7380A SAM™ Studiosubwoofer

Olemme varmasti tottuneet kuulemaan, että Genelecin lippulaivan, SAM (Smart Active Monitor) -sarjan The Ones -aktiivikaiuttimet ovat suosittuja huippuluokan tuotantostudioissa. Tiedämme pitkän luettelon tuottajia ja muusikoita ympäri maailmaa, jotka arvostavat laadukkaiden ja kompaktien kolmitiestudiomonitorien toiston laatua, tarkkuutta ja läpinäkyvyyttä. Ei kuitenkaan ole mitään syytä, miksi kotona ei voisi hyödyntää samaa suorituskykyä kuin ammattistudiossa – ja juuri tämän joensuulainen Jarno Vihonen päätti toteuttaa omaan asuntoonsa.

Audiofiiliksi tunnustautuva Jarno tiesi Genelecin jo entuudestaan, sillä hän on käyttänyt heidän tuotteita olohuoneessaan vuosien ajan parantaakseen elokuvien katselu- ja pelaamiskokemustaan. "Lukuisat luovan alan tekijät muusikoista videopelien äänisuunnittelijoihin luottavat Genelecin kaiuttimiin työvälineinään", hän selittää. "Ennen kaikkea haluan luoda kotiini ääniympäristön, jossa kuulen ammattilaisten työn juuri sellaisena kuin he ovat tarkoittaneet sen kuultavan. Genelecin GLM-kalibrointiohjelmisto korjaa taajuusvasteen pahimmat korostumat ja vaimentumat jotka tämä erikoisen muotoinen kuuntelutila muuten aiheuttaisi."

"Alkuperäinen settini oli 5.1 -järjestelmä, joka toteutettiin kompakteilla 8020B-kaiuttimilla ja 7050B-subwooferilla", hän jatkaa. "Kun tuo olohuoneen setti asennettiin, se oli jo aika edistyksellinen... Mutta kun The Ones:it julkaistiin, ei ollut kysymystäkään siitä, ettenkö investoisi niihin. Hankin ensimmäisen Ones-settini lisäämällä kolme 8351A:ta eturiviin sekä 8340A-parin takariviin. Kokonsa puolesta se toimi täydellisesti olohuoneeni tilaan ja äänentoistonkin kannalta se oli ensiluokkainen. Kuitenkin, kun tapasin Genelecin Pasi Pönkän yhden heidän kalibrointitapahtumansa kautta, hän sai sen kuulostamaan vieläkin paremmalta."

Ennen kaikkea haluan kuulla äänet kotonani täsmälleen niin kuin ne on tarkoitettu kuultavan

Genelec tarjoaa Suomessa säännöllisesti kalibrointikiertueita, joihin asiakkaat voivat rekisteröityä verkossa ja kertoa millainen Genelecin SAM-setti heillä on. Genelecin asiantuntijat järjestävät sen jälkeen ajan vieraillakseen jokaisen asiakkaan luona, jolloin he voivat keskustella kaiuttimien sijoittelusta ja huoneen akustiikasta. Tämän jälkeen kokeneen asiantuntijan on helppo auttaa asiakasta hienosäätämään asetukset täydellisiksi. "Huomasin, että asetuksista keskustelu Pasin ja muiden asiakkaiden kanssa oli erittäin antoisaa", muistelee Jarno. "Hänellä oli selvästi todella paljon kokemusta siitä, kuinka asiakkaita autetaan saamaan paras mahdollinen lopputulos erilaisissa tiloissa, olipa kyseessä The Ones -aktiivikaiuttimia kotonaan käyttävä asiakas tai ammattilaisstudio, jossa äänitetään huippuartisteille."

"Pasin manuaalinen hienosäätö järjestelmän GLM-kalibrointiasetuksiin tuotti vielä parempia tuloksia kuin oma puhtaasti automaattinen kalibrointini. Sain myös vinkkejä siitä, kuinka voisin korjata joitain epäsymmetrisen tilan asettamia haasteita."

"Jarnon epätavallisen muotoinen tila ansaitsi ehdottomasti erityistä huomiota kalibroinnissa", sanoo myös Pasi. ”GLM:n AutoCal, automaattinen kalibrointialgoritmi on loistava työkalu useimmissa tilanteissa, mutta kun on korjattava tiettyjä poikkeavuuksia, kuten tässä tapauksessa, niin pieni manuaalinen säätö voi vaikuttaa todella paljon. On myös tilanteita, että jotkut asiakkaat haluavat kotiympäristössä mieluummin hieman enemmän "ilmaa" tai "maustetta" äänensävyyn, kuin täysin tasaista kalibrointia, jolloin pieni manuaalinen hienosäätö voi auttaa. Uusi GLM 4.1 -päivitys, joka sisältää uuden sukupolven AutoCal 2 -algoritmin, tekee kuitenkin suurimman osan työstä automaattisesti, joten asiakkaiden kannattaa huomioida, että hienosäätöä tarvitaan nykyään paljon vähemmän kuin alkuperäisen AutoCal-kalibroinnin jälkeen.”

GLM:n päivitetty, uuden sukupolven AutoCal 2 -algoritmi on vaikuttanut valtavasti lopputulokseen

Kun Genelec laajensi Ones-valikoimaa uusilla malleilla sekä 8351A:n päivityksellä 8351B:ksi, Jarnoa houkutteli uusia oman settinsä 8351A-kaiuttimet. ”Olin alun perin harkinnut päivittämistä samankokoisiin kaiuttimiin, siirtymällä 8351A:sta 8351B:hen, jotka tarjoaisivat paremman äänenpaineen, laajemman bassotoiston ja monipuolisemmat akustiset säädöt. Lopulta päädyin kuitenkin isompaan ja tehokkaampaan lippulaivatuotteeseen: 8361A:han, joka lupasi ylivoimaisen kuuntelukokemuksen. Tavoitteeni oli myös varmistaa settini tulevaisuuden varalta, jos minulla on joskus mahdollisuus rakentaa räätälöity tila immersiiviselle Dolby Atmos tms. -järjestelmälle.”

Hankkiessaan 8361A:t Jarno päätti pureutua myös joihinkin akustisiin haasteisiin, jotka liittyvät hänen epätavallisen muotoiseen kuuntelutilaansa, jonka korkeus on osassa huonetta kaksinkertainen. Kaikki kaiuttimet sijoiteltiin uudelleen, mukaan lukien äskettäin päivitetyt surround-kaiuttimet (nyt 8341A:t) ja 7380A-subwoofer. Hän asensi laskostetut verhot vaimentamaan äänen heijastumista olohuoneen paljaista pinnoista sekä muutamia taitavasti piilotettuja akustointipaneeleja vaimentamaan kaiuntaa.

Nyt kun uusi kokoonpano on valmis, kiinnostaa tietää, mitä mieltä Jarno on lopputuloksesta? "Ensi silmäyksellä ajattelin, että 8361A:t ovat koomisen suuret, sillä kuvien perusteella on vaikea hahmottaa niiden oikeaa kokoa", hän sanoo hymyillen. "Nyt olen kuitenkin jo tottunut niihin, joten se ei ole enää shokki!”

”Mitä tulee kuuntelukokemukseen, niin nautin siitä todella! Uudet kaiuttimet lisäävät merkittävän kerroksen vivahteita, etenkin alemmilla taajuuksilla. Vertaisin eroa siihen, että 8351A:ta käytetään kalibroimattomana ja kalibroituna – bassotaajuudet olivat aina kuultavissa, mutta kalibroimattomana ne saattoivat kuulostaa tilassani dominoivalta. Luulen, että laitteistopäivityksen lisäksi (samoin kuin kaiuttimien fyysinen koko aiempaan verrattuna), 8361A-mallin laajempi kalibrointisäätimien valikoima ja GLM:n uusi AutoCal 2 -kalibrointialgoritmi ovat vaikuttaneet valtavasti lopputulokseen.

"Vaihdettaessa isompiin kaiuttimiin olen myös huomannut, että subwooferini tekee paljon vähemmän töitä, koska siitä lähtien en ole ohjannut pääkaiuttimien alempia taajuuksia siihen. Näin ollen se voi nyt käsitellä yksinomaan bassoa, kun toistetaan surround-mediaa, kuten elokuvia tai pelejä, mikä tekee myös merkittävän eron. Rakastan todella sitä, mitä olemme saaneet aikaan, se on paljon enemmän kuin olisin osannut toivoa.”

Vaikka Jarno on innoissaan nykyisestä setistään, hänen kunnianhimoiset suunnitelmansa eivät lopu tähän – tavoitteena on laajentaa kokoonpanoa immersiiviseksi lisäämällä siihen yläkaiuttimet. ”Videopelien kehittäjät siirtyvät hitaasti mutta varmasti pois perinteisestä surround-äänestä ja ottavat Dolby Atmosin käyttöön seuraavien sukupolvien peleihin. Se on myös minun tavoitteeni tulevissa päivityksissä – vaikkakin luultavasti joudun lykkämään sitä, kunnes minulla on uusi tila jota työstää!"

"Marco Guadagno and Laura Ciafaloni wanted to keep this operation secret from the first steps to the last, and incredibly they did it," explains Donato Masci from Studio Sound Service, the acoustic design firm responsible for the design and construction of the facility.

As a company, 3Cycle had a history of using various studio facilities around Rome for dubbing work. But strong growth, combined with client support led to the decision to create a dedicated space of their own. While it was important that the dubbing element was catered to, the team wanted to expand the business further and took the opportunity to create a post-production hub that could offer much more. As a result, 3Cycle features seven ADR dubbing rooms, a pair of 5.1 QC rooms, two 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment rooms and a Dolby Atmos theatrical room.

Genelec monitors were the right choice for 3Cycle because they are a standard for post-production facilities around the world.

The design work was carried out by Studio Sound Service’s team of designers made up of Donato Masci, Cecilia Torracchi and Giulia Bondielli, with the acoustic consultancy of Andy Munro. “We have designed a lot of studios together and created a sort of standard for post-production and dubbing, which is recognised and appreciated by numerous broadcasters,” says Donato Masci from Studio Sound Service. “3Cycle wanted to reach an international level and therefore we decided to also involve Andy.”

“3Cycle’s studios have been designed and built following the latest R&D in acoustics,” he continues. “In particular, the acoustics of the recording rooms have been given a neutral balance with the reduction of colouration and artifacts that can affect the final mixing of voices in all forms of media. The control rooms and mixing environments have been given a different approach, to match established international standards and Dolby certification requirements.”

Alongside the cutting-edge acoustics, Genelec Smart Active Monitors feature prominently throughout the facility. Each of the seven ADR rooms feature L-R 8330 monitors with an 8340 for the centre channel. The QC rooms are both equipped with 8340 monitors and a 7380 subwoofer for the 5.1 setup. Finally, the two Dolby Atmos Home Entertainment rooms have been installed with flush-mounted L-C-R S360 monitors, 8340s for the surrounds and overheads, and a 7382 subwoofer delivering the low frequencies.

“Genelec monitors were the right choice for 3Cycle because they are a standard for post-production facilities around the world,” states Masci, explaining the reasons behind selecting the studio monitors. “In addition to this, the GLM loudspeaker manager software helps a lot for the fine tuning, even if the rooms already sound really good.”

With this project taking place during the pandemic, there were obvious challenges. The Studio Sound Service team had difficulty travelling from their headquarters in Florence to the site in northern Rome (as Tuscany remained isolated from Rome for months) meaning that the supervision of the construction site was carried out from a distance. “It definetely wasn't a walk in the park,” notes Masci. “The construction was slowed down by numerous inconveniences related to the pandemic, but nevertheless all the collaborators made all the leaps so as not to accumulate large delays.”

Another major challenge came from isolating the facility. However, With Munro’s assistance, the team managed to create perfectly floating rooms that were mechanically decoupled from the structure. “All the recording rooms have been isolated using floated, room-within-room construction with vibration isolation throughout,” explains Masci. “Control rooms have also been given appropriate isolation, to avoid interference and also to allow accurate monitoring of the recordings themselves.”

the GLM loudspeaker manager software helps a lot for the fine tuning, even if the rooms already sound really good.

Reflecting on the overall project, Masci is proud of the end results. “The 3Cycle facility is the largest post-production facility that we’ve designed. It was a challenge but in the end it gave us great satisfaction. 3Cycle’s partners Marco Guadagno and Laura Ciafaloni, and CTO Simone Nobili, believed in us from the beginning and this was very important for us. Of course, during the implementation phases there were difficult moments, especially linked to respecting deadlines which were affected by the pandemic, but the 3Cycle guys have always shown a great and sincere sense of satisfaction.”

This reaction has been mirrored by the local industry, particularly following the secrecy around its creation. “Obviously when the facility opened, it was a big surprise for the city, and talent and producers are still talking positively about the first experiences they had,” says Masci. “It seems they really appreciate the acoustics, but also the general comfort of the rooms that have a particularly refined design.”

Throughout his career he has strived for the sound of classic British recording which subsequently led to his enviable collection of analogue gear including a large-format desk and numerous pieces of outboard equipment - and ultimately the creation of his own studio in Kerala. To ensure he achieved the best possible results with his studio, Krrishna turned to Genelec Smart Active Monitoring for the perfect full range solution.

“I have a sound of my own, so each gear selection is based on that particular sound and workflow,” explains Krrishna, discussing the racks of outboard equipment in the studio. “Investing in all of that advanced gear without a great sounding room would have been a failure, so I got to work. It took more than three years to develop my studio’s console room and recording hall. I designed the rooms in ‘golden ratios’ myself and I’m quite happy about the sound I’m getting there now.”

The 600-sq-ft mixing space required monitors which could excel in both coverage and sound quality. Krrishna trialled 10 to 15 monitor speakers to try and find the correct solution for the space, and as part of this process spoke to the experts at Sound Team – a company from which he has bought a large amount of equipment over the last few years.

It’s punchy, wide sounding, with great translation and offers an unbelievable accuracy in the low end.

“Varun spoke to me around mid-2019 about setting up this new room and we discussed a few Genelec monitor options to consider,” recalls Sound Team’s Shiv Sood. “We finally locked on the 1238DF with the 7380A subwoofer. Varun was looking at a high powered three-way active monitor but didn’t want to flush mount the monitors. The 1238DF was perfect as its cabinet depth is around 10 inches, and coupled with the 7380A makes a perfect full range monitoring solution.”

“I couldn’t be happier about what it delivers,” adds Krrishna. “It’s punchy, wide sounding, with great translation and offers an unbelievable accuracy in the low end.”

Genelec made my mixes much greater by providing hyper-detailed monitoring.

Tuning the space saw Genelec Loudspeaker Manager (GLM) software technology put to use. “I recollect that prior to ordering the system, Varun had questions about calibration, phase alignment, level matching and so on,” notes Sood. “As a solution provider you can so confidently explain to him how GLM effectively helps sort all these issues out, and provides the ability to set up all of this even by himself. I believe the sonic experience customers are getting is because GLM really plays a central part in the loudspeaker performance coming together.” Krrishna agrees, describing the GLM integration as “flawless”.

The new monitor setup is something that Krrishna is clearly very happy with. “Genelec made my mixes much greater by providing hyper-detailed monitoring,” he states. “I thank my friend Shiv from Sound Team, who was a great help in choosing and getting the right Genelec speakers for my room.”

Having DJ’d in Ibiza for over 20 years, Guetta’s personal studio on the island has recently been upgraded with a pair of Genelec 7380A subwoofers, which join his existing Genelec 1234A three-way main monitors to create a smart monitoring system that Guetta describes as “my perfect setup.” The new solution came about after Guetta identified a problem with the mixes that he was creating with his old system. “In the previous system that I had, the subs were so loud that they were not really realistic,” he explains. “If I would mix with those subs, sometimes I would end up with a record that didn’t have enough bass when played on other systems - because the bass in my room was so huge.”

With the 7380As installed, Guetta’s mixes now translate beautifully from his studio straight to the dancefloors of Ibiza, and the subwoofers have helped improve the overall sound in his room. “By installing the subwoofers, we were able to reposition David’s main monitors to avoid early reflections. Finding the best place for the subwoofers also meant that we had a great frequency response curve all the way from low to high frequencies,” notes Genelec’s Pasi Pönkkä, who travelled to Guetta’s studio to calibrate the system using Genelec’s GLM software. Using GLM, Pönkkä was able to analyse the acoustic environment of Guetta’s studio and then optimise each Genelec monitor and subwoofer accordingly - thereby reducing any negative influences of the room on the sound.

Pönkkä explains that “Each 7380A subwoofer is paired with a single 1234A monitor, so the low frequencies can be better localised. Also, the locations were chosen so that the subwoofer sums aren’t cancelling each other out. The overall result was that we were able to provide David with more bass extension, but with a much smoother and flatter response.”

“This is my reference, and this is my perfect setup.”

A further benefit that Guetta is enjoying is that he can now work for much longer periods without the listening fatigue that he used to experience. “When producing, I’m not really playing too loud, and the Genelec 1234As - even though they are huge - still sound very precise even when they aren’t loud,” he explains. “What I like about the 7380As is that I can work at a low volume so that I’m not too tired after a few hours, and it’s still very precise. But, if I want to blast it loud, it’s powerful enough to feel like it’s in a club.”
Reflecting on his newly upgraded monitoring system, Guetta is certain he made the correct decision. “It gives the feeling of how it’s going to sound in the club, but it’s also realistic,” he states. “This is my reference, and this is my perfect setup.”

Take a closer look at David Guetta’s studio, and find out more about his music and workflow:

In the wake of the unmitigated success that is G Livelab Helsinki, the Finnish Musicians’ Union has opened a brand new – and bigger – venue in the vibrant city of Tampere, some 200km north of the Finnish capital. The same team was deployed to realise the Tampere project which is built according to the same ‘music first’ philosophy as Helsinki. The result is an extraordinary live music experience based on quality programming, modern design, and state-of-the-art Genelec audio systems including the ground-breaking new 4430 Smart IP loudspeaker.

Housed in a striking red brick building which was formerly the boiler house of the Frenckell paper mill in the heart of the city, the venue hosts up to 250 people and offers a hugely varied programme including jazz, folk, world music, pop/rock, chamber music, electronic music and more. Akukon Oy designed the acoustics, electroacoustics, lighting, sound, video, communication systems and basic IT structure as well as the rigging systems, as they did for Helsinki, and leading Nordic AV integrator, Bright – another key member of the Helsinki team – brought Akukon’s vision to life.

“Genelec was already a tried and tested solution with the first G Livelab project in Helsinki which has had great reviews,” explains Bright’s Head of Installation, Santtu Sipilä. “People really liked what we achieved in Helsinki, so it was an obvious decision to equip the Tampere club with Genelecs as well.”

The biggest difference between the two venues is the space – Tampere is much bigger with significantly higher ceilings. Although this posed certain challenges in terms of acoustic treatment, it also allowed greater freedom for the audio design.

The second notable difference is the use of Genelec’s 4430 Smart IP loudspeakers which weren’t available at the time of the Helsinki installation.

“We definitely wanted the new 4430s for easier cabling and added control; it’s opened up a world of possibilities for us,” admits Sipilä. “We have a fully networked system running on Dante – this includes the big loudspeakers used for the main PA – and any of the 4430s can take any signal from anywhere. This means that we can use the same loudspeakers for virtual acoustics, surround sound, background music, delays… the possibilities are endless, and it’s enabled us to considerably reduce the total amount of loudspeakers required in order to achieve what we wanted. We are able to make art with loudspeakers and we are not limited in any way in terms of how we can use the system.”

Tapio Ilomäki, the project manager for Akukon, agrees: “Our primary objective was the same as for Helsinki: to deliver a high-quality system with high musicality that serves the performer best. However, the versatility of systems and spaces was a key element of the design; modern venues need to be multi-purpose and they have to be able to facilitate these changes as quickly and easily as possible, for optimum functionality and quick return on investment. The use of the 4430s plays an important role at this level as well as offering extremely musical sound with very low distortion.”

The ability to have everything delivered over just a single cable is every installer’s dream.

Sipilä is also extremely impressed with the PoE (Power over Ethernet) capabilities of the 4430s. “We were really surprised by the SPLs and sound quality from this size of loudspeaker over PoE. We honestly didn’t think it was possible, so yes, we’re very impressed. The ability to have everything delivered over just a single cable is every installer’s dream, so I think that Genelec’s Smart IP range will be figuring in a great many of our future designs!”

In addition to the 4430s, the main PA system comprises a pair of 1236 SAM studio monitors, the flagship of the Genelec range, seventeen S360s for surround and delay, a pair of 1238s as the first delay line, and finally a flown sub array of nine 7380 subwoofers. “We didn’t have either the height or the space to include subs in Helsinki, so this is a welcome addition in Tampere which gives us some extra headroom in the system and helps add body and fullness to the sound,” continues Sipilä.

When you come here to listen to live music, it will most likely sound even better than it did on the record.

Renowned Finnish singer/songwriter, Markus Nordenstreng of Tuomo & Markus and the Latebirds considers G Livelab as his favourite venue for intimate performances. “Some of the best music I have ever heard has been live, but sound quality is often let down by the venue, either through bad acoustic treatment or a sub-par sound system – or both. What you have here at G Livelab is just the opposite end of the scale – for me it’s the ultimate live sound experience. When you come here to listen to live music, it will most likely sound even better than it did on the record – you can hear things you never heard before. It would be a great service to mankind if there was a G Livelab in every city around the world!”

The final word goes to Annamaija Saarela, CEO of G Livelab Tampere: “G Livelab isn’t just about the technology or the programming – it’s about the whole experience of enjoying live music, and I’m proud to say that in bringing together the best of everything and everyone involved, we have achieved a result that is even greater than the sum of the parts. We’ve had nothing but positive feedback since we opened, both from the public and musicians alike.”

Pressure Cooker Studios, a respected music and sound design house specialising in music production for film, television and advertisements, has recently moved into their new purpose-built studio facility in the centre of Cape Town, designed by world-renowned studio designer Martin Pilchner of Pilchner Schoustal International Inc. Genelec is at the heart of this new facility, with its local distributor, TruFi, supplying monitors for all of its recording studio spaces.

From humble beginnings in the basement of a house 10 years ago to a 355 square metre studio space, the new facility is exactly how the Pressure Cooker team had envisioned it from the outset, and features two main control rooms which sandwich a main studio proper, a 7.1 post theatre with adjacent ADR booth, five writing rooms, an independent isolation booth, reception, lounge and common spaces. James Matthes, Co-Founder and CEO of Pressure Cooker Studios notes: “We wanted to make our space as comfortable, but also as technologically advanced as possible – we spend so much time here, so it definitely had to feel lived in, making it a homely but premium space.”

Helping the Pressure Cooker team achieve this feat was Genelec’s GLM software. “The GLM system is fantastic in that it assists with all the relevant calibration of any one of the monitors within the array in terms of EQ and phase alignment,” notes Neil Leachman, Final Mix Engineer at Pressure Cooker. “After the system is aligned and EQ'd I spent a small amount of time just setting up levels for the individual outputs to align properly to the recommended levels for cinema monitoring for surround and R128 compliance. But the GLM system is invaluable in the setup.”

Pressure Cooker has been using Genelec stereo and surround sound monitoring systems since the company was founded, and this trend continues in the new facility. “Every room in the facility has Genelec!,” smiles Matthes “From buying my first pair over nine years ago, I have never looked back – each monitor is fantastic. The sound produced is so clean, natural and unadulterated – nothing colours it, and I just love that.”

Each room in the new facility has utilised Genelec monitors in one way or another; Matthes has a pair of 8040 nearfields in his writing room, there are three 1238A three-ways fulfilling the LCR role behind the screen in the 7.1 theatre, with two 7380A 15-inch subwoofers and 8040s as surrounds - while the smaller rooms all have 8030 nearfields. “We chose a uniform approach with Genelec because we wanted to be able to move from room to room and feel comfortable from the moment we hit play.” Matthes continues.

“For example, if I go from a writing session to the composition suite, or start doing a mix with a client in the theatre – my ears aren’t going to trick me. I find with Genelec, you don’t need any other reference monitor at any point, since they just naturally translate very well.”

The first true test for Pressure Cooker’s new facility was the film ‘This is not a burial, it is a resurrection’ that was premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival. “This was the first film we mixed using our Genelec system and particularly for the international market, it converted amazingly,” says Matthes. “The film’s producer told us how clear and brilliant the sound was, which makes me very confident in the set-up we have, and confirms that our decision to choose Genelec for the whole facility was the right one.”

The Finnish Music Hall of Fame is Helsinki’s most recent and innovative cultural landmark. Located in the newly redeveloped Pasila district of the Finnish capital, already noted for its vibrant street art, the museum is attracting visitors in droves thanks to the unique concepts that have been deployed to depict the history of Finnish music.

Genelec was approached from the outset to be a part of this exciting project, the design and installation of which was awarded to renowned Nordic AV integration specialists, Bright.

“Genelec is the world leading company in professional audio monitoring,” says Music Hall of Fame board member, Olli Ilmolahti. “We knew that Genelec has been researching and developing products over many decades and already has much experience in this field.

"We wanted to have the best of the best, so Genelec was the perfect choice."

As the Finnish Music Hall of Fame, we were not ready to make any compromises concerning the listening environment and sound quality. We wanted to have the best of the best, so Genelec was the perfect choice to be a part of the story of Finnish music throughout history.”

The new music museum offers a multisensory experience for all music lovers covering genres from three centuries - from symphonies to Finnish rap music to folk and heavy rock plus everything in between - made possible by utilising the newest technologies available. The aim was to provide an interactive museum experience at a whole new level, offering visitors the chance to experience full musical immersion and a dive into the textures of music. Virtual technology enables visitors to embark on spectacular musical journeys whilst modern sound technology permits them to explore the roles that various instruments and voices play in a symphony orchestra, a mixed choir and a military band. Visitors can make their voice heard by performing on Finland’s finest stages, from the Helsinki Music Centre to Olavinlinna Castle on a virtual karaoke tour, and much more besides.

Genelec’s new Smart IP platform was an absolutely key element in making all of this a reality. Genelec worked with Bright and various content creators to establish the optimum audio design for each space and each exhibit. Bright deployed 124 of Genelec’s new 4430A two-way, active installation loudspeakers throughout the museum - the first model to incorporate Genelec’s ground-breaking Smart IP technology. The Smart IP platform enables IP networking via both Dante and AES67, and derives power via both PoE and PoE+ Power-over-Ethernet formats. As well as receiving both power and audio-over-IP, the 4430’s rear panel CAT connector also allows access to Genelec’s Smart IP Manager – a sophisticated downloadable software tool running on Windows 10 that allows installers to configure an almost unlimited number of rooms, zones, speakers and audio channels, and includes device discovery, versatile room equalisation, system organisation and status monitoring. External control via third-party hardware, software or house automation is also possible.

“We were responsible for designing a digital experience system with the possibility to change exhibitions efficiently when required,” says Bright’s Head of Installation, Santtu Sipilä, who worked closely with Genelec throughout the design and installation process. “As this was the Finnish Music Hall of Fame, some extra attention was needed regarding the sound quality. We investigated several other music museums to ensure that our solution would deliver the best sound quality of them all.

The decision to use Genelec was clearly a determining factor in achieving that goal, and the possibility of using the new networked loudspeakers made it even easier. The Smart IP technology enables us to drive each loudspeaker independently, and that opens up a wealth of opportunities for immersive sound experiences.”

In order to ensure the best possible audio experience, particular attention was paid to the acoustics of the museum during the design stage: “Even the best loudspeakers are no good if the acoustics don’t work!” says Santtu with a smile. “We also had to pay careful attention to the network to be able to run perfectly synchronised sound and video at the same time. Again, the Smart IP platform played an important part in making this work successfully.”

The Board members are thrilled with the results, and customer feedback confirms the success of the project. “The Finnish Music Hall of Fame is full of technology - virtual reality and digital technology are used to convey music, video, audio, sound effects and live music. I strongly believe that the sound world and acoustics form the most important and memorable experience at the Music Museum from the customer’s point of view,” says Olli Ilmolahti. “Genelec´s new Smart IP technology was a perfect choice for us, offering a complete solution with the highest quality and flexibility which means savings in working time, maintenance and investment costs. We achieved everything we wanted and more, and the immersive sound world and listening environment in certain areas of the Fame Music Museum - as well as the neutral, transparent sound throughout - is something to be experienced. Customer feedback has been nothing but positive.”

Mikko Vanni, chairman of the board for the museum, agrees wholeheartedly. “We wanted to use the most advanced technology available, and all the technological solutions devised by Genelec and Bright have been successful. We have been able to leverage this by informing the media and our main target groups that we have a very advanced Genelec solution (including an immersive voice system) combined with other sophisticated technology, which has given added value to the content credibility of the museum. We think that the Genelec system is amazing - the vocal reproduction throughout the venue is truly special. We set out to achieve a level above what is already out there, and we’ve done it. We’re delighted with the results.”

Anchored by a 2,200-square-foot, three-studio complex, it offers a main recording space with variable acoustics, a drum room with a removable floor to reveal six Foley pits, four isolation booths, and a machine room enabling interconnectivity through the entire studio complex. What it also has now are monitors from Genelec, the leader in active monitoring technology for four decades, in the two main control rooms, installed there this past spring.

The main control room now has a 5.1 monitoring array comprising Genelec 8351A Smart Active Monitors™ as the L-C-R front array, a pair of 8341A Smart Active Monitors as the rear-surround array — all part of Genelec’s “The Ones” series of products — and a 7380A Smart Active Subwoofer™. The second control room now has a Genelec 8020.LSE Espresso 5.1 monitor system with five 8350A Smart Active Monitors around the room and a 7050B Studio Subwoofer. The systems’ Smart Active Monitor technology allows them to make the most of all modern acoustic environments.

“It was time to update our monitoring, and we wanted a speaker that would be consistent throughout the studio complex,” explains Michael Harvey, Program Director, Audio Technology, Dept. of Performing Arts, at American University. “We wanted the mixes to be able to translate seamlessly between the two main control rooms. But just as importantly, we wanted our mixes and recordings to translate accurately everywhere else, too. We wanted speakers that would let our students become familiar with what leading engineers and producers use every day. That is Genelec.” Harvey says the two Genelec-equipped studios are of different sizes, but the two different Genelec speaker series they bought are both perfectly suited to each room’s dimensions and acoustics, yet also provide the brand and response consistency that they sought, so that as mixes and recordings move from studio to studio, students always hear a familiar tonality.

The company has recently transformed an old red brick factory building into their new Miltton House headquarters in Helsinki. High quality audio visual technology naturally plays a key role in the new venue. Systems integration specialists, Digisähkö Oy, who were charged with designing and installing the AV systems, selected Genelec loudspeakers throughout, for a premium audio experience.

Designed as a physical meeting place and an inspiration hub as well as a workplace for Miltton’s talent and its stakeholders, high quality AV systems were a priority from the start. “The investment in Miltton House represents the next phase in Miltton’s growth story,” explains Camilla Linniemi, Partner & Director at Miltton Group. “The ways of working are under constant change and the best ideas happen when people connect in a meaningful way.” To that end, in the early stages of the project, Miltton engaged top acoustic consultants and AV designers, Akukon Oy, to come up with an initial design, which was then developed and refined by Digisähkö as the project progressed.

They are extremely aesthetic, so they blend well into every environment, and so very easy to install.

“Akukon had specified that the speakers should be ‘separate, high quality active loudspeakers,’ so as far as we were concerned, Genelec was the obvious choice,” relates Digisähkö CEO, Jani Hirvonen. “The brand is synonymous with quality and matched all of Miltton’s criteria concerning sustainability. It was a very easy decision.”

Digisähkö installed a total of 50 loudspeakers from Genelec’s 4000 Series installation range throughout the building. 42 compact 4020 speakers equip Miltton’s wide variety of meeting and conference rooms. Two of the more powerful 4030s grace the company’s airy entrance lobby whilst a pair of the heavy-hitting 4040s are reserved for the demo room. “The 4000 Series loudspeakers make life very easy for us as an integrator,” confirms Hirvonen. “They are extremely aesthetic, so they blend well into every environment; they are active loudspeakers, and so very easy to install; there is a good range of mounting accessories; and of course, they sound fantastic with incredible clarity and detail, even at low levels.”

We asked for a design that would combine flawless audio quality with sufficient power and coverage.

However, there was one area where Miltton had very specific – and high-level – requirements, and that was for their 350m2 event space in the heart of the building, known as Tori. Designed for events of up to 500 people, the space is easily adaptable for the style of the occasion – from cocktail parties to seminars – with seating for up to 300 people. The audio system needed to be similarly versatile with the ability to cater for everything from a DJ or live band to seminar material.

“The requirement was clearly for a high output, high fidelity sound system with connections for a DJ mixer, which is a very different animal from a conference room system,” notes Hirvonen. “We asked Henri Ulmanen at Genelec to come up with a design that would combine flawless audio quality with sufficient power and coverage to fill the space with no hot spots or dead zones.”

Ulmanen decided on a main system of two S360 smart active loudspeakers supported by two powerful 7380 subwoofers for low end reinforcement, supplemented by four 4040 loudspeakers (two per side) as delays/sidefills. “I decided on the S360s because of their excellent, neutral reproduction and a long-throw capability that delivers reference-quality accuracy at listening distances of over 10 metres,” explains Ulmanen. “Combined with the 7380 subs they are an excellent solution for any environment looking for premium quality, high SPL vocal and music reproduction in a compact form factor.

“Another important element was the fact that, as a smart active loudspeaker, we can use our GLM software to configure and optimise the S360s to compensate for any detrimental room influences,” he continues. “The Tori event space has a pretty industrial feel with concrete floors and lots of floor-to-ceiling windows, so this was very helpful in ironing out anomalies, especially when the room is being used at full capacity.”

All of the AV systems and the Helvar Dali lighting throughout the building are controlled by the Control4 automation system, via individual touch screens in each of the meeting rooms and the Tori event space for easy operation. Digisähkö implemented the integration between the systems as well as the installation of all of the AV technology.

“We’re very proud of this installation and Miltton are thrilled with the results,” said Hirvonen. “They wanted a modern, high quality, sustainable AV solution that is versatile, easy to operate, and reflects their values as a company. Genelec ticked all the boxes and integrates perfectly into the total solution. It’s a great success all round.”

Grammy-palkittu Morten Lindberg on todellinen edelläkävijä korkealaatuisten immersiivisten musiikkitallenteiden tuotannossa. Perustettuaan vuonna 1992 oman tuotantoyhtiönsä Lindberg Lyd:n, Lindberg aloitti myös 2L-levy-yhtiönsä. Tarkoitus oli erikoistua korkeatasoisten tallenteiden tuottamiseen kansainvälisestä ohjelmistosta norjalaisten säveltäjien ja muusikoiden kanssa. Äänitteiden laadun parantamiseksi Lindberg on uusinut jälkituotantostudionsa monitorijärjestelmän 7.1.4 -kanavaiseen formaattiin Genelecin SAM (Smart Active Monitor) sarjan kolmitiekaiuttimilla ja bassokaiuttimilla.

Lindberg kertoo: “Kun olet kuullut immersiivistä äänitettä, paluu stereoon on todella vaikeaa. Kun aloitin äänitteiden tuotannon 90-luvun alussa, stereo asetti ne rajat joiden sisällä työtä tehtiin. Ei ollut muutakaan. Sitten 2000-luvun alussa tuli surround ja avasi uuden, laajemman äänikuvan. Kun aloimme kokeilla immersiivistä ääniformaattia, odotimme että korkeusulottuvuuden lisääminen vain parantaisi yksityiskohtien erottumista ja resoluutiota. Instrumenteille, musiikin linjoille ja soinnuille käytettävissä olevan tilan lisääntymistä ja niin edelleen. Mutta ei se mennyt niin. Saimmekin tunteisiin vetoavan ulottuvuuden. Kolmannen ulottuvuuden lisääminen äänikuvaan tuotti kymmenkertaisesti voimakkaamman tunnevaikutuksen.”

Lindbergin uudistettu jälkituotantostudio on suunniteltu immersiivisten äänitteiden muokkaamiseen, miksaamiseen ja masterointiin. Sekä Dolby Atmos-, että Auro-3D -yhteensopiva monitorointijärjestelmä käsittää pääasiassa Genelecin “The Ones” -sarjan aktiivikaiuttimia: seitsemän 8351B koaksiaalista kolmitiekaiutinta ja W371A adaptiivista bassokaiutinta normaalikorkeudella, neljä pienempää 8341A -mallia ylhäällä ja 7380A -subwoofer toistamassa LFE-kanavan. Lisäksi yksi 8320A on sijoitettu subwooferin päälle toistamaan mahdolliset yli 120 hertsin taajuudet LFE-signaalista. Näin voidaan varmistua ettei LFE-kanavan sisällöstä jää mitään kuulematta.

“Huomasin että The Ones -malliston koaksiaalinen rakenne tuottaa ällistyttävän hyvän äänikuvan ei vain surround-kanavissa vaan kokonaisuutena, myös korkeussuunnassa, ja toistaa uskollisesti kaikki äänitteen yksityiskohdat. Kaikki käyttämämme The Ones -sarjan kaiuttimet pystyvät toistamaan koko äänialueen, joten W371A-bassokaiuttimien varsinainen tehtävä on ulottua matalille taajuuksille, tuntoaistin alueelle missä koemme äänen enemmän värähtelynä kuin kuuloaistimuksena.”

Lindberg jatkaa: “Koko kehomme on itse asiassa hyvin pitkälle kehittynyt aistikokonaisuus ja kehon kautta välittyvä musiikkikokemus on paljon laajempi kuin perinteinen käsitys äänestä ja kuuloaistista. W371A tarjoaa useita erilaisia suuntaavuusvaihtoehtoja, joista voi olla hyötyä pienemmissä tai akustisesti hankalissa huoneissa, mutta tällaisessa tilavassa ja akustiikaltaan hyvässä huoneessa totesin W371A:n pääkaiuttimien taajuusvastetta mahdollisimman tasaisesti jatkavan ”complementary”-asetuksen tuottavan avoimimman ja luonnollisimman toiston jatkumisen sille alueelle, jossa ääniaallot alkavat tuntua vatsan pohjassa.”

Lindberg käyttää Genelecin GLM-ohjelmistoa kaiutinjärjestelmän kytkemiseen, kalibrointiin ja hallintaan. “Mittaamalla toiston eri kuuntelupisteissä ja eri paikoissa työalueella pystymme optimoimaan kaiutinjärjestelmän varsin näppärästi tässä huoneessa. Erityisen käyttökelpoiseksi huomasin GLM:n joustavuuden kaiuttimien määrän, sijoituksen ja konfiguroinnin kannalta. Lisäksi GLM hallitsee koko kaiutinjärjestelmää. Sen kautta pääsee käsiksi jokaisen kaiuttimen asetuksiin.”

Vaikka kokemus, ammattitaito ja hienoin teknologia ovat tärkeitä työkaluja Lindbergin luovassa työssä, hän ei ole unohtanut todellista tavoitettaan musiikin alalla: “Meille täydellinen äänite on sellainen, joka voi saada sinut itkemään...tai nauramaan. Herättää tunteita.”

The Shanghai Vocational School of Contemporary Music has a noble aim: to cultivate professional talents in modern music production and performance. With the support of the Shanghai Municipal Government, it has set about this undertaking by creating a studio complex that will establish a high-level music training base to cultivate market-oriented students. Ensuring that the students are using the best possible equipment, Genelec Smart Active Monitors have been installed throughout the new facility.

During the early stages of development, Shanghai SunYart Digital Technology Director Alex Wei created a basic layout for the facility and continued to refine the plans alongside Technical Director, Zhang Minggang. Technical Execution was provided by He Weier, alongside world-renowned acoustician, Sam Toyoshima. One of the key factors for the team was creating a facility that would combine acoustics and aesthetics to the best effect. “Mr Toyoshima is an acoustic designer full of design aesthetics,” says Wei. “I wanted this project to meet the acoustic requirements and to have visual impact, to have that ‘wow’ factor, so our ideas fitted well.”

Genelec monitors have gained a good reputation in the industry, and were an inevitable choice for this project.

The design choices fitted well with the more technical decision to select Genelec Smart Active Monitors precisely calibrated with Genelec’s GLM Loudspeaker Manager software throughout the complex, with the monitors’ minimalist design and classic colour scheme complementing Mr Toyoshima’s modern, condensed aesthetic style. “Genelec monitors have gained a good reputation in the industry, and were an inevitable choice for this project,” explains Wei.

Beyond the style of the studio complex, a great deal of technical thought has gone into its creation. Take for example the large 300m2 recording studio with its variable reverberation time. The space features more than 70 rotary columns with different heights and diameters, and different sizes of sound absorption holes - which are used to achieve a reverberation time ranging from 0.8 to 1.2s.

The control room for this space features a pair of 1236 main monitors embedded in the floor-to-ceiling window. The team had a vision of making the monitors look as if they were floating in the glass, but faced challenges with the weight of the monitors and the assembly. Wei worked with Toyoshima’s design, calculated the angle, centre of gravity and friction at the bottom accurately, and compared various construction materials and methods. With this worked out, the two 1236 monitors were installed, remaining consistent with the 6 degree inclination angle of the glass.

I think the high-quality equipment and creative atmosphere provided by the school can train a group of future-oriented sound engineers better and faster.

In addition, three 8351 coaxial nearfield monitors have been placed on retractable stands - which don’t impede the sound from the main monitors when lowered, but can then rise mechanically to provide a 5.1 system for surround mixing. These are accompanied by two 7380 subwoofers. “8351 monitors give a very modern sense of science fantasy,” Wei explains. “When they are combined together with the 7380 subwoofers, it’s as if you are piloting a spaceship in Star Wars!”

A further unique teaching space comes in the form of the ‘staircase classroom’, where students sit on steps rather than traditional seating. On one side of the classroom there is a large floor-to-ceiling window, looking into a studio. When the teacher is working, the students can enter the studio to watch or observe through the glass from the steps outside. Above the mixing console, a high-definition camera displays the teacher in action via a projection screen, while Genelec 1238 three-way monitors relay audio to the class.

The project also created four other recording spaces, including a mastering room on the ground floor fitted with stereo 1238 monitors and a 5.1 system comprising 8351s and a 7370 subwoofer. Additionally, a multifunctional 5.1 teaching studio features 8260 monitors with a 7370 subwoofer, and two small practice studios in the basement are each equipped with a pair of 8351 monitors.

Staff at the school describe the results as going “beyond our expectations” and Wei is clearly proud of the innovative complex that has been created. “What we’ve ended up with here is excellent sound quality, and very accurate sound image positioning,” he comments. “The teachers at the school, the professors at Shanghai Conservatory of Music, and the visiting professors from other schools think that this is the best studio they’ve ever seen.”

For his part, Toyoshima agrees: “I think the high-quality equipment and creative atmosphere provided by the school can train a group of future-oriented sound engineers better and faster.”