"FF14" Masayoshi Sen, ATH-R70X Product planner Hiromasu Suzuki and active composers are important, what is the key to remote production equipment?

"Final Fantasy 14" (FF14), MMORPG developed and operated by Square Enix.ATH-R70X, an open headphone of audio technica, is the key to sound production in the remote environment in the corona of this work, and is used as a reference between staff.

To understand why this product became a reference model, the creator's praise, Mr. Masuke Senka, the sound creator of "FF14", Hiromasu Suzuki, a product planner of ATH-R70X of audio technica.As a composer, three people (Tomoya Miwa), who provide music to the commercial scene, talked about products in a free talk format under the editorial department.

If you look at the first part of the sound production of "FF14", the appeal of "ATH-R70X" should emerge deeper.Please take a look at it.

"ATH-R70X" should be bought for the creator for the time being

――I'll ask frankly, why did you choose ATH-R70X in music production?

Mr. Senka (hereafter, the title omitted): The trigger was that when I verified the headset called "ATH-G1" created by audio technica, in the recommended program of "Final Fantasy 14". One of them was "ATH-R70X". I thought the open type was unusual, but I was busy and slept (laughs). One day I was surprised, and when I was involved in the development site of Immersive audio, it sounded on the headphones when the surround environment was reproduced in imbalance, even if I removed the headphones. There were times when I didn't know if it was ringing with a speaker. It was a room tuned in a rugged, but it was only at that time with the headphones attached. When I attached the ATH-R70X, I thought that I could hear the sound of the speaker at first, and the way I heard it was not headphones. The sound from the speaker and the sound from the headphones are absolutely different, but that is the same. What's this! ? It was like that. There is a time when the speaker does not sound in the production environment, but maybe you can monitor with "ATH-R70X"? When I thought about it, I didn't need a speaker anymore. Since then, I can't let go. Surely it doesn't tell you at all, but it really sounds like a speaker!

――Why do you sound like that in the mechanism?

Suzuki (hereafter, title omitted): Why?

―― (All laughter)

Suzuki: It will be a jargon, but the feeling that Senka says, "If you listen with headphones, the sound will not come out by all means" is a head -in -headed head that is common in headphones, and in your head.It is always something that makes the sound sound in a 2ch stereo headphone.Mainly some Europeans who feel uncomfortable, especially veteran sound engineers who shy away from headphones, and some of them say open -speakers.I'm still here.I think that is connected to what Sora -san said.

Senka: That's right.In the previous interview, I said that music and sound effects were different, but that's exactly it.Even if you are in the head in your head, it is not uncomfortable because it is explained from the picture with the right and left feeling.But music doesn't sound here, but it sounds like that, or that it's easy to hear, so there may be a great difference.When making songs, it is easier to make it in a state of listening to the whole body rather than listening to music in your head, so in such a situation, the desire to sound with speakers in the final process of production will be stronger.

But especially in the current situation, it's hard to do it, and it doesn't sound!When it comes to that, ATH-R70X solves everything.For example, you have to spend money to create an environment that can sound properly, and if it is a room, the four corners will be kinkin in the reflection, so let's put a sound insulation board ...。This is fine!It's a strange headphone (laughs)

Suzuki: I think there is a big hint that if you do not pass through the air, you will not be able to convey it.Since the open type is not sealed first, it is a mechanism to use the outer air freely to convey the sound from the driver unit.Rather than moving a small amount of air, it is transmitted using the natural air on the outside, so the emotional part may be transmitted.

Senka: That's right.Also, if it is an open headphone, it is convenient because it can be heard from the outside even if it is called "Hey!" (Laughs).There are some, but if you concentrate on the sealed headphones during the production, you can't hear the outside sound, so you can't hear it at all even if the alarm at the meeting time is ringing.So many members of the sound section are late for the meeting (laughs).Of course, there is a loose in time, but I often work with a closed headphone, so when I concentrate, the time flows out, and when I notice it, I am late.There is.

In any case, it is a great characteristic that you can listen to the headphones as if you were listening to the speakers naturally, and I think it is an excellent environment for listening to music.

――Is the situation that you have to listen to with headphones is born by Corona?

Senka: That's right.I think there are many creators who have to make them in the restrictions.Fortunately, we have a sound section, so no one complains even if the sound is ranged.However, there are quite a few companies where the sound section does not exist, and there are quite a few developers who have to do everything alone.So, if you're working at a home with a programmer, designer, planner, or a home without soundproofing equipment, wouldn't it be annoying if one person screams (laughs)?But there are many cases that I want to check with the speaker, so I think the "ATH-R70X" will solve it.

Also, personally, I was working while I was hospitalized due to illness, but of course I couldn't bring the speakers in the hospital room. What would you do if you did that (laughs)? Even in such an environment, it was very useful and helpful. Of course, there are quite a few staff members who can't make a sound at home or use speakers in the current situation of Corona. All members introduced "ATH-R70X" to the members saying "I want to sound with a speaker". To be honest, there are quite a lot of members, but I think this was a necessary investment. Because it can be achieved at much lower cost than preparing a speaker set and sound insulation material to prepare each individual's production environment. To be honest, I think everyone should buy it as a sound creator. If you have such a good product, it is a good product that you should have once.

By the way, while many open headphones do not have a bass feeling, the ATH-R70X is out of the bottom, and how is it realized with a unit of that size ...?

―― (All laughter)

Suzuki: That's right ...One day is not enough, but the history of open headphones is Sennheiser, Beyerdynamic, and those who originally made open headphones as the pioneer.As a later audio technica, I have been doing it for more than 20 years to grab the bangs of those people, but I couldn't get it easily.I don't think it's well -known, but in fact, we have tried and error of open headphones for about 4-5 generations when counting from the first headphones.I was actually saying that I wanted to do the ATH-R70X, but at that time there was an ATH-M50, a closed monitor headphone that is now useful for professionals around the world.

Miwa: It's a one -generation product I am using now.

Senka: Oh.

Suzuki: Thank you.The ATH-M50 product is a sound quality that is positive to the motivation of the singers and the players, and the basics of monitor headphones are the basics of monitor headphones.A headphone made by a veteran engineer at the end, saying, "This is the last model in charge, so make a monitor headphone that can be embodied with all your career!"We have inherited the heritage left by the person, evolved from ATH-M50 to ATH-M50X, and has created an audio-technical studio monitor.

It was because of such a ground, but I directly appealed to the company, "I want you to do an open monitor."Audio Technica is a rare company as a modern headphone or microphone maker that designs and produces driver units in -house, but when it was boiled down at the last stage of the development, when I was talking to the chief engineer in charge.One of the two prototypes that the engineer picked up and made my casual word was the ATH-R70X that appeared in this world.However, it is not clear what kind of conversation at that time was a hint, so nobody could answer exactly why this sound came out (laughs).。

By the way, I often hear that open headphones do not have low frequencies, but from the engine of headphones in the world, it is not a real open headphone.

Senka, Miwa: Hey.

Suzuki: Like the speakers, there are various methods and you can make various sounds.It is no reason that the headphones can be made with a sealed type with just the sound and the open type cannot make this sound.If you can move the diaphragm firmly and control the movement of the air, you will surely get the sound.I feel like I was developing a story at the time of development that the loss occurs somewhere and the control is insufficient and it does not sound.

Senka: "ATH-R70X" was able to manage to do something that could not be done even if I did it seriously in that theory (laughs)

Suzuki: A few years after the ATH-R70X release, we released our open flagship model "ATH-ADX5000", but since the experience value of "ATH-R70X" was used, the open flag was used.It means that you have a ship.It's certain that something has been taken over, but when the low frequency of the "ATH-R70X" was decided, what I said and what the engineer received was sometimes drinking.Even if I talk, it will be "What was it ..." (laughs)

Miwa: I think that the audio technica is made around the DJ series, the M series, and the sealed type, but was it a great challenge to make ATH-R70X?

Suzuki: No, it's easy to think so, but how many years have you been making it ...?Open -type headphones have been working on our own brand for over 40 years, and the first major is the sealed type, but I also worked on the open type from the beginning.However, before the headphones were inevitably obtained, it was treated as an extra composer.When the sound was not heard with the speaker due to Japanese housing circumstances, it was an "bonus" that I heard without leaking music with audio sets or mini -compo.So I think the sealed type is recognized as headphones in Japan.

Senka: Isn't the gamer a border?In that sense, gamers are also closed.

Suzuki: That's right.However, there is an open headphone called "ATH-AD700X" and we have been making it for nearly 10 years, but it has been selling for some areas.Because gamers in a certain area have requested me to keep using it, it seems that it is used in local tournaments in a certain game title, but this is definitely.It seems that unless it is headphones, you cannot get a fixed position.It wasn't selling very much, but I couldn't disconnect it (laughs)

Senka: Isn't that a good thing (laughs)?

Miwa: It's no exaggeration to say that people all over the world are supporting the ears of people around the world.

Suzuki: It seems that it is quite useful in worldwide, but it is difficult to become a major (laughs).I want to do more marketing.

Senka: As for the production site, there are many cultures, imitating the right.For the time being, there is Pro Tools, it seems that there is Genelec.Isn't that about Japan?When you go to each country, there is something optimized in the studio, but Japan has an atmosphere like a useless studio.Conversely, why not use such a culture to be the opposite and use the "ATH-R70X" to the de facto standard?

Suzuki: Well, that's right.

Senka: (laughs)

Suzuki: However, even if you do that in Japan, the Japanese music scene or the entire industry has been weak in technology and equipment, and the famous engineers of overseas studios are famous.When it comes to the equipment used by, it has been imitated to the right, and there were times when it was difficult to recognize it.Audio Technica also manufactures and sells microphones, but I think that the AT40 series is exactly the de facto standard, and I think that one in each studio has a situation.

On the other hand, the change of sound engineers has been changing recently, and they are starting to create a new studio.I think those people who are out of the right to imitate the right are starting to choose audio -technica products because they want to use what they like and what they have checked with their ears.

Senka: So is it spreading in grass roots?

Suzuki: It's really grassroots (laughs)

Senka: In the sense of grassroots, there were many people who didn't even know the Square Enix sound staff, so when I heard that I was deceived and asked me, there was no staff who said that this product was bad.you know.It would be nice to say that I was triggered, but I may have been able to cooperate with grassroots (laughs).There are a lot of critics who want to be stingy that the audio relationship is not good here, but this product is really stingy.Amazing, what is this?

Suzuki: The recommended way is really good, and I want someone to notice it, so I keep silently making headphones and micro hons at the factory every day (laughs).

Senka: However, I think there are pros and cons to use this as a gaming headset.If the gamers who keep using the sealed type and have a fixed feeling of the closed type hear the open type, they will feel uncomfortable.However, from the perspective of the production side, everyone knows how important the act of ultimately sounding from the speaker is, so there are a lot of costs to do this process.The act of going to the outside studio is essential for delivering better sounds, so I think that products that can be easily realized should be used once.

Suzuki: I am currently in charge of consumer products, but until 7-8 years ago I was in charge of professionals, and at that time I worked on ATH-M50X. I had many opportunities to meet sound engineers, so what kind of headphones do you want? I heard a lot and went around. Then, I want to eat with music, but I can't be a major so easily, so basically I have to produce music at home. I was told that there were quite a lot of people in the environment who had to work. At the end, I have to do a radios checkceck, but I got a big ball (a large speaker installed in the studio) that I couldn't understand in the house, and I got the part where I arrived at the ATH-R70X. I have.

By the way, I have made ATH-M50X and ATH-M70X, but I think that I want to use this tool because I want to check here for each scene.I am making it with the feeling that I would like to use various products, and ultimately be a substitute for speakers, without having to complete it with only audio technica.I would be glad if you could choose it as one of the tools.

It's honest that I didn't make ATH-R70X because I thought I would be pleased so far (laughs).In fact, there are very few people who can understand the open type, and even engineers are used to making sounds in a closed type, so it seems that the open type will not be clear.right.I was worried that it would suddenly spread too much, so I seemed to be out of the sound field I knew.

Europeans have different language and music culture, as well as how to make and listen to their ears, and many people say that the sealed type is uncomfortable.I think the manufacturer is mainstream.Beyerdynamic's DT990 and DT880 are also made in the same style of Sennheiser's HD560/HD600 for more than 40 years, so I think there is an open -type de facto standard in Europe.。I want to grab the bangs there.

Senka: I think there is a culture.In the case of Japan, there are many generations of enjoying music from Walkman culture or earphone culture.Therefore, I have the impression that the act of listening from speakers is fading.

Miwa: The base is that you can't make sound in Japan.A culture that does not allow sound leakage.

Senka: In the past, there were big speakers, but that's right.

Suzuki: After that, if it is a consumer game console, it can be connected to almost 4K TVs recently.In that case, the sound is produced from the 4K TV speaker.

Senka: I think this is different depending on the game play style.I use it properly depending on the genre of playing games, for example, I use a sealed headphone when playing an FPS game, and a speaker when playing RPG.I guess it will change depending on what kind of environment you want to hear.FPS is information for the sound of the sound.However, it is important that the sound of RPG is immersive in the world, or that you can interactively experience dramatic stories like movies, so it is different in nature.In the case of FPS, it is important where the enemy is, and the footsteps can be heard from behind are important, so I don't think it's a realism.

Miwa: That's right.

Senka: As a visual information, I search for where the enemy is, but it is the impression that the information I handle is different depending on the game I play with the sound of whether it is beyond the wall.How is it?Are all gamers around the world mainly headphones or speakers?

Miwa: How is it?Probably if you are doing consumer, PS4/PS5, etc., I think that it is surprisingly ringing from TV, but even professionals who appear in the competition scene often wear earphones.hey.

Senka: It's a canal type.

Miwa: Yes.So, for the so -called general, there is a lot of like one headset, and those who are distributing it like a headphone and one condenser microphone.We still use the AT4040 with ATH-M50X.

Senka: I don't see many people who use the open type.

Miwa: I don't see much, but some of the overseas distributors use the open type ... I don't want to give other companies in front of Beyerdynamic or audio -technica (laughs).

Suzuki: It's okay at all (laughs)

Senka: It's better to bite there ... (laughs)

Suzuki: There is no idea to get into the ATH-R70X at all, and the R series and M series are made with the desire to choose the sound as a tool for those who use the sound.It's a great pleasure to use the end users to be more happy because professionals use it to make the sound of Omoto.However, since it is basically for business use, it is extremely rugged and there is no decoration.It doesn't shine ...

―― (All laughs)

Senka: There is also a problem with impedance.

Suzuki: There are also problems with the equipment environment used.

Senka: We think that it is the best solution as a tool for listening to music as a production site, as a tool for listening to music, and as a monitoring application.However, I want you to play the game in this environment or listen to music in this environment, but I'm afraid to say in front of audio -technica, but I want you to do it as you like.You don't use ATH-R70X in the sense that you want to listen in the same environment, but you use it as a sashimi.

Game production has become more and more people who are engaged in sound, including outside and inside.In addition, because of the collona evil, it was difficult to talk in the studio and monitored it, and it was difficult to talk, such as "This is a bit too down or the back is too strong."In recent years, the environment where you can listen to sounds on the same scale while creating a different home environment and space, but now, when it comes to "Let's make it plump because there are not enough low frequencies", the ATH-R70X.If you wear it, you can have the same experience, this was very helpful.I felt that it was effective at the production site.

Suzuki: If you use a near -field monitor speaker, even if you use a speaker of the same model number, the sound of the room and the material of the wall will change the sound.By the way, Souka told me a very good thing, but the R of ATH-R70X is R of Reference.So, the fact that he can use it as a sashimi is the manufacturer.

Senka: So I could use it correctly (laughs)

Miwa: In my case, I make songs alone and release them, and I also do mixing and mastering other people, but now I'm using ATH-M50X in the main, and the other day, I'm sub.I bought a -m70X, so I heard the current story and thought it would have been better to buy ATH-R70X.

Suzuki: No, I think it's a good idea to use ATH-M50X to balance the overall mix.The ATH-M70X has a tightly low frequency range for detail adjustment, so if you adjust the details, if you prepare the last with the ATH-M50X, the bass will be familiar and heard.。

Miwa: That's right.確かに伸びてます。

Suzuki: If you use it as a monitor room -like sound, you can use it, and it will be closer to playing Genelec speakers in the studio.I would be glad if you could use it.I have to advertise such a usage properly ... (laughs)

ー ー (all laughing)

Miwa: But after all, the ATH-M50X sounds like the sound from the bottom to the top.The ATH-M70X certainly has a very monitor-like impression.

Suzuki: However, I think that low notes are different for human feeling between fat and thin people, but not listening to the primary resonance from the speakers, it is secondary and tertiary.The sound of the direction continues to feel the bass in the body, so the way of feeling should change depending on the human being.It is impossible to do it with one open headphone, so I think it would be better to use the ATH-R70X as a spider.

Miwa: This means that you should buy more.

Suzuki: That's right.By the way, there is also a balanced armature earmoni called ATH-E70, so if you arrange all of it, you can go to the Earpods check at the moment.

Senka: I use ATH-E70.That's good.

Suzuki: Thank you.You have a lot of our products (laughs)

Senka: It can be used as a monitoring or as listening.That's really good.Well, I want you to increase the type of sponge that comes with another one ...

Suzuki: I'm sorry, it's a little cost problem ...

―― (All laughter)

Suzuki: Did ATH-E70 also talked to a French DJ at an exhibition somewhere?I was told, "I hate overhead DJ monitor headphones," so how many people are?When I asked, the ATH-E70 was made by saying, "There are quite a few around me."

Our company has the philosophy of the original sound revitalization, but the original sound reproduction is to "reproduce the will of those who tried to make a sound as it is", and absolutely an indispensable element.I think there is.I want to be able to respect and reproduce it exactly, so I've been making it in the last few decades while taking care of my position.Because the sound field changes completely depending on the position.

――I'm going back a little, but what was the decisive factor of the ATH-R70X sound that would be a thing?

Senka: Because of the decisive factor or the characteristics of the tools, there was also a pandemic, so each staff shifted it to work at home.After all, the production environment of each individual will be different, so if you do not exchange information in a certain way in a certain range, you will create a disparity.In such a case, there are not many tools that can create the same sound without receiving the factors around you by unifying all with the same product.

――How did the development side be conscious of the neutral sound?

Suzuki: Basically, open headphones can only become flat characteristics (neutral) if they can.So, it is closer to the flat -type headphones that are properly made, and the little nuances are different for each manufacturer.There is a fact that this product of another company does not come out, but on the contrary, there is also a part that can only be put out to us, so we choose according to the customer's preference.The "F special (frequency characteristic)" of the open headphones is basically straight, so it is ideal for having a look.

Senka: There is another reason for the sashimi, and there are many individual variations in overseas products, audio -technica has few variations in products.The quality of such a product was also great to be reliable as a sashimi.

Miwa: Isn't audio technica musical?I feel that it is very easy to glue or that it is easy to make sound.

Suzuki: I guess that's being stuck during the ATH-M50X developer mentioned above.

Senka: (laughs)

Suzuki: I think that you can feel the sound of the motivation of the production environment created by the ATH-M50X.I think the people who have made are also happy.(smile)

Senka: I use Sony's MDR-CD900ST when using a closed type, but when I listen to it after using an audio-technical product, it sounds great.

Suzuki: I realize that there is a signal that you want to know as a tool completely here.

Senka: That's right.It's a check for each instrument.It's necessary to overdo it, if you don't have wet feet, you have to raise the wet high, or you need it when you know that, but it's completely different from how to use the ATH-M70X.The MDR-CD900ST is for checking the instrument, and the ATH-M70X is for total checks.Is it okay to use it?

Suzuki: It's okay.It's a great answer (laughs).So if you can check it with ATH-R70X at the end (laughs)

Senka: But it's difficult to cover everything with one.

Suzuki: Maybe it's the ultimate monitor headphone that can be realized, but it's difficult.I think that there are some ears that humans can feel in the air in such a large space, and maybe low -frequencies in the bones and diaphragms, so it is difficult to do it all.

Miwa: Even if you use the products of various manufacturers, you can't find it to do with this one, and you can't help it.

Senka: But isn't it fun on the contrary?I think it's fun to be able to come across your favorite sound because there are many things and you can hear your favorite sounds.

Miwa: It's certainly fun.But it's not the story I just mentioned, but I'm in trouble when I get a discon.I can't fix it!(Laughs)

Suzuki: Products that become a discon are products that were not very recognized in the world, especially for business products.I think that I had to make a discon because I didn't get a strong fan.Audio -technica still has many engineers of the same age as me, so we will continue to evolve.

Audio -technica, an audio equipment manufacturer that represents Japan.It is no exaggeration to say that the products they make support not only the sound aspects of FF14, but also the entire industry.As the number of bedroom studios is increasing, it is a good idea to use the ATH-R70X developed by using the developed ATH-R70X because it becomes a reference in the home work that accelerates due to corona.Maybe.