• 34 recordings

  • 6 channels (Quad + MS)

  • 96kHz / 24 Bit

  • 26,7 GB, 1h:48min total time

  • Mics: 4 x DPA 4006, Schoeps MK4, Sennheiser MKH30

  • Recorder: Sound Devices 788

  • Soundminer metadata embedded

  • metadata .txt file

Quad City Berlin

Quad City Berlin is a comprehensive collection of quadrophonic recordings from the busy and multifaceted german capital, the second largest city in the European Union.

It was created to work as an internationally usable library of urban ambiences while still capturing the unique sounds of Berlin. It's a set of extensive and versatile recordings focused on large open spaces and the nice fat low-end hum of major city traffic.

Quad City Berlin comes in two flavors:

Quad + MS:  four channels with omni-directional mics + two channels mid-side (6 channels total, please check out diagram below)

Stereo only: the two front channels of the quad setup only (A-B stereo)

The locations covered in Quad City Berlin include:

rooftops
main roads & squares
residential areas

parks
freeways
room ambiences

The recording session took place in the fall of 2015 where birdsong is usually very sparse and the weather can still be sunny and dry. Thanks to these conditions, most of the recordings contain no bird chirping at all.

All recordings where made using the same microphone setup: four omni-directional mics with equal distances to each other and one MS rig at the front side.

Depending on the location, the omnis where placed up to 3 meters apart to deliver a truly wide sound that works well on a cinema mixing stage. The MS signal serves as both a center signal (if needed) and a stereo option that is also mono compatible.

The four omnis where the high-end DPA 4006 (Bruel&Kjaer) microphones with a remarkable quality in the low frequencies. They work exceptionally well for city background hum and low engine sounds producing a very full and warm, yet precise sound.