The first time we encountered electronic musician and multimedia artist Dan Samsa back in 2018, he had staged a stunning immersive concert at London’s Albany Theatre, which showcased his Warchestra album and featured a huge array of 29 Genelec speakers complemented by four subwoofers.

To me this was an obvious combination to deliver what I felt to be the ultimate electronic music experience.

Recently, Dan returned to The Albany to once again push the boundaries of multichannel live sound, curating performances from some of his favourite artists. This time, the sound system comprised an eight-speaker array of Genelec 8050s, alongside eight 18” super scoop subwoofers from South East London’s Unit 137 dub sound system –producing what Dan describes as a “bombardment of the aural and physical senses!”

Dan explains the background to the latest project…

“The goal for this night was to bring together some close friends to perform their music on a sound system that wouldn’t just be an enhanced way to listen to music, but would also inspire us to approach the music in a different way. All of our music is full of colour Fand detail but also explores the use of sub bass. For these reasons I decided to combine the clarity and detail of a circular surround sound Genelec system with the sub scoops from local dub sound system Unit 137 – to add some extreme physical bass. To me this was an obvious combination to deliver what I felt to be the ultimate electronic music experience.”

The event was staged with support from nonclassical – a music promoter, record label and events producer presenting the best new classical, experimental and electronic music. As one of nonclassical’s associate composers, Dan was given the opportunity to curate the event, choosing Luke David Harris and Kamikaze Space Programme to perform alongside himself.

Dan continues:

“I created musical patterns, shapes and textures using the 360 microphone recording and editing techniques that I’ve been experimenting with over the last couple of years. I then performed using an improvised bass synth and analogue drum machine, which were sent directly to the Unit 137 subs. This surround sound playback format has been influencing my writing for some time, irrespective of whether the music is eventually experienced in stereo or surround sound. I found from previous experience that sending bass frequencies through the same system as the surround sound material can muddy things up a little – hence the reason for using Unit 137’s system. This not only allowed both sound systems to breathe and do their thing, but it created an extreme physical experience too.”

Kamikaze Space Programme (aka Chris Jarman) performed material from his Dead Skin Cells album, and he reveals that the sound system made him completely rethink how sounds were used:

“To be honest, I didn’t realise the true depth of this unique sound system until I arrived in London for the rehearsals, and my mind was truly blown. It’s not just the overall sound of this PA setup, but how you could focus on individual sounds and move them around a space and change their width. It felt like I was hearing these sounds for the first time again. The separation is like nothing I've ever heard before, and when this is combined with the scoop bins of the Unit 137 sound system it added an extreme physical dimension which reminded me of the late 90s jungle events at clubs such as The End, or St Paul’s Carnival in Bristol.”

Luke David Harris composed material specifically for the performance, using a 360 sound system at his studio:

“Auditioning ideas in real time with a full spatial system influenced the structures and sounds in the creative process. I found myself focusing on material that moved well in the space. There was a distinct difference in the shape and frequencies that I constructed, and how they would develop using their spatial qualities. The most interesting thing for me, I guess it's the combination of both sound systems in one space. The spatial sound system in terms of the ability to be able to put things in different places within the room, and then also having the absolute monster bass sound system which everyone feels in their chests. Putting the two together really makes a lot of sense.”

After the event, Dan was thrilled with the response, describing it as “a new immersive way to experience live electronic music that challenged the focus and behaviour of the audience. It gave the music a true 3D dimension, with ground shaking bass…. that literally made the whole theatre tremble.”

Watch a fascinating behind the scenes video about Dan’s event

B26 in Västerås, Sweden, offers 5000m2 of luxuriously appointed space over seven floors for companies to work, do business, meet and create together. With areas for working together, or apart, meeting rooms, a restaurant plus a vast roof terrace with panoramic views, B26 is Västerås’s first co-working space and it is world class. B26 called on award- winning Swedish AV integration specialists, JML-System AB to design the high quality AV systems throughout the building. JML- System specified Genelec’s new RAW finish 4000 Series installation loudspeakers as the perfect solution for B26’s needs.

WE’VE DELIVERED A FLEXIBLE, EASY-TO-USE SYSTEM THAT SOUNDS GREAT BOTH AT LOW AND HIGH LEVELS.

The building that houses B26 was designed in the 1950s by the renowned Västerås architect Sven Ahlbom and bears traces of the industrialization that saw Västerås develop from a small town to the big city it is today. B26 was keen to retain the industrial feel of the space whilst still creating a modern, welcoming atmosphere. Aesthetics were therefore as much a part of the brief as audio quality. JML-System’s Johnny Franzén explains:

“We needed to think about design and function as well as cutting edge technology. As B26 is a very new concept, the client wanted assurances that we would not only provide the best of what is available today, but that it would also stand the test of time. We worked on the project for a long time before agreeing on the best way forward.”

“Genelec looked like a good solution from the outset, but when it became clear that the RAW finish was available, all the pieces fell into place,” he admits.

“Visually, the RAW models with their ‘unfinished’ natural aluminium casings are a perfect fit for the old factory environment with its exposed bricks and ductwork. The fact that they are environmentally friendly was also a big plus point for B26, as part of their philosophy is to actively reduce their environmental impact.”

THE RAW FINISH LOOKS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING AND IT’S AN EVEN MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY PRODUCT.

Genelec’s RAW models require no painting and less finishing material for an even more environmentally friendly solution. The speaker enclosures are already made from recycled aluminium, and the RAW option takes full advantage of the natural beauty of the material to give a uniquely nuanced finish for each loudspeaker. All RAW models feature Genelec’s Minimum Diffraction Enclosure (MDE) design, whose curved form delivers incredibly flat frequency response, precise imaging and unparalleled acoustical performance.

Aside from the aesthetics, the technical requirement was for a high quality audio system that would work at low levels during the day but could be turned up after hours to create a club-like, party atmosphere with no loss of quality.

JML-System specified a multi-zone, distributed system based on 42 of the powerful 4040 installation loudspeakers – the largest in the 4000 Series – and 20 of the compact 4020 loudspeakers for the smaller areas. There is also a pair of 8050B nearfield studio loudspeakers that deliver cinema-quality audio for the drop-down projector screen in the main open plan meeting and social space. This space also benefits from a mini- auditorium area complete with a cleverly designed raked seating area.

“We opted for the 4040s in the larger areas as they are sufficiently powerful and develop enough low end that we didn’t need to supplement them with subwoofers,” says Franzén. “This saved on cost, space and also meant that we didn’t have to worry about uneven levels. This can sometimes happen with the use of subwoofers as part of a distributed system in a large space, unless you use a lot of subs, and then you run into the problem of where to put them. However, the 4040s have enough headroom to be used at pretty high levels to generate a real ‘club’ atmosphere after work, and still sound amazing. The smaller 4020s were perfect for the smaller spaces.”

In addition to audio quality, another major consideration for JML-System was the fact that the Genelec 4000 Series loudspeakers are active. “This was important for us as it makes installation a lot simpler,” notes Franzén. “We don’t have to worry about extra cabling or finding room for amplifiers; everything you need is already in the box, and Genelec has a wide range of mounting accessories that are perfectly suited to most situations.”

In keeping with the modern industrial feel of the B26 premises, all of the loudspeaker cables are housed in shiny metal pipework which marries perfectly with the RAW recycled aluminium finish of the loudspeakers. Franzén is delighted with the results. “From an audio perspective, we know we can count on Genelec to deliver the highest quality, and it’s the case for B26. In partnership with our subcontractor One4All AB, we’ve delivered a flexible, easy-to-use system that sounds great both at low and high levels with no hot spots or dead zones. However, I think the real plus for this installation was the RAW finish – it looks absolutely amazing, and it’s an even more environmentally friendly product from a Scandinavian company that already ranks very high on the sustainability scale. This was definitely what tipped the balance for B26 who are absolutely thrilled with the results at every level.”

One of the most recent academies is situated in the vibrant Portuguese capital of Lisbon. Thanks to integration specialists, Garrett Audiovisuais, the L’Oréal Academy, Lisbon, has become the group’s first digital academy, and the first to deploy high quality Genelec loudspeakers throughout their training rooms. Garrett was initially contacted to provide an ambient sound solution for the entrance hall area. However, once the discussions started in earnest, Garrett saw an opportunity to create something unique.

The Lisbon headquarters wanted to be the first digital Academy – and offer a full media experience including 3D goggles for virtual salons, QR codes for product searching and other digital media. It was also an opportunity to install a proper, high quality audio system throughout the venue, not just in the foyer. Garrett recommended Genelec as the best solution for their needs, particularly for the four training rooms.

“Previously L’Oréal used to rent in equipment for all of their events,” explains Garrett’s Carlos Melo who was closely involved in the project. “However, after discussions with us, they decided that it would be better to have their own in-house solution rather than having to rely on external AV companies, as it would be cheaper in the long term and more convenient. They also knew that they could rely on us for support whenever necessary. We recommended Genelec as it delivers everything they required: excellent intelligibility when using microphones, extremely high quality low level ambient sound, and can still blow people away when the DJ comes in!”

There are four rooms in total over two floors which are used largely for training but also for parties and other events. They can operate independently or combined in any configuration. The ground floor and first floor control rooms communicate so that L’Oréal can even host a single event across the two floors if necessary – since all audio and video can be streamed live across all four spaces, making the system extremely flexible.

For the audio system, Garrett specified two Genelec 8050B loudspeakers and one 7070A subwoofer per room. The 8050B was designed as a studio monitoring loudspeaker, thus guaranteeing absolutely pristine audio quality at any playback level and at any listening position in the room. The 7070A subwoofer offers extremely clean and precise low frequency performance, combining both low distortion and impressively high SPL capability. The speakers and subwoofers are all active, making installation very straightforward with no amp racks or long cable runs to worry about. Additionally, a number of AIC25 ceiling speakers have been installed throughout the lobby and other public areas.

According to the Academy supervisor, Sofia Fernandes, the new audio system has made a huge difference, both in operational terms as well as quality. “These rooms are in use every day in a variety of combinations,” she explains. “Set up is now a piece of cake: all I have to do is plug in the microphone and we’re essentially ready to go. On/off and levelcan all be controlled remotely via a tablet, or if we have a DJ in, they just run it all from the desk. The sound is amazing, whether it’s speech or music, at high level or low levels. In fact, now the system is in, I simply never have to worry about it – I just turn it on and it works. Room combining is also very straightforward, so there’s no doubt that it has helped me in my job. We no longer have to deal with the disruption of external AV companies coming in and out – even if they did a good job, it’s still one more thing to deal with. Now we just manage it all ourselves, and probably with even better results. It all looks and feels extremely professional and is perfectly integrated with the rest of our systems. Garrett has done a wonderful job, so yes, we’re very pleased.”

“From an integrator’s point of view, we believe that Genelec offers a number of advantages for projects like these,” reveals Carlos Melo. “Firstly, we know that the sound quality is truly second to none; secondly, because most of their models are active, it’s very easy to install – and the new networked Smart IP models will be easier still – and finally, we know that once they go in, the equipment is so reliable that, unless the client wants to upgrade or change anything, we probably won’t hear from them again for the next twenty years!”

Café Luzia in the busy Kreuzberg district of Berlin has just installed a state-of-the-art Genelec sound system to enhance the music experience of what is a relaxed café by day and trendy lounge bar by night.

Weekend DJ spots provide a distinctly electronic edge to the warm, candlelit atmosphere, attracting a crowd who expect nothing less than excellent audio. The owner decided that the time was right to invest in a studio-quality sound solution in order to keep pace with customer expectations and maintain his reputation as one of Berlin’s coolest café bars. He turned to Studio SPC, an acoustic design studio in the heart of Berlin, who instantly recommended Genelec as the obvious answer to his requirements.

“As soon as the client told me that he specifically wanted studio-grade sound quality in his bar, I recommended Genelec straight away,” said Kenan Jan Ibar, owner and founder of Studio SPC. “I come from a studio background myself and love working with Genelecs, so I’m always pleased when I get an opportunity to take them out of the studio and put them in front of a wider audience.”

Ibar specified five 8050B large format active studio monitors supplemented by a 7071A subwoofer. The 8050s are the largest and most powerful monitors in the classic Genelec studio monitor range and deliver a class-leading balance of extraordinary SPL output, expansive dynamic range and an intensely detailed, transparent performance.

“I decided on Genelec for a number of reasons,” explained Ibar. “Apart from being my personal favourite, they are very easy to operate – this is so important for sound installations in public places where you can pretty much guarantee that the operators will have had little or no audio training. Other than sound quality, my number one priority is plug-and-play operation coupled with reliability. As a long-time Genelec user, I know that Genelecs won’t disappoint over time. They are extremely robust and suitable for many hours of playback, and the automatic standby mode is a real winner for environments like these where operators are constantly forgetting to turn them off when not in use. The fact that they are active is also a big bonus as it eliminates the need for amplifiers and messy and/or complex wiring, so it saves space and avoids confusion for venue owners and operators.”

Ibar also appreciates the number of mounting options available which give him a lot of freedom in installation terms. “Genelec have definitely thought beyond the studio when it comes to mounting options and accessories,” he noted. “It makes the speakers much easier to specify in commercial installations as a result. For example, in my view, one of the most important and effective solutions for PA installations in public places is decoupling the speakers from physical entities such as ceilings or walls. The aim is to minimise transition noise to neighbouring areas and other public areas next door. I always recommend my clients to have a decoupled system. In most cases I modify a Genelec speaker mount using a special spring and sylomer anti-vibration mounting system, which is really effective and looks pretty cool too! Café Luzia is a good example of this.”

Finally, Ibar is a fan of the signature rounded design of modern Genelec monitors. “It works both aesthetically for commercial AV installations as they are very easy on the eye and look great in any environment, as well as acoustically. The Café Luzia installation looks good and sounds wonderful. Everyone is pleased with the results, from the owners to the café manager to the weekend DJs and the regular guests. And that makes me happy!”