Finland - Kino Piispanristi is a full-service 286-seat independent movie theatre close to Turku. The venue is a long-time passion project of Henry Erkkilä, a movie lover who wanted to create a modern cinema that transcends tradition when it comes to audio-visual technology. The theatre’s new premium screen features a Genelec sound system comprising the brand’s smart active studio loudspeakers and subwoofers.
“We strive to offer all the perks of a modern cinema without being a faceless corporation,” says Erkkilä. “We react to trends quickly and make moves boldly so that our customers can walk in and out feeling happy. Having the greatest theatre sound system in Finland is an excellent way to help us light up people’s faces.”
Kino Piispanristi’s newest screen is a premium, more intimate space with exceptional picture quality and a 7.1 audio system based around Genelec’s ‘The Ones’ family of coaxial three-way studio loudspeakers – which deliver extended frequency response, controlled directivity and fatigue-free listening. Three 8361s – the flagship of The Ones range – are deployed for LCR, with six of the more compact 8341s in the surround positions, complemented by two 7380 subwoofers for clean, controlled LF performance.
“For our premium space, sound is everything. Theatre technology, be it projectors, screens, audio or seats, is constantly evolving and unless you’re among the frontrunners, you might get left behind,” Erkkilä explains. “Genelec is widely known and admired as a wonderful example of Finnish engineering and design. As a local business, we try to emphasise the importance of using locally sourced products, and Genelec’s quality is unmatched.”
Usually found powering music, broadcast and film studios, Genelec’s studio loudspeakers are now being specified for an increasing number of high-end residential and boutique commercial cinemas around the world
“Our expertise in cinema and Genelec’s legacy in sound was the perfect match, and the collaboration was even more meaningful because of the local connection,” concludes Erkkilä. “The Ones loudspeaker series has completely transformed the cinema, and now we can offer audiences everything that the big players can – and more. The cinema is a result of a lot of hard work and dedication, and the Genelec system feels like the icing on the cake. It’s reinvented what we show on the screen.”
