- Ira Poblete
- Jul 22
- 3 min read
Custom Design Studio ADU Rebuild for High-Performance Production
Project Type: Custom Design Production Studio
Client / Market: ADU Retrofit
Affiliated Work: Helmet, Everclear, Dee Snider, Atlas Genius
Space: Loft in a cabin / Professional mix room
Primary Goal: Build a high-performance production and tracking studio that supports fast work, high-level critical audio decision-making, and comfortable live band tracking and audio processing workflow
Sense & Sound Scope: Studio design, isolation design, acoustic design, audio systems, system, electrical design, studio furniture design, live room acoustic system, control / mix room acoustic system, project management, installation, speaker placement and calibration, lighting design and installation
Key Features: ADU retrofit into a professional production studio, custom live room and control room acoustic systems, isolation design for high-level studio work, integrated audio, electrical, furniture, and lighting design, speaker placement and calibration
Project Overview
Jim Kaufman’s California studio began as an ADU retrofit with a clear goal: create a professional production and tracking environment that could support fast work, critical listening, and comfortable live band recording.
The space needed to function as more than a mix room. It had to support production, tracking, audio processing, and daily creative decisions at a professional level.
Sense & Sound designed and installed a full custom studio system built around the way Jim works.
The Challenge
An ADU can be a practical starting point for a studio, but it requires careful planning to perform at a high level.
The room needed to support accurate monitoring in the control and mix area while also making the live room comfortable and useful for tracking. The design had to account for isolation, acoustics, electrical planning, system flow, furniture, lighting, and the relationship between rooms.
The goal was to create a space that could move quickly without sacrificing confidence.
The Approach
Sense & Sound handled the studio design from the room outward.
That included isolation design, acoustic design, electrical design, audio systems planning, studio furniture design, lighting design, project management, installation, and speaker placement calibration.
The studio was planned as a complete working environment, not a collection of separate treatments and equipment choices. Each part of the room was designed to support the same outcome: faster work, clearer decisions, and a smoother production workflow.
The System
The California studio included dedicated acoustic systems for both the live room and the control / mix room. The control room was designed for high-level critical listening, with acoustic treatment and speaker placement calibrated to help Jim make reliable production and mix decisions.
The live room system was built to support comfortable band tracking and audio processing workflows, giving the space enough control for professional recording while keeping it practical for real sessions.
Lighting and studio furniture were also integrated into the design so the room felt complete, focused, and usable from day one.
The Result
Jim’s ADU became a professional production and tracking studio built for serious daily work.
The finished space supports fast creative decisions, accurate monitoring, live band tracking, and an efficient audio workflow. It gives Jim a room that feels intentional, performs reliably, and supports the full range of his production process.
What began as a retrofit became a high-performance studio system — designed for speed, confidence, and professional output.
Project notes are based on Sense & Sound’s direct involvement in the studio layout, acoustic design, acoustics manufacturing & installation, lighting design, speaker placement, and system planning for the Jim Kaufman California Studio project.
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