos deliverables for their original content, the leadership at LALA identified a bottleneck: the reliance on external mixing facilities was slowing down their internal workflow.
In early 2026, the decision was made to convert a significant portion of their Soho headquarters into a dedicated immersive suite. The design phase involved a partnership with Scrub, the specialist post-production division of HHB Communications, known for their expertise in Dolby Atmos integration. Throughout the spring of 2026, the room was acoustically treated and outfitted with the Genelec array. Following a rigorous calibration period in May, the studio was quietly brought online for internal projects before its official public unveiling on June 23, 2026.
Supporting Data: The Technical Architecture of 179 Studios
The technical specification of 179 Studios is a testament to the "future-proofing" philosophy mentioned by the company’s leadership. The room is built around an Avid-centric workflow, utilizing the Avid MTRX Studio as the primary audio interface and monitoring controller.
The Monitoring Array:
- LCR (Front): 3 x Genelec 8361A. These coaxial point-source monitors are celebrated for their neutral off-axis response, ensuring that the "sweet spot" is wider than traditional designs.
- Surrounds and Overheads: 10 x Genelec 8351B. By using smaller versions of "The Ones" series for the surrounds and heights, LALA ensures that the tonal quality remains identical as sounds move around the listener.
- LFE (Low Frequency Effects): 1 x Genelec 7382A. This subwoofer provides the necessary headroom to handle the "point-one" channel in Atmos, essential for high-impact cinematic sound design.
Calibration and Optimization:
A critical component of the studio’s success is the Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) software. Given the architectural challenges of Soho’s older buildings, GLM allowed the Scrub integration team to calibrate each speaker’s frequency response, level, and time-of-flight to the listening position. This digital room correction ensures that the mix translates perfectly to other Atmos-certified rooms and consumer devices.
Official Responses: Leadership on the Immersive Pivot
Hannah Merrington, the founder of LALA Music, views the opening of 179 Studios as a necessary evolution rather than a luxury. Speaking on the strategic importance of the facility, she noted:
"Dolby Atmos has become the industry standard for immersive audio in cinema, home entertainment, and, increasingly, music production. To have a competitive edge, stay technologically current and maintain production quality, we felt it was a priority to future proof the business. We’re seeing brands’ uptake for immersive audio, gaming, AR and VR, in all areas of the market we serve."
Merrington’s comments highlight a broader trend: the convergence of traditional media and emerging technologies. As brands look toward the "metaverse" and augmented reality, the demand for spatial audio—where sound behaves as it does in the real world—has skyrocketed.
Will Hulacki, LALA’s resident sound designer, emphasized the practical advantages of the Genelec system during the design phase.
"Once you start trying to spec an immersive room, it brings certain challenges," Hulacki explained. "Genelec’s compact design, along with the ability to easily match the tonal characteristics of monitors with positions around the room, make them the perfect solution to these challenges. The ability to mix and match different monitor sizes to meet the Dolby specification was an added benefit, since we could pick the correct model for each position in the system."
Implications: Soho’s Future in a Spatial World
The opening of 179 Studios carries implications that extend beyond LALA Music’s internal operations. It signals a "democratization" of high-end immersive audio. While Atmos was once the exclusive domain of massive film stages, the rise of boutique facilities like 179 Studios means that mid-sized agencies and independent creators now have access to world-class mixing environments.
1. The "Atmos-First" Workflow
With Netflix and Amazon Studios increasingly requiring Atmos mixes for all "Originals," LALA’s ability to provide end-to-end service—from composition to final spatial mix—reduces friction for producers. This vertical integration is likely to become a model for other music houses in London and Los Angeles.
2. The Gaming and AR/VR Frontier
The mention of AR (Augmented Reality) and VR (Virtual Reality) by Merrington is significant. Unlike traditional film, where the listener is static, gaming and VR require "object-based" audio that can react to a user’s movements. 179 Studios is uniquely equipped to handle these non-linear audio environments, positioning LALA as a key partner for the tech giants developing the next generation of wearable hardware.
3. Sonic Branding in 3D
As smart speakers and spatial-audio-capable headphones (like Apple’s AirPods Pro) become ubiquitous, brands are rethinking their "sonic logos." A logo that "moves" around a listener’s head provides a more memorable and visceral brand experience. 179 Studios allows LALA to experiment with these three-dimensional branding assets, offering clients a level of immersion that was previously impossible.
4. The Sustainability of Soho
For years, there have been concerns that rising rents would drive the creative industries out of Central London. However, the investment in 179 Studios suggests that Soho remains the heartbeat of the UK’s post-production scene. By packing such high-density technology into a Soho footprint, LALA is proving that the district can still host the cutting edge of global media tech.
Conclusion
LALA Music’s 179 Studios is more than just a room full of expensive speakers; it is a declaration of intent. In an era where the lines between music, film, and interactive technology are blurring, the ability to manipulate sound in a three-dimensional space is the new currency of the creative economy. By marrying the precision of Genelec engineering with the creative pedigree of their team, LALA Music has not only future-proofed its own business but has also raised the bar for what an independent music house can achieve in 2026 and beyond.
