From the moment he first saw an audio engineer at work, Grammy Award-winning recording and mixing engineer Javier Valverde knew he was destined for that career path. Originally from Bolivia, Valverde later moved to Miami, where he advanced his skills, eventually working with a number of high-profile clients, including Maná, Alejandro Sanz, Brandy, and Timbaland. He also worked as T-Pain’s main engineer for nine years. When posed with the opportunity to transform his Wynwood-based mixing studio into a Dolby Atmos room, Valverde wanted a solution that was both cost-effective and provided professional results.
KRK checked all the boxes, leading Valverde to place three of the brand’s V-Series 8 Studio Monitors in the front left, center, and right of the studio, along with two additional V8 monitors in the rear. Two V-Series 6 Studio Monitors on the right and left sides, four V-Series 4 Studio Monitors in the front and back of the ceiling, and an S12 Subwoofer below his desk complete Valverde’s new Dolby Atmos room.
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First introduced to KRK while assisting at The Hit Factory, Valverde was already familiar with the brand’s performance in the studio. “An engineer came in for a project I was working on and had the original V8s, and I just thought, ‘Wow, these sound really good,’” he said. “The fullness and the bottom that they were getting out of the KRKs was very clean and powerful and so much better than the regular monitors we had in the studio at that time. I found them very impressive. After finding KRK in different studios throughout my career, it was a no-brainer what monitors I would choose when I finally opened my own.”
Based in the Wynwood Arts District of Miami, Valverde turned his mix studio into a custom Dolby Atmos studio with the help of friend and colleague Carlito Cobos. “I was originally mixing with KRK ROKIT 5 Studio Monitors, and I was really digging the mixes I was getting out of them; they made everything sound great,” explained Valverde. “When Carlito approached me about making an Atmos room, I didn’t think it would be in the budget, but he showed me how we could use all KRKs. He helped me with the acoustic paneling and tuning of the room, and by the time we were up and running in January, the monitors sounded great. The room is awesome.”
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Since opening the doors to his new Atmos room, Valverde has been nothing short of impressed. Recent work of his includes the single “Like Dis” by Nappy Boy Entertainment artist Chayo Nash, who collaborated with the label’s front man, T-Pain, on the song. Valverde also worked on the upcoming single for Moroccan artist Ghita. “Everybody who comes into the studio is blown away,” Valverde continued. “Not only by the immersive audio but also by the way the monitors sound; they’re great. The mid-range is so clear, and you get good spacing and depth. That is what really stands out to me and to the artists coming into the studio. Plus, with the S12 sub in there, I get extra power on top of the V8s.”
Moving forward, Valverde is excited to continue creating and exploring all that his new room can offer. “I’m so happy I found this place,” he added. “When I go to work, I’m able to clear my brain and be innovative. As a mixer, the Atmos room further enhances my creativity. It has opened so many more doors for me, and it’s so much fun! I feel so lucky and blessed to be doing this. KRK has great, affordable, and familiar solutions―I really trust the brand. With so many producers using KRK, I know that when I send my mixes over, they hear what I’m hearing. They’re so great, in fact, that I just had a client of mine order the V8s for her home studio, and she loves them. It would be crazy not to use KRK.”