At R3store, preserving moving image history has always meant caring for the sound as closely as the picture. We’ve now taken a significant step forward with two major upgrades to our audio department. Our expanded Audio Restoration Suite is fully operational in the studio, and we’ve also added the Dolby Model 363.

Together, these upgrades strengthen every stage of our restoration workflow, ensuring that archival soundtracks can be reproduced and preserved exactly as their creators intended.

Inside the New Audio Restoration Suite

Our audio department has been completely upgraded with a modern suite designed for precision restoration, advanced processing, and multi-channel mastering.
Our new setup includes:

•    Pro Tools, iZotope RX, SpectraLayers, and CEDAR Studio Restore
•    High-accuracy de-noise, de-hiss, de-crackle, de-click, and de-hum treatment
•    Restoration of natural EQ balance and removal of harshness from worn optical tracks
•    WAV creation direct from picture scans with optical soundtracks
•    Stem re-creation (dialogue/music/effects) for preservation and advanced processing
•    Upmixing from stereo to 5.1, 7.1, or Dolby Atmos no stems required
•    Vocal isolation for remixes, re-versioning, or creative reimagining

With these tools, our team can clean, rebuild, and enhance soundtracks from any era, whether they originate on film, tape, or early digital formats. Every workflow is built around accuracy and respect for the source, allowing us to restore clarity without compromising character.

The Dolby Model 363: Authentic Hardware for True Archival Accuracy

A huge amount of twentieth-century audio was recorded using Dolby noise-reduction systems. From the late 1960s onward, Dolby Type A became standard across professional recording, with Dolby SR (Spectral Recording) arriving in 1986. Both systems “compand” the signal while recording, which means that correct playback requires equally precise decoding.

Our Dolby Model 363 allows us to perform that work the way it was designed to be done.

The 363 provides accurate decoding for both Dolby Type A and SR to their original specifications. This is particularly important for archival film and broadcast material, and even more so for digital transfers made in the 1990s. Many SR-encoded recordings were copied “flat” to formats like DAT, which means the SR encoding is still present. Without proper hardware decoding the results can sound skewed, compressed, or tonally unbalanced.

Hardware decoding is still the only correct method for SR restoration, and the 363 gives us absolute confidence when we’re working with delicate or historically significant soundtracks. It’s a rare and essential capability and an important addition to our studio.

Bringing Picture and Sound Together

Great restoration depends on balance. With the Dolby 363 handling analogue decoding and the new suite delivering modern spectral processing, we can now approach every project with deeper control and flexibility. Whether we’re working with a newly scanned feature, an optical track from the archive, or a fragile one-off reel, these upgrades allow us to deliver consistent, high-fidelity results from start to finish.

Both announcements reflect our long-standing commitment to giving each project the care it deserves. We’re excited to share examples in the months ahead.

If you’d like to see the upgrades in action, contact us to discuss your project.