Known for some of the most advanced and entertaining games in history, Activision's dedication to great in-game sound is unmatched.
With masterful acoustic treatments and state-of-the-art sound tech, Sunset Audio Solutions completely reinvented editing bays of Activision at their Santa Monica headquarters, elevating them into a cutting-edge environment for game audio that tackles major acoustic challenges and perfectly embodies the company’s iconic creative spirit.
When Activision moved into their new headquarters, their recording studio ran into some serious acoustic challenges. Despite being built with 11-foot cubes to manage sound, the space was far from production-ready—high-frequency suffering from over-absorption, room dimensions and sound transmission issues were all unsolved.
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“The rooms were square, standard grey corporate spaces, and to make matters worse, when I did a sound test, it knocked the picture frames off my neighbour’s walls! The sound transmission issues were exceptionally bad,” said Trevor Bresaw, audio engineer at Activision.
Sunset Audio Solutions
Recognising the issue, Sunset Audio Solutions stepped in with a complete studio overhaul, reworking the space to match Activision’s high standards. The team stripped the rooms down to their core and fine-tuned every detail—adjusting dimensions, upgrading surface materials and optimising acoustics without eating up too much valuable space.
Bass trap
The original materials in the studio were too soft, allowing sound to be absorbed and trapped, which hindered sound reflections and, if left unchecked, could boost the overall perceived volume and create distortion. To address this, Sunset Audio Solutions removed these materials and installed bass traps to better control low-frequency sounds, reducing sound distortion in the studio. The walls were also more multiple-layered to enhance the soundproofing system, effectively blocking external noise and preventing interference during recordings.
In addition, high-quality sound-absorbing panels were installed to eliminate unwanted noise and reduce reverberation, improving overall sound clarity. To ensure optimal acoustics, the team chose the most advanced insulation techniques to apply, protecting both sound quality and studio equipment from the effects of temperature changes.
The audio equipment was also upgraded to match the new acoustics. Sunset used Triad -Orbit precision mounting hardware for a seamless installation, incorporated professional patch panels for flexible signal routing, and added custom lighting to enhance the overall environment—each element carefully selected to ensure flawless sound quality.
To further boost the overall quality, the design team worked with Indio Design to refresh the studio’s visual theme, drawing inspiration from the rich brand heritage of Activision. The design blends both classic and futuristic elements, ensuring the studio not only sounds amazing but also reflects their innovative culture.
“Our design philosophy focused on maximising usable space while addressing the challenges of small, cubic rooms,” stated Rich Avrach of Sunset Audio Solutions. “By using targeted engineering solutions instead of space-consuming methods, we created studios with exceptional acoustics without wasting valuable square footage.”
“The transformation of these editing bays has not only resolved our initial sound transmission issues but has also greatly enhanced our overall audio production quality,” Bresaw shared, expressing his satisfaction. “Working in these newly optimised spaces is a game-changer. The attention to detail and the customised solutions provided by Sunset Audio Solutions have made a tangible difference.”
He added, “I am incredibly thankful to Rich and the team for creating my first professionally built rooms. They sound and look amazing.”
Founded in 2022, Sunset Audio Solutions offers turn-key studio solutions, including design, sales, build, and integration. They specialise in transforming challenging acoustics into cutting-edge audio spaces, focusing on innovation and client-centric design to exceed expectations and set new standards in audio performance.
By turning challenges into opportunities for innovation, Sunset Audio Solutions isn’t just fixing studios—they’re setting new standards for the future of audio environment design, one transformation at a time.
For more info about Sunset Audio Solutions, keep reading here, or read about the Activision project here.
