Immersive Talk with James Russell

Can you please introduce yourself, tell us your job title, and tell us a little bit
about what you do, and how you ended up doing it?

My name is James Russell, but most people know me as Jruckers. I’m a freelance audio engineer and producer. I started out producing for close friends in the CHH world, which led to sync placements with brands like Nike, Target, Walmart, Barbie, Duracell, Tide, and Levi’s. Over time, I fell in love with mixing to help fill a need in the community.

I also served as an in-house producer for Beleaf’s YouTube brand, Beleaf in Fatherhood, where I created license-free music for his content and produced tracks for him as an artist. Beyond the studio, I’m a music director and keys player at The Rock Church, one of the largest churches in the greater San Diego area.

Can you tell us about your studio space? Where its located, any history of the
building, the approximate size of the studio?

The studio is currently located in North County San Diego. The room is a perfect 14x14 FT Square room with 8 FT ceilings. It is heavily sound treated with insulation along with soundproof ceiling tiles to replace the standard mineral fiber tiles. Although the setup is a 7.1.4 layout, it is still a multipurpose space for stereo mixes along with production as well.

Can you give an overview of the key equipment you use in the studio – consoles/
DAW/processors/sound sources/signal distribution etc.?

I’m a firm believer in “less is more.” I use Logic Pro for everything — from production to mixing in both stereo and Atmos — after years of experimenting with various MPCs, synths, and DAWs like Reason, Native Instruments Maschine, and Studio One. At the heart of my studio is Apogee’s flagship interface, the Symphony I/O, which powers everything. On the production side, I’ve recently started collecting effects pedals to explore new sound textures and add unique character to my work.

What type of work do you do in your studio?

All of the work I have done have consisted of RnB and hip-hop stuff, but I try not to limit myself. I can mix any genre on the planet when given the opportunity and look forward to the challenges.

Right now, I focus on Atmos and stereo mixing for clients. Recently, I’ve also been learning mastering from my good friend Will Borza, a highly respected mastering engineer in the Los Angeles area. His generosity in sharing knowledge has been invaluable, and when the time is right, I’ll be ready to offer mastering services as well. Mastering is an essential skill that will not only expand my offerings but also enhance my work as an Atmos engineer.

How and when did you become interested in immersive audio?

I first got into immersive audio through Beleaf, who had a low-key friendship with Jonathan Morrison — one of the biggest tech YouTubers out there. I didn’t even know they had met years earlier at a Best Buy event!

One day, Jonathan invited us to his space in Claremont, and that’s where I was first introduced to Atmos. When I arrived, he had Andrew Dawson working on a mix for NiCO, an up-and-coming pop duo. His setup, Genelec speakers powered by a Symphony I/O, was incredible. The moment I heard Atmos in action, I was hooked. I had always been aware of Dolby’s role in the film industry, but experiencing it in music completely changed my perspective.

What made you finally equip your studio for immersive, and can you describe how
you did the upgrade? If you worked with any external people or had work done on
the studio, can you provide some details?

I initially started with a Symphony I/O interface and a Genelec subwoofer, bass managing a set of non-Genelec studio monitors I picked up during a Black Friday special—without knowing much about mixing in Atmos. At the time, I was working in Studio One, but when Jonathan and his team came down to help set up my studio, they introduced me to Logic Pro, which has a built-in Atmos renderer. That was a gamechanger. I began experimenting with some of our in-house music, just getting my feet wet with Atmos. Then an opportunity came up to work with a local artist who had a major CHH feature on his project. When I invited him to the studio for a demo, he was instantly sold on the format. He had just wrapped up a 17-song LP and sent over stems for three tracks to test out. The mixes blew him away, and soon, he was ready to have the whole project mixed in Atmos.

That’s when things got complicated. His original mix engineer was difficult to work with, delaying the delivery of proper stems and effects. By the time I finally received everything, the stereo version had already been released, and I had to recreate certain reverbs and delays to match. When the artist approved the final Atmos mixes, he reached out to his mix engineer, who was closely tied to one of the biggest CHH engineers in the industry. That engineer, however, questioned whether my studio was Dolby-certified and ultimately discouraged the release of the Atmos version.

That experience pushed me to do things the right way. I upgraded my studio step by step — starting with my LCRs and eventually outfitting the entire space with Genelec speakers to meet Dolby’s specifications. Now, Jruckers Productions is officially registered as a Dolby-approved Atmos studio, ensuring that no one can question the legitimacy of my work again.

Now that you are working in immersive, can you describe how you approach it, how
it differs from stereo mixing, and what creative opportunities/challenges it presents?

Every mix starts with a strong stereo foundation — whether I did the original mix or not. I always respect the integrity of the stereo mix by maintaining the original balance before expanding into the immersive space. From there, I focus on enhancing the artist’s intent by using creative panning and spatial placement. For example, in a hip-hop track, if an artist delivers a clever punchline or a standout lyric, I might use dynamic panning to emphasize it, treating Atmos as a creative playground. The center channel is a must. Having sold high-end home theater systems and being a fan of cinema, I understand that roughly 70% of a movie’s dialogue comes from the center speaker—so why not apply the same principle to the lead vocal? This allows background vocals and other elements to be placed more dynamically throughout the space. One of the biggest advantages of Atmos is the sheer amount of space available. Instead of simply boosting volume, I use 3D object placement to highlight hidden details in a mix—helping subtle ear candy stand out while avoiding phase issues.

Can you describe your Genelec monitoring system (format, models etc)? Can you tell
us why you chose Genelec, and how the monitoring system helps you to work in
immersive?

Monitoring System:

• LCR: Genelec 8341A
• Surrounds: Genelec 8330A (RAW finish)
• Subwoofer: Genelec 7370A

I chose Genelec for their exceptional bass management capabilities and the SPL levels they achieve relative to my room size — both critical factors for accurate Atmos mixing. When building an Atmos room, proper monitoring is essential to making the right mix decisions. Early on, before I had a full SAM system, the 7370A subwoofer’s bass management played a key role in helping me achieve balanced mixes. Once I completed the full upgrade to Genelec’s SAM monitors, I gained an even deeper appreciation for their precision and the next-level control they bring to immersive mixing.

Did you use GLM (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager) to calibrate your system, and can
you describe what difference that makes?

Absolutely — GLM is a game-changer when setting up a Genelec system. No room is perfect, no matter how much acoustic treatment you apply. GLM calibrates the system by using EQ and time alignment to ensure every speaker delivers sound to your ears at the same time, creating a more accurate and balanced listening environment. I also love the ability to create and recall different calibration profiles, which adds flexibility for different mix scenarios. My next planned addition is the Genelec 9320A, which has GLM built-in, bridging the gap between speaker and headphone monitoring—an essential tool for immersive mixing.

Can you list some of the immersive projects you have worked on recently, and is your
immersive room bringing you new business? Was it a good commercial decision?

Recently, I’ve worked on both Atmos and stereo mixes for Solace, an independent artist from Houston, including her project Nine, released about a year ago. I also contributed production work for her. Other immersive projects include J3W3LS’ Head Heart EP, collaborations with Khari Mateen, and a project for Drew Barragan, which I just wrapped up. Keep an eye out for new releases from Beleaf, as well as some exciting projects I can’t reveal yet. As for the business side of investing in an immersive room, it’s still a bit early to tell if it’s fully paid off. I completed the upgrades in November, so the impact is just starting to show. That said, I do believe offering both stereo and Atmos mixing, rather than just Atmos, is the way to go, especially for indie artists. While some may be slow to adopt Atmos due to the extra costs of mixing and mastering, having the capability to do both makes it an easier sell. Building relationships and getting word-of-mouth referrals is still key, but the immersive capabilities certainly open doors for new opportunities.

How do you see the future of immersive audio over the next few years?

Immersive audio is here to stay, and I see it only growing in the coming years. I’d love to see platforms like Spotify get on board sooner rather than later to enhance the user experience. We’re already starting to see more mainstream artists releasing immersive audio, especially with new projects, and I think that trend will continue. Early on, we saw legendary artists from various genres leading the charge with reissues of classic back catalog mixes, and in many ways, that’s still happening. But moving forward, I expect more and more new releases to embrace immersive formats, making it an essential part of the music landscape.