6–8 January 2025

Monday

(PerMagnus, Yueran, Gooey, Qiaosheng, Qianxi, Ian, Andiio)

10:00 – Intro

Meet up at SoundLab HDL. PM presented the overall system, background, intentions. The group discussed potential further developments, such as getting four drop-down screens and retro-projectors for a small (approx. 5m x 5m x 3m high) square “room” for visual surround projections, together with the HDLA. Note that since the ACIM Cave is dismantled, SCM no longer has such a facility to develop audiovisual immersive installations.

10:30 – System

• Hardware : trusses, switches, cables, stands, weights, speakers
• Software: Mac, Dante, Max, Panoramix ,(also Spat5~, Reape)

PM and Ian demoed the manipulation of trusses and explained the procedure and security precautions to take. We set up the full system (three rings) and tested using Max AudioTester. Two drop-down cables are broken and will be separated for repair)

11:30 – Cabinet inventory

We emptied both cabinets completely and cleaned out a lot of garbage; drew up a list of essential purchases, such as tools and boxes.

12:30 – Lunch

13:30 – Sharing projects & interests. 

• Yueran discussed her MoKo bridge project, for which it might be useful to do experiments in AR using the HDLA, goggles, etc.
• Andiio presented his work with custom-made DIY controllers, bringing one next day to test ways to control sound spatialisation with his ‘tube controller’
• Qiaosheng presented her work with interactive textiles, especially where stretch is picked up (change in resistance) to control audio spatialisation, or light dimmers.
• Ian rpesented his recent work with dancers, and how this could inspire a new work. As RA, he is going to do some repairwork on Cat5 cables.
• Gooey spoke about the forthcoming exhibition, and we discussed possibilities to set up a small surround system in SingingWaves for artists’ audio work. PM suggested to use OAT (Open Ambisonics Toolkit) which is flexible (Max, Puredata, Octophonic or 3D-hemispheric setup.
• QIanxi related her ongoing work with audiovisual experiments, expanding to use controlled smell compounds. This could be done in MMT.
• PM briefly related work on the SleepSound project, including purchasing and building ‘dummy heads’ for binaural audio recordings.

15:00 – Installing & testing subwoofers

We fetched 2x Genelec 7050c (on loan til 2025-08-31 to PM) and tested them. Problems with the THomann Sssnake breakout box, which should be investigated. Meanwhile, PM set up an aggregate audio card (Dante 32ch + Behringer 10 ch), so that subwoofers can be output onto channels 35 and 36. Using Panoramix, sound can be routed to them, but it is unclear what the optimal setup is going to be like. We will build 2x trolleys for them. At a later point we will integrate subwoofers 3 and 4 in the setup.

16:45 – Listening session

We listened to Parmeggiani’s De natura sonorum (1975). First time the Panoramix speaker setup was incorrect; we fixed, and relistened. Subwoofers make a great improvement, but again, we need to find the best routing setup.

17:30-18:00 – Summing up

Tuesday

(PerMagnus, Yueran, Qiaosheng, Qianxi)

11:00 – Purchase 

We met up at Ikea Shatin, had breakfast and bought various equipment & consumables: 4x large 4x medium 4x small plastic boxes; scissors, handtools, etc. Taxi back and put SoundLab equipment neatly into boxes and into the cabinets, nice.

13:30 – Work on own [mini] projects

(PerMagnus, Yueran, Qiaosheng, Qianxi, Andiio)

15:00 – System revision

Revise Hardware & software (no demo!)

16:30–17:00 – Sharing

Sharing projects, listening & discussion

Wednesday

10:00 – Work on own [mini] projects

Own [mini] projects

18:00–18:30 – Conclusion

Packing up