66°North creates immersive sound experience
- Details
66°North, a brand with its heritage dating back to 1926, established itself as a manufacturer of protective outerwear for fishermen and those braving the harsh elements of the North Atlantic. Today, the brand continues to make functional clothing without compromising on comfort, for a range of activities.
The Regent Street store, located in the heart of London, represents 66°North's first venture outside Iceland and Denmark, making it a significant milestone for the brand.
Genelec got in touch with their UK distributor Audiologic after 66°North was delighted with the Genelec audio solution in their Reykjavik store, and wanted a similar solution for their London store. Having worked closely with Marquee AV on a number of projects, Paul Simpson, business manager at Audiologic, introduced them to 66°North.
Mark Brown, managing director at Marquee AV, described the collaborative process: "It was fantastic to meet with the Icelandic installation team virtually, where we went through drawings and speaker placements, so we got a real feel for the client's requirements. The brief was clear - a discreet, high-quality solution with individually controllable speakers to provide excellent coverage throughout the store. We then worked alongside the UK designers and contractors from the beginning to discuss how best to facilitate this.”
Consulting with Audiologic, the chosen audio solution consisted of 15 Genelec 4020C compact installation speakers and 3 Genelec 7040APM Active Subwoofers. The Genelec 4020C speakers, known for their precision and compact design, were selected to meet the spatial constraints and design aesthetics of the store.
Paul Simpson emphasised the advantages of Genelec's active design: "The Genelec 4000 series removes the need for cumbersome external power amplifiers. By housing amplifiers, crossover filters, and protective circuitry within the speaker cabinet, this design optimises both electronics and drivers while reducing reliance on extensive racks of external amplification and intricate cabling - an imperative in dynamic public spaces like retail stores."
In addition to their technical prowess, the 4020C speakers were chosen for their adaptability to acoustically challenging environments, aided by rear panel room compensation switches that ensure pristine and intelligible audio regardless of playback levels.
The creative approach to speaker placement involved concealing the colour-matched speakers behind the metal-fenced ceiling, blending seamlessly with the store's design aesthetics. Mark Brown noted that this placement allowed for consistent sound coverage throughout the venue, eliminating "sweet spots" and delivering an immersive experience.
Mark Brown concluded: "The Genelec speakers have exceeded expectations, showcasing their technical excellence and versatility, the controlled directivity allows installation in many types of acoustic environments, providing outstanding sound coverage. We value our longstanding relationship with Audiologic and appreciate the introduction to this exciting project by Paul, which has allowed us to provide our expertise directly to the client."
