On May 15, Pitch Perfect 2 starring Anna Kendrick opened in theaters nationwide grossing more than $100 million in just two weeks. At the heart of the film’s success is its musical score. Supervising music mixer Joseph Magee, whose credits include the original Pitch Perfect, Saving Mr. Banks, High Fidelity and Into the Wild, recorded and mixed all of the a capella vocal performances using Harman’s JBL M2 Master Reference Monitors in a specially-built studio on location in Baton Rouge.
To produce and record the cast’s engaging vocal performances, Magee deployed JBL M2 Master Reference Monitors used in an L/C/R configuration, before shipping them back to Los Angeles where they were installed for mixing at Encore Studios and final dubs at Sony Studios. Magee also used a pair of JBL powered 3 Series LSR308 studio monitors as his near-field listening system.
Having used other large-format studio monitors, in Magee’s opinion, JBL’s patented-pending Image Control Waveguide, coupled with JBL’s patented low-distortion D2 high-frequency driver sets the M2 apart from the pack. “The D2 is so darn fast, and the system delivers such detail, I’m hearing things I haven’t heard before in my mixes and I’m hearing things differently—in a good way,” he said. “The M2 system performed exceptionally, day in and day out, and I think moviegoers will enjoy the results.”
The M2 Master Reference Monitor design leverages JBL’s revolutionary D2 Compression Driver, which uses two annular diaphragms and two voice coils to deliver extended high frequency response and very low distortion at very high sound pressure levels. The D2 is mated with JBL’s new 2216ND Differential Drive 15-inch woofer also with dual voice coils, incorporating a patented wire application that reduces power compression enabling linear output regardless of playback level. With these two extraordinary drivers as the engine, the M2 Master Reference Monitor delivers extended in-room response of 20 Hz to 40 kHz and remarkable 123 dB SPL at one meter, providing the performance required for demanding music and film production.
The M2’s compact footprint and accuracy make it ideal as a main monitor in a broad range of environments. “A lot of people perceive the M2’s as monitors that are meant to be permanently installed in a control room, tuned to the room and then left alone. But the reality is these loudspeakers sound great out of the box, so taking them to Baton Rouge was an easy decision,” Magee said.
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