One of Gothenburg’s premier hotels, the Elite Park Avenue also hosts the prestigious At Park restaurant, run by Michelin-starred chef, Stefan Karlsson. Specialist Uppsala-based A/V, lighting and multimedia systems integrator, Kreativ Teknik, was commissioned to develop a complete solution including audio and lighting automation for the restaurant and bar, quickly identifying Genelec installation loudspeakers as the best fir for At Park’s requirements.
‘Our first priority was sound quality,’ says Kreativ Teknik’s Daniel Landmark. ‘We needed to achieve smooth, even coverage and a balanced soundscape at low volumes that is pleasant to listen to without being aggressive or intrusive. However, the system is running almost 24 hours a day and, during the weekend, also needs to be able to run comfortably at high SPLs for several hours when the DJ is in residence.
‘We required a high quality system with both detail and headroom that was also aesthetically pleasing: so Genelec’s 4000 Series installation speakers fitted the bill perfectly.’
Landmark installed 30 4030C loudspeakers in order to achieve full coverage of the space. ‘It wasn’t as straightforward as you might think, actually, but fortunately Genelec has solutions for most things,’ Landmark notes. ‘The first issue was how to physically mount the speakers, as many of the walls in the dining area are covered with murals from Peter Apelgren, a well-known Swedish artist and comedian. However, Genelec has a vast range of mounting options compatible with the 4000 Series, so it was possible to find a good compromise.’
The second issue was how to reinforce the low end in the bar area for the DJ sessions. The 4030Cs were still ideal for the mid and high frequency ranges, but Kreativ Teknik had to be able to extend the low end.
‘There was simply nowhere we could reasonably install a free-standing subwoofer without it looking out of place, so instead we installed a pair of Genelec 5041A active in-wall subwoofers which are totally discreet and do the job perfectly,’ says Landmark. ‘We faced the same problem in the dining area as well, but we got around that by installing a pair of Genelec 7350A smart subwoofers hidden in the base of a couple of sofas! The 7350As are perfect when space is limited, yet they deliver absolutely premium performance. Furthermore, by using them we could benefit from Genelec’s GLM software to handle any crossover or room calibration issues, so it was an excellent solution.’
Landmark confirms that the Genelec solution provided by Kreativ Teknik ticked a large number of boxes for the client. ‘First, thanks to Genelec’s wide range of loudspeakers and accessories, as integrators we are confident that we can rise to just about any challenge – as we proved with At Park. We also appreciate that they are active speakers, which makes installation even more straightforward. Secondly, there was a clear directive to work with manufacturers who offer sustainable solutions that will deliver reliable performance for many, many years. Finally, of course – and this is what makes Genelec such a great choice for these sorts of applications – is just the purity of the sound. It will never sound messy or woolly, even when played at relatively high levels. What’s more, we don’t have to spend hours EQing the system or tweaking audio settings because we know that Genelec will perform amazingly straight out of the box. The client is delighted and so are we.’
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