Sonatune Upgrades to Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 with PMC

As immersive audio continues to redefine the modern studio landscape, Sonatune in Nottingham worked with White Mark to help join the growing list of facilities utilising PMC for their Dolby Atmos monitoring upgrade.

Now equipped with a state-of-the-art Dolby Atmos 7.1.4 system, Sonatune becomes one of the few Atmos-certified studios in the UK Midlands area. Specialising in music production, audio post-production, and sound design, the facility has installed a high-performance monitoring setup featuring:
• PMC 6-2 three-way active monitors for the L-C-R channels
• PMC ci30 compact on-wall speakers powered by a PMC power750-8 amplifier for the four surround and four overhead channels
• A PMC 8-2 SUB active subwoofer for low-frequency reproduction

Studio owner Charlie Kirby-Cavell explains the motivation behind the upgrade: “We’re working on an exciting mix of projects and moving towards larger-scale work. Our recent credits include Barbie, Venom, Bridgerton, and audiobooks for publishers like Penguin and DK Audio. Atmos allows us to expand into music mixing for labels and legacy catalogues, especially as spatial audio demand grows. Whether for cars, home systems, or Apple’s spatial headphones, this is clearly where the industry is headed. We couldn’t be happier – the new room sounds absolutely phenomenal.”
Sonatune’s comprehensive production setup includes two vocal booths, a spacious live room, and a fully integrated Hearback headphone monitoring system—delivering an ideal environment for recording and mixing. The studio also offers a hybrid workflow using Source Connect and Zoom, enabling seamless collaboration with both local and international clients.

Following a demo at PMC Studio London, Sonatune’s studio manager Tom Smith was confident PMC was the right choice: “PMC monitors are incredibly detailed and honest—they don’t hide flaws in your mix. I can make decisions with a true understanding of the audio. Atmos isn’t just about loudness; it’s about
delivering a truly immersive experience. It reignites that creative passion to explore new ways of storytelling through sound.” Smith adds that clients are consistently impressed when they hear familiar songs in Atmos: “It’s always fun when someone hears new details in a track they’ve known for years. Atmos is expanding quickly, and it’s changing how people experience music.”

The studio upgrade was led by Joe Duckhouse, director at acoustic design specialists White Mark. He worked closely with Sonatune to integrate the Atmos system while maintaining the space’s intimate, comfortable feel:
“PMC’s latest speaker range is incredibly flexible, and that’s crucial in a room like this. One of the biggest challenges with Atmos in larger control rooms is ensuring consistent sound across the space—especially when clients are present for playback.”
Duckhouse praised PMC for its technical support during the design process: “PMC provides highly detailed CAD drawings and installation data, which allowed us to accurately model the space in 3D. That made it possible to create a bespoke mounting solution for the ci30s—something that would’ve been difficult with other brands.”

The results were immediately apparent: “When we powered everything up for the first time, we all had massive Cheshire Cat grins—it was clear right away how incredible it was going to sound.”

Learn about: PMC6-2, PMC power750-8, PMC8-2SUB

For more about Sonatune, see: www.sonatune.co.uk and Whitemark, www.whitemark.com

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