K-array sets the mood for 3am Room
- Details
The sonic focus of this project was the integration of K-array's miniature Lyzard loudspeakers, which ‘brought a new dimension of audio excellence and a relaxing sonic backdrop to the outstanding exhibit’.
“We had been speaking with Maddux for some time and had been looking for a project to work together on for a while,” commented Cornflake design director Ben Rodrick. “This was a really good opportunity to showcase the benefits of technology in unique spaces; emphasising high-performance, functional, engaging and highly-usable tech that blends into its surroundings effortlessly, encouraging visitors to feel, hear and sense their way through the room and go beyond just seeing.
“The objective was to create a space that is naturally engaging and one that inspires curiosity. It’s a good example of what we could do in a very short time frame in a complex environment where the budget constraints were maximal, and how we can be agile and flexible in this kind of process.”
At WOW!house there are numerous rooms naturally competing for the same space. Consequently, it was decided to introduce an additional dimension - that of sound - to further elevate the user experience beyond just the lighting, tactile textures, and automated scenting systems, triggering as many senses as possible.
The intention behind interior designer Maddux’s 3am Room was to create ‘a utopian environment to foster human connection, conversation and community’. The room is illuminated with strategically placed lighting fixtures, accentuated with objects, free forms and a starburst of light, and bathed with relaxing sounds from the discreet speakers from K-array.
The all-encompassing sound system is simple: four Lyzard-KZ14 ultra-micro line array speakers almost invisibly cover the room from each corner, mounted on custom gimbal brackets that allow optimum aiming angles to be easily set.
The KZ14’s four high efficiency drive units are housed in a milled aluminium enclosure measuring just 10 x 2.2 x 1.1cm and weighing only 59gm, and cross over to the concealed Rumble-KU44 subwoofer at 500Hz, providing full range audio over a dispersion pattern of 140° horizontal by 40° vertical. Two are finished in white; the other two in black, chosen to disappear into the polarised room design. The speakers are powered by a Kommander-KA02 amplifier which has all the DSP presets for optimum performance straight out of the box.
Jo leGleud, co-founder of Maddux Creative X Fromental, emphasised the pivotal role that the audio system played in bringing the space to life: “Despite the small size of the speakers, we were all blown away by their audio performance and the sound quality they delivered. The attention to detail and precision in K-array's design truly enhanced the immersive experience, creating a soundscape that enveloped visitors and elevated their journey - the meticulous engineering behind these speakers brought an unparalleled level of clarity, depth, and richness to the space, leaving visitors astounded by the sonic landscape.”
