GIK Acoustics Presents Exciting New Approach to High-End Room Design at AES

GIK Acoustics is proud to announce that James Lindenschmidt, GIK Acoustics' Vice President – Acoustic Design, will present groundbreaking new research at the Audio Engineering Society (AES) 159th Convention in Long Beach, California, on October 23 at 4:00 p.m. The presentation, titled “Modular, Shippable Acoustic Treatments for High-End Mastering Rooms: A Case Study with Adam Ayan,” showcases a revolutionary approach to professional acoustics that delivers world-class performance without permanent construction.

For decades, top-tier mastering facilities have relied on architectural acoustics, constructing custom-built rooms where treatment is literally built into the walls. While that method can achieve superb results with good design and construction, it also locks engineers into one configuration and location. As modern workflows evolve, studios need solutions that combine uncompromising accuracy with flexibility for future formats and new spaces.

That challenge inspired GIK Acoustics’ modular design philosophy, explored in Lindenschmidt’s AES paper and demonstrated through a collaboration with Grammy Award–winning mastering engineer Adam Ayan. Using GIK’s new Sound Block system, Ayan’s new facility, Ayan Mastering, not only matched but surpassed the acoustic performance of his previous room at Gateway Mastering, while remaining fully modular, movable, and shippable.

“This build shows very clearly that modular doesn’t mean compromise,” says Lindenschmidt. “Our results show that properly engineered modular systems can achieve or surpass the results of fixed architectural builds, while giving engineers the freedom to reconfigure or expand as their needs evolve.”

The presentation will walk attendees through the design philosophy and build process behind Ayan Mastering, including spectrogram data comparing the new modular room to the original Gateway facility. The results demonstrate tighter bass control, more consistent decay times, and a smoother, more balanced response, all achieved through modular broadband treatments that can be manufactured offsite and assembled anywhere in the world.

This marks a major step forward for the industry. As demand grows for high-performance acoustic environments in remote, mobile, and hybrid workspaces, modular treatment systems like the Sound Block are poised to become a foundation for mastering, mixing, broadcast, and immersive formats, bringing world-class sound to more creators than ever before.

Join us at AES Long Beach on October 23 at 4:00 p.m. to experience this paradigm shift in acoustic design. Register for the session here: AES 159th Convention – Modular Acoustic Treatments with James Lindenschmidt