References
Soundville Studios, Lucerne, Switzerland. The passionate studio owner and main engineer asked for the evaluation of the JMF Audio power amplification technology for the control room in 1988 (the isolated room in which the sound engineer and the producer make the technical choices and monitor the overall sound result). A never experienced natural sound filled the space… Tom Hidley, the American designer of the studio, was advised to come and listen. Seduced, he then challenged Jean-Marie Fusilier...
Nashville, USA, the music city, 1989. The largest studio complex, designed by Tom Hidley, was the place where critical measurements and sound quality tests of the purpose designed JMF Audio mono amplifiers had to take place. Evaluations were carried on by focused engineers… Jean Marie Fusilier's creation was declared more transparent, accurate, natural sounding, simply faithful… The studios owner and GRAMMY Awards winner instantly acquired two pairs of mono amplifiers. The reputation of the studios had to be preserved.
Starting from the results in Nashville, Tom Hidley has advised JMF Audio's power amplifiers which ideally complemented his unique approach to simple path, neutral and faithful sound monitoring:
Masterfonics, Mix Room, USA, with the JMF Audio designed power amplifiers was awarded best control room of the USA in 1998 by professional magazine Mix. Notable hits have been produced at Masterfonics by Shania Twain, Willie Nelson, Céline Dion... The JMF Audio power amplifiers have been selected by recording studios from London to Moscow, through Capri in Italy... and by music lovers, mostly in France and Asia.
JMF Audio has continued the developments for the professionals and the audio enthusiasts who put music first.
Miscendo Studios, Paris, France 2015, for the multi platinum sound engineer and owner who formerly operated at Larabee Studios, Los Angeles, USA, and Studios de la Grande Armée, Paris (the studio with the most prestigious pedigree in France), JMF Audio delivered HQS 9001 mono power amplifiers, power cords, cables, custom monitors and took in charge the integration...
Lindberg Lyd (2L), Norway, 2016 (classical music and jazz). With 28 nominations for the GRAMMY Awards with respect to the excellence of his work, the producer and owner Morten Lindberg integrated the JMF Audio's PCD302 mains filter and power cords to supply the recording equipment in the pursuit of the most natural sounding albums. 2L was pioneer in very high definition audio production. Jan Gunnar Hoff, Stories (piano solo jazz recorded in a church) was the first Blu-ray Pure Audio album ever recorded using JMF Audio's technology. This time the contribution of JMF Audio on the sound was direct and engraved on the disc, for the enjoyment of all music lovers on all systems (hybrid SACD also included)…
> The JMF Audio power amplifiers (30th anniversary)
> Read more about the Blu-ray Pure Audio community
> 30th anniversary of the power amplifiers' technology recognition
Heritage - the recording studios
Tom Hidley was a musician who built his own studio in Hollywood (named TTG) and produced the music of artists such as Frank Zappa, Coleman Hawkins, Johnny Hodges, Roy Eldridge, Peggy Lee… for labels such as Verve. Adviser for Frank Sinatra, he eventually became the most influential and respected recording studio designer. His numerous designs, including for Westlake Recording and Record Plant, have housed productions of major artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Phil Collins, Shania Twain, Céline Dion, The London Symphonic Orchestra...
Composer Michel Magne's studio in the Chateau d’Hérouville, marked the start in Europe with enthusiastic Elton John about Hidley's contribution during the sessions for "Don't shoot me, I am only the piano player", as documented by journalist Frank Ernould. Most major studios in France were later designed (Studios de la Grande Armée, Davout, Les Dames, Delphine, Ferber, Marcadet, Guillaume Tell, Polygone, Plateforme, AB...).
Tom Hidley developed the “non-environmental” room acoustics for faithful sound quality monitoring. In 1988, he found in JMF Audio's amplifiers the natural sound and high output power that perfectly matched the concept.
Recording studios featuring JMF Audio's power amplifiers such as Masterfonics (Nashville) and Nomis (London) are used as examples and illustrations in Philip Newell's book "Recording studio design".
Custom installation for studio owner Nicolas Stawski who has been one of the most demanded sound engineer in France (multi platinum albums) and previously worked freelance in legendary studios (Studios de la Grande Armée in Paris, Larrabee Studios in Los Angeles...).
Miscendo, Paris (2015)
Artists whose music has been reported recorded/mixed in studios equipped with JMF Audio designed power amplifiers:
Zucchero, Sting, INXS, Wet wet wet, Robert Palmer, Particia Kaas, Roxette, Aerosmith, Simple Minds, Mariah Carey, Suzanne Ciani, Loreena McKennitt, Fito Paez, Alejandro Lerner, Grapefruit Ma-aya Sakamoto, Gianluca Grignani...
Charlie Haden (with Ernie Watts, Alan Broadbent, Larance Marable), London Symphony Orchestra, Spondõ, Alain Amouyal...
Shania Twain*, John Michael Montgomery, John Berry, Willie Nelson, Suzy Bogguss*, Vince Gill*, Steve Earl*, The Freddy Jones Band, Céline Dion*...
Joe Cocker, The Charlatans, London Symphony Orchestra, The Wildhearts, Rush, Kevin Ayers, The Supernaturals, The Breeders, Ryuichi Sakamoto & David Sylvian, Randy Crawford, Chris de Burgh...
Francis Cabrel, Manu Katché, Les Negresses Vertes, Herbert Léonard, Jacques Higelin, Axelle Red, Jeanne Mas, Bernard Lavilliers, Wendy James, Les Innocents, Les Infidèles, Ute Lemper, Charlélie Couture...
Moscow Symphony Orchestra, Russian State Symphonic Cappella, Russian State Symphony Orchestra, Soloists of the Bolshoi, Andrey Chistiakov (conductor), Alexander Anissimov (conductor), Vladimir Ziva (conductor), Konstantin Scherbakov (pianist), Novospassky Monastery Choir...
Some of the sound engineers and producers operating the studios:
James Farber, Mike Shipley, John Mutt Lange*, Mark Opitz, Mike Fraser, Steve Tillisch, Max Carola, Carlo Talamona, Gaeto Ria, John Brand, Ralph Patlan, Glenn Meadows, Csaba Petocz, Mike Clute, Craig White, Pete Green, David Boyer, David Hall, Denis Quilliard, Mick Lanaro, Hans Wendl, Alain Cluzeau, Patrick Jauneaud, Hervé le Cov, Hugo Nicolson, Simon Vinestock, Gordon Lyon, Corrado Rustici, Jacques Hermet, Kanno Yoko...
Further information:
GRAMMY Awards - recordings produced with JMF Audio instruments > Read More
Soundville Studios, 30th anniversary of the JMF Audio's power amplification recognition > Read more
Lindberg Lyd studios (2L) to record with JMF Audio PCD302 (multiple GRAMMY nominations) > Read more
The JMF Audio PRS 1.5 pre-amplifier acclaimed in New York studios > Read more
Pure Audio and GRAMMY Awards
Pure Audio Blu-ray is the latest high definition audio-only disc format that outperforms CD and SACD (Super Audio CD). 2L of Norway, the MSM studios of Germany and JMF Audio of France are the pioneers on Pure Audio Blu-ray, respectively for recording/producing, authoring/development and playback.
Development authoring
Germany
Recording production
Norway
Optimal discs playback
France
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO), The Berliner Philharmoniker have moved to Pure Audio Blu-ray production.
Universal Music has also taken advantage of the Blu-ray since 2013 with releases as High Fidelity Pure Audio for Verve, Blue Note, DECCA, Deutsche Grammophon, A&M, Motown... (new releases as well as remasterings of legendary albums, such as Beethoven the 9 Symphonies with Karajan in 2014, now on a single disc).
Numerous works released on Blu-ray Pure Audio have been nominated for the GRAMMY Awards (more than 30 nominations of 2L only), with several wins (Patricia Barber, Gregory Porter, Roger Waters...). Major Grammy Awards winners produce Blu-ray Pure Audio discs, such as Jim Anderson (Avatar Studios, Skywalker Sound), Darcy Proper (Wisseloord Studios), Sono Luminus (official studio for Steinway & Sons' artists).
Further information:
GRAMMY Awards - nominated recordings produced with JMF Audio instruments > Read More
Lindberg Lyd. studios (2L) to record with JMF Audio PCD302 > Read more
DMT 3.7, the world’s first advanced transport for Pure Audio Blu-ray discs > Read more
The pioneers on the Pure Audio Blu-ray format meet at the 140th AES convention > Read more
High Fidelity magazine, exclusive interview about the Blu-ray Pure Audio and the DMT 3.7 > Read the interview
Pure Audio Recordings reference web-site > pureaudiorecordings.com
International presentations (shows)
“The sound of the JMF Audio system was superb, of course. What I love most about JMF Audio is its rare ability to make the music sound lit from within. In a way, this is one of my highest forms of praise for audio, and a quality that is only evident in the finest gear I’ve heard. This means that the music is highlighted in a way that draws you in closer and lets you bear witness to the intentions and meanings of every note…” […] “Munich 2023 was a treasure trove of state-of-the-art gear, the so-called Big Stuff, and JMF Audio certainly deserves a seat at the summit.”
Marc Phillips, editor for PTA, USA
> Munich show report 2023
> Munich show report 2022
> Munich show report 2019 (videos)
> Hong Kong AE Super Hi-End Audio 2018 (videos)
> Munich show report 2018
> Munich show report 2017
> Munich show report 2016 (invited producer of label 2L)
> Munich show report 2015 (30th anniversary)
In association:
> AXPONA Chicago USA 2024 (two rooms)
> Dallas' Southwest Audio Fest, 2024
> AXPONA Chicago USA 2023
> AXPONA Chicago USA 2022
> IHEAC Indonesia report 2019 (w/ phono pre-amplifier prototype)
> Hong Kong AV show report 2018 (w/ transport and DAC)
> Hong Kong Super Hi-end and HKAV 2017
> IHEAC Indonesia report 2016 (pre-amplifier and amplifiers)
Literature
Reviews and interviews
Please refer to the dedicated page listing the recent reviews > Reviews
Books and publications where JMF Audio has been reported cited as reference
Acoustician Philip Newell’s book “Recording studio design” > Read more
Taiwan Audio Arts’ editor in chief’s book “All about loudspeakers” > Read more
Miscendo Studios of Paris in an article of English “Sound News” > Read more
More reports will be listed later.