Mix Magazine has just published a feature on the all-new Ayan Mastering facility in Portland, Maine, spotlighting Adam Ayan’s transition from Gateway Mastering into a purpose-built, next-generation room designed for uncompromising performance.
We’re proud to see GIK Acoustics prominently featured in the story.
The new Ayan Mastering studio was designed around a modular acoustic strategy centered on our versatile Sound Blocks product, paired with deep, broadband bass trapping and carefully integrated diffusion. This approach was first introduced publicly during our AES 159th Convention presentation, where we detailed how a fully modular, shippable treatment system could achieve,and even exceed, the performance of traditional built-in architectural solutions.
As explored further in our detailed Ayan Mastering case study and our collaboration announcement with Grammy-winning engineer Adam Ayan, the goal was clear: match or surpass the world-class trusted monitoring environment Adam had relied on for decades, while gaining flexibility, scalability, and long-term adaptability.
The result is a mastering room with:
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Exceptionally consistent decay times
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Deep, controlled low-frequency response
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Even modal behavior across the critical 60–200 Hz range
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A monitoring environment Adam describes as exceeding rooms long considered among the best in the world
The Mix article highlights not just the aesthetics and build quality of the space, but the performance-driven philosophy behind it. This wasn’t about installing treatment as décor. It was about solving time-domain problems, controlling deep bass energy in an ultra-tight room, and creating a trustworthy listening environment where decisions are made with total confidence.
World-Class Performance Goes Modular
Historically, rooms of this caliber required heavy architectural builds: false walls, permanently embedded absorbers, and construction-level commitments. What this project proves is that deep, broadband bass trapping and mastering-grade acoustic control can be achieved with modular systems designed offsite, shipped, deployed, and even reconfigured as needs evolve.
That flexibility was essential during Ayan’s transition from Gateway to a temporary workspace. It mattered again in the permanent studio when the new Ayan Mastering opened last year. And it continues to matter as his workflows evolve. The modular approach does not represent a compromise. In this case, it surpassed the previous room’s performance.
From Grammy-Winning Mastering to Your Room
While Ayan Mastering operates at the highest tier of professional audio, the underlying acoustic treatment principles are universal:
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Acoustics is a time problem, not just a frequency problem.
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Deep bass control requires real thickness and real space used inside the room.
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Even distribution and balanced absorption/diffusion create trustworthy results.
The same physics that define a world-class mastering room apply to project studios, home theaters, and critical listening spaces.
The difference is scale, not principle.
You can read Mix Magazine’s full feature on the new Ayan Mastering facility for yourself.
And if you’re ready to explore what’s possible in your own space, the best place to begin is our Free Acoustics Consultation. Share photos and details of your room, and our design team will help you build a plan tailored to your goals.
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