Finland’s largest cinema chain has installed a Genelec loudspeaker system in its boutique The Lounge cinema, that forms part of the company’s seven-screen complex in the Iso Omena shopping centre in Espoo.
Operated by Finnkino Oy, The Lounge is equipped with luxurious leather recliners and individual tables for food and drink. Targetting a discerning clientele, the audio system comprises eight high-performance speakers, including the newly introduced 1234AC, for a absorbing 7.1 surround.
‘The reason we chose Genelec was to underline and define the exclusivity of the luxury experience by using top-of-the line speakers,’ says Ari ‘Jaska’ Saarinen, Finnkino’s Technical Manager for the project. ‘Genelec is an extremely well-known brand, and synonymous with outstanding performance in the pro audio industry. It was an obvious choice for me for this installation.’
Saarinen was previously frustrated by the lack of quality cinema speakers he was able to choose from when equipping cinemas across Europe, and has often used custom-made loudspeakers, which are designed to be positioned in a special array above a non-perforated screen. For the Lounge project however, he was keen to take the cinema experience to the next level, with the assistance of Genelec. ‘All of the customer feedback we have received has been very positive, and the Finnkino Lounge is very popular; it’s always a sell-out,’ he reports.
Finnkino Lounge uses three 1234AC three-way active speakers positioned horizontally above the screen to deliver precise imaging both on- and off-axis, courtesy of Genelec’s Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW) technology. By positioning speakers above the screen instead of behind a perforated screen – as is conventional with cinema audio set-ups – the speakers avoid any comb filtering or impact on loudspeaker dispersion that the screen may add.
In addition, four Genelec 1238AC loudspeakers are positioned at the sides and the back of the auditorium. The 1238AC is little brother to the 1234AC, sporting dual 10-inch woofers to the dual 12-inch woofers that feature in the 1234AC model. The positioning of the speakers, all of which are three-way for maximum accuracy and directivity control, ensure the highest quality 7.1 audio experience for every seat in the house. Rounding off the installation is a Genelec 7073A subwoofer – featuring four 12-inch drivers, 19Hz lower cut-off frequency and 124dB SPL.
‘I have worked with Genelec for almost 30 years and it is always a pleasure,’ notes Saarinen. ‘Working on the Finnkino Lounge project with Genelec has been an excellent experience, and we are delighted with the outcome.’
Finnkino is a part of Odeon Cinemas Group, and it operates cinemas in eleven different cities around Finland, with 16 theatres and a total of 104 screens. The theatre group aims to offer quality films to customers with the best possible viewing comfort as well as a variety of additional services.
More: www.genelec.com
