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At Women’s Audio Mission (WAM), the mission has always been clear: advancing women and gender-expansive individuals in the recording arts. As interest in Dolby Atmos skyrocketed, they hit a physical bottleneck. While their main San Francisco studio boasts a 7.1.4 system, its size limited how many students could participate at once.
The solution? Bringing the power of Atmos into their much larger Educational Lab. To bridge the gap between a non-traditional room and high-quality monitoring, WAM turned to the Audient ORIA.
A Flexible Solution for a Vibrant Space
The San Francisco Educational Lab is a vibrant and collaborative learning environment on the top floor of a loft building, featuring 15 Digital Audio Workstations running Pro Tools and Ableton Live. Since the space wasn’t originally designed solely for mixing, WAM needed a solution that was flexible, reliable and intuitive.
“We were looking for a solution that could bridge the gap between a non-traditional room and high-quality immersive monitoring,” says the team at Women’s Audio Mission. Founder & Executive Director, Terri Winston, Minji Will Internship Program Manager/Studio Engineer and Sammie Wallinga, Studio Manager/Studio Engineer all agree. Currently, the lab runs a 7.1 system using IK iLoud MTMs for even coverage, with plans to add four height channels soon to complete the 7.1.4 setup.
“It Couldn’t Have Been Simpler”
In an educational setting where downtime is a luxury, the installation of ORIA was a breath of fresh air. “The physical setup was straightforward; we ran TRS cables from our speakers to ORIA and integrating it into our existing system was quick and painless,” they note.
Beyond the initial plug-and-play, ORIA has fundamentally shifted how WAM handles Atmos workflows:
● Streamlined Control: It simplified monitor control, making it easy to move between stereo and immersive formats without disrupting sessions. “For teaching, this is huge! We can demonstrate concepts clearly, switch configurations quickly and focus on technical learning.” The monitor control software is also very user-friendly and visually appealing, which makes it a great teaching tool.
● Pedagogy: According to the team, when it comes to using ORIA in a classroom, “It’s been incredibly effective…ORIA feels thoughtfully designed, sounds great and integrates seamlessly into our workflow.” The monitor control software helps students understand complex concepts like signal flow, routing and room tuning.
● System Stability: “ORIA integrates smoothly with the Dolby Renderer and Pro Tools,” they add. “CPU usage has also been solid, which is especially important when the lab is running hybrid classes with a DAW and Zoom simultaneously.”
● Multi-Purpose Utility: When not in Atmos mode, WAM regularly uses the built-in preamps and audio interface for demonstrating other audio concepts.
Empowering the Next Generation
The impact of this upgrade is already being felt. WAM uses the lab for Dolby Atmos certifications, including cohorts taught by the renowned Dr. Leslie Gaston-Bird. By lowering the barrier to entry without lowering professional standards, ORIA has become a “true bridge” between the classroom and the professional world.
“It’s empowering for both students and instructors – we love it.” The momentum isn’t stopping in San Francisco. With over 250 students served in Los Angeles last year, WAM is already working toward replicating this Dolby Atmos setup in their new SoCal location.
This spring, WAM hosts another Dolby Atmos Certification Course with Dr Leslie Gaston-Bird who joins them from the UK. Click through here for more details and to sign up for Dr Leslie Gaston-Bird’s course.