AIW25 Active In-Wall Speaker

Castrén & Snellman is one of Helsinki’s premier law firms with an enviable reputation in mergers, acquisitions and other specialised fields of business law. The company is also a pioneer of sustainable business practice in the legal services industry and was the first Finnish law firm to join the UN Global Compact initiative. The company recently carried out an extensive renovation of their client areas and staff workspaces, with the goal of taking the iconic 130-year old law firm to the next level. Castrén & Snellman turned to renowned Finnish AV integrator, 4Business Oy, who specialise in delivering tailored AV and automation systems. The solution integrated a large number of Genelec loudspeakers for flawless audio quality throughout the building.

Genelec products are a perfect match for the customer’s high quality standards.

“Genelec was simply an ideal choice for this project,” states 4Business COO Janne Lankinen. “On top of Genelec’s product quality, visual appearance and neutral sound reproduction, the company’s values and commitment to sustainable development fit beautifully into the original brief. Our aim was to modernise Castrén & Snellman’s activity–based office, including lobby areas, meeting rooms, conference rooms and training facility, with the requirement that the technology solutions would be as reliable and future proof as possible. Genelec products are a perfect match for the customer’s high quality standards, and their product lifecycle is the longest in the industry. Thanks to their sophisticated design and smart in-room calibration capabilities, Genelec products also reproduce the human voice very naturally, which makes them an excellent choice for video conferencing and speech reproduction systems.”

4Business installed a wide variety of Genelec speakers throughout the space depending on function, ranging from a pair of powerful 8351 Smart Active loudspeakers supplemented by two 7360 subwoofers in the 100-capacity event space, to the very compact 4010 and 4020 installation speakers for the wide variety of conference and board rooms.

Castrén & Snellman’s ICT Specialist, Mikko Kurhela, who worked closely with 4Business and Genelec throughout the project, describes the new system in their 100-person event space: “The solution we chose for music, speech and multimedia consists of two carefully tuned 8351 Smart Active loudspeakers, with two 7360 Smart Active subwoofers and an automatic mixer, all integrated into an easy-to-use AV system. The space is rectangular with the direction of presentation from the long wall into the room, so we needed wide angle speakers to ensure that speech is reproduced throughout the space with clarity and intelligibility. We also wanted high quality sound at low frequencies for music and multimedia, which we got by adding the two 7360 subwoofers. The speakers and subwoofers were tuned for the room using Genelec’s GLM calibration software.”

The Paja gym uses four ceiling-mounted 4020 speakers linked to a Sonos Port player for wireless music playback, while the music and speech sound system in the Tori café - which has a company library attached directly to the space - uses four 8430 IP loudspeakers. “Castrén & Snellman uses this multipurpose facility both as separate areas and sometimes as one large venue, for example for monthly company updates,” explains Lankinen. “The main challenge was to provide the flexibility for the customer to realign the layout without compromising reliability and ease-of-use. We solved this by using streamlined mobile screen stands with integrated custom loudspeaker mounts, with embedded AV-over-IP technologies for audio and video distribution combined with 8430 IP loudspeakers with their AES67 streaming capability. The customer can easily move these mobile units into the required position, and everything fires up automatically.”

Kurhela confirms that Genelec was ultimately a natural choice: “The stylish, uniform design language, audio quality, versatility and long lifecycle of the speakers were key values for us. The long lifecycle means that we’ll be able to re-use the speakers in different solutions following future renovations. As a company we are committed to finding sustainable solutions, so Genelec is a perfect fit for us from that point of view. The fact that they are an internationally renowned Finnish speaker manufacturer was also a plus.”

The final word goes to Janne Lankinen, who also appreciates Genelec products from a workflow perspective. “They are very familiar to our technical staff and thus are quick to install. Everything always works out of the box and we receive top notch support from the Genelec factory in Iisalmi. Shipments generally arrive right on time and there are no efficiency losses on site. We are able to deliver high quality, visually aesthetic, reliable solutions that last for years. It’s companies like Genelec who enable us to shine at what we do.”

When Concordia University in Montreal first opened its R. Howard Webster Library in 1992, it was a pivotal resource for students and staff, both for research purposes and as a place to work. At the time the university numbered 16,000 students. Today that figure has more than tripled to over 46,000. Consequently, the Webster Library has been undergoing a radical transformation in order to create a quality study space capable of handling the significantly increased traffic, and provide access to a more modern range of services. As part of the renewal project, the university has integrated a total of eight Genelec architectural loudspeakers that fit seamlessly into the sleek design of the Webster Library lobby. The flawless sound definition allows students to visit the library while enjoying a truly pleasant sensory experience.

The brief for Concordia’s IITS (Instructional and Information Technology Services) department was to design an audio installation as discreet as it is welcoming, acting as a transition between the calm of the officia library space and frenzy of everyday student life that reigns at the entrance of the library staircase. However, the project was subject to significant architectural, mechanical, and acoustical constraints. Given the space available in the ceiling and the materials used for the wall construction, the challenge was to create an audio environment of optimal quality, with a clean design.

Max Di Bitonto, technology coordinator at IITS, and Paul Fournier, information systems and technology manager at the library, agreed to consult pro audio and AV specialists, SFM, on which products to use. As Di Bitonto rightly points out, “Since the original concept was to obtain a soundscape that filled the entire space, while avoiding sound from spreading to the public area at the bottom of the stairs, the audio configuration had to be impeccable.”

SFM suggested the use of high-end Genelec products. Claude Ricard, SFM Sales Representative, and Mr. Di Bitonto worked together to define the concept and select the speakers. Mr. Ricard immediatelyproposed Genelec AIW25 active loudspeakers, which can be utilised both in-wall and inceiling. Seamlessly integrated into the ceiling, AIW25 loudspeakers use Directivity Control Waveguide technology to produce a wide but controlled listening area. These eight loudspeakers work independently, offering multiple possibilities for future audio experiences.

"Such an exceptional space deserves a high-quality sound zone."

Mike Calo, Genelec brand manager at SFM, explains the relevance of using AIW25 loudspeakers in a major project such as the Webster Library: “Such an exceptional space deserves a high-quality sound zone. Genelec offers a wide range of self-powered loudspeakers which are specifically designed for different types of indoor, professional or commercial installations. These built-in loudspeakers are not only powerful, precise and compact, they are also designed with an undeniable aesthetic concern. In addition, the 2-way amplification module with acoustic correction is easy to integrate via a standard 4U rack-mount kit. Finally, the built-in loudspeakers offer the technology needed to reach the target audience of a project, and therefore unleashing unbridled creativity.”

A few good brainstorming sessions and rigorous planning were needed to provide the best possible products for the implementation of such an important project. “To enrich the concept and optimise loudspeaker performance, I advised the Concordia University team to include the QSC CORE110F Digital Audio Server. This server incorporates a multitrack audio player and an easily accessible time grid via the Q-Sys Administrator application, as well as many other features intrinsic to the Q-Sys system. To further perfect this installation, I proposed the Furman PL-8C, a device that keeps the equipment safe in the event of a major breakdown or other unforeseen events,” adds Ricard. Following a rigorous tender, Sono Vidéo, an audio-video solutions company, was selected to carry out the sale and oversee the final installation of this project.

“Some students even take the time to sit on the stairs and listen to the songs from beginning to end."

The server has access to all audio material owned by the Webster Library, which offers the ability to educate and broaden students’ horizons even as they are entering or leaving the library. It provides a sensory experience that “speaks”, in terms of the quality of the space, services, and tools offered by the library. It is this type of vision, combining an immaculate plan and an intelligently designed soundscape, that makes a school a better place for all.

The initiative has been well received on behalf of the students with many expressing their appreciation of the originality and effectiveness of the approach. “Some students even take the time to sit on the stairs and listen to the songs from beginning to end, which is great as they are often coming across material they’ve never heard before,” says Di Bonito proudly. Others have said that this short moment before entering or leaving the library is a little haven of peace and a moment to savour… compared to the hustle and bustle at the bottom of the stairs!”

THE KIT

8 x AIW25