Ästad Vingård

Throughout the vineyard, 24 x 4420A RAW models were installed, plus a further four 4040As. These were intended to distributed background music (BGM), as well as specific soundscapes around the attraction, and therefore the loudspeakers had to output precise audio across a variety of levels.

Henrik Asp, who oversaw the project for Special-Elektronik who were in charge of the installation of the loudspeakers explained that they were working to an extremely tight timeline. Therefore, it was important to find ways to minimise installation time as well as deliver high quality. Genelec’s Smart IP range was an obvious solution to this dilemma, beloved for the loudspeakers’ easy installation and uncompromising audio quality.

Special-Elektronik specified twenty-four 4420 models, with RAW aluminium finish. The loudspeakers are fed by a single CAT cable, which supplies power, audio and control. It also allowed Astad to implement all IP music streams that were being used by the main system. This includes the soundscapes generated by Efterklang – created exclusively by sampling the surrounding natural environment.

It was a challenge to find a sustainable loudspeaker that satisfied all required functions, including driving the audio from the TV, streaming from guests’ mobile devices, radio or room ambience sounds, a programmable ‘wake-up’ scene, and a ‘welcome back’ scene. The Smart IP 4420s ticked all these boxes.

Four separate 4040s were specified for the conference rooms in the main hotel and the gym, located in the spa. These models are more powerful and contain room compensation switches that make them better suited for these larger, more communal areas.

– Genelec’s stringent adherence to a sustainable manufacturing process provided Astad with the peace of mind they needed.
– The RAW recycled aluminium finish on the 4420s only emphasises this further, and blends seamlessly with Astad’s rustic décor.
– Genelec’s Smart IP technology allows integrators to carry out the install more quickly and efficiently, reducing the costs and the amount of cabling required.
– Smart IP Manager software makes it easy to configure and manage the system, including equalising each individual loudspeaker’s frequency response to suit the acoustic environment.

A relative newcomer to the wine industry, Astad Vingard has flourished to become one of the largest vineyards in Sweden with some 30,000 vines across their inland and coastal cultivations. Astad has chosen to create an entire experience around their completely organic vineyard. This area includes a hotel, complete with a modern conference centre, a sumptuous spa and two restaurants, one with a Michelin star. To round off this exceptional sensory experience, this project witnessed the installation of a complete Genelec audio system.

Astad prides itself on its nature-inspired, sustainable approach to everything they do. Upholding this philosophy, all 4420s were specified with the RAW aluminium finish. Like all Genelec loudspeakers, they are made using recycled aluminium. However, this finish required no painting and less finishing material, making it even more ecologically friendly.

The precise and reliable engineering of the Genelec’s allow them to accurately reproduce the soundscape that Efterklang generated. The layers are easily identifiable, even at low playback levels. Equally, the system can also be pushed when required to deliver a more typical BGM experience. The flexibility of Genelec’s Smart IP range is unparalleled.

“In our view, Genelec loudspeakers are extremely well suited for this high-end concept at Ästad Vingård thanks to their high definition, broad sound field and overall quality. Smart IP offers integrators a huge amount of flexibility for their designs and makes installation very straightforward.” – Alexander Kessberg, Sound Designer at Efterklang

“The RAW finish that was used here is a perfect complement to the natural environment evoked by our soundscapes and Astad’s beautiful design.” – Alexander Kessberg, Sound Designer at Efterklang