Kraftwerk upgrade PMC mastering suite to Dolby Atmos for 3-D The Catalogue concert Blu-ray collection

Legendary electronic band Kraftwerk recently upgraded their PMC monitoring system to a nine channel Dolby Atmos set-up so that they could compile the 3-D The Catalogue, a documentary collection which has just been released.

Over the last five years the German band has toured a selection of its classic albums in full, putting on 3D multimedia art performances in leading museums and art galleries. Material from these concerts forms the basis of the multi-format release, which is available in six iterations including a deluxe version in a box with four Blu-Ray discs with Dolby Atmos audio, and a 228-page art book. There's also a vinyl release and an eight CD set.

Kraftwerk already had a 5-channel PMC IB2S monitoring system in their Kling Klang Studio in Dusseldorf. To bring the system up to Atmos specifications, the band invested in a pair of PMC twotwo.6 and a pair of twotwo.8 speakers, plus a PMC twotwo Sub2 active subwoofer. With this new set-up, Kraftwerk reworked a selection of audio material into the immersive 3D format.

The decision to upgrade to a Dolby Atmos setup using additional PMC monitors was made by Ralf Hütter and  Fritz Hilpert, responsible for the 3D and 2D audio mixing, an upgrade on their existing IB2S system. The speakers use PMC's proprietary Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) technology, said to be capable of delivering the clarity and transient response that Kraftwerk required, particularly at low levels.

Released through Parlophone, the 3-D The Catalogue box-set features performances of eight Kraftwerk albums: Autobahn (first released in 1974), Radio-Activity (1975), Trans Europe Express (1977), The Man-Machine (1978), Computer World (1981), Techno Pop (1986), The Mix (1991) and Tour De France (2003). All eight works were filmed and recorded between 2012 and 2016 on the band’s 3-D World Tour in locations such as MoMA (New York), The Tate Modern Turbine Hall (London), Akasaka Blitz (Tokyo) and the Sydney Opera House.

Kraftwerk are currently performing their 3-D live show as part of an extensive European tour that includes 17 dates in the UK and Ireland.