Client: Jay Vicari, Broadcast Music Mix Engineer — NBC, Saturday Night Live
Support Team: Joel Guilbert, Joe Prout, and Alex Guerra — Dale Pro Audio
When one of the top names in broadcast music mixing, Jay Vicari, was tapped to create the immersive anniversary remix of the album Billy Joel: Live at Yankee Stadium, he turned to Dale Pro Audio for help transforming his trusted 5.1 home studio space into a full-fledged ATMOS-equipped mix environment.
Jay shares some info on the studio’s design: “The room was designed with sound in mind. The walls are insulated and double-sheet-rocked on the inside and outside, so I can mix without anyone complaining in my house. The room is well-groomed for diffusion and absorption”.
Working closely with Dale Pro Audio’s Joe Prout, Joel Guilbert, and Alex Guerra, Vicari’s room was upgraded with a new AVID Pro Tools system, including multiple Avid S1 controllers, Digital Audio Denmark AX32 converters, and DADman software integrated with an Avid Dock for monitor control.
Already equipped with PMC 6.2 DSP monitors for stereo work, the configuration was expanded with a matching center-channel PMC 6.2, sourced in collaboration with PMC. Surrounds were handled by MK Sound 2510P, while four Neumann KH80DSPs served as overhead channels to complete the immersive field.
“Joe and Joel came up with the idea for ATMOS in my room for me to remix Billy Joel material and other artists’ live performances,” Jay remarks. “Joe set me up with all the tools I needed: consoles, speakers, computers, and my plugin array. And to this day, he covers me whenever I need anything at all… plus he’s a great friend”.
A particularly unique challenge was integrating the overhead height channel speakers without permanent ceiling mounts due to the studio’s high-vaulted architecture. The solution? A creative and robust setup using heavy-duty Triad-Orbit Starbird mic stands, allowing precise, secure placement of the KH80DSPs at the ideal elevation and angle.
Jay was pleased with Joel Guilbert’s critical thinking: “Joel, aka Mister Technical, guided me through the ATMOS setup with speakers and everything else that goes along with it. Without having to add beams to my ceiling, he suggested 8 ft boom arms with couplings to hold my height speakers. He’s another person who helps out on the spur of the moment”.
Once the set-up was complete and the room was dialed in, Vicari got to work—reimagining the master tapes and transforming them into a spatial experience that fully envelops the listener, capturing the energy and nuance of a legendary performance. Once mixed, the concert was then processed for ATMOS by Tom Davis, delivering the final product.
Experience Live At Yankee Stadium for yourself on Apple Music or Amazon Prime.
