Case Study
Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers bring flexible immersive sound to Wake the Tiger Amazement Park in Bristol
Born from the creators of Boomtown Fair Festival, Wake The Tiger Amazement Park is an immersive art experience in Bristol consisting of 27 different creative environments including artwork, installations, narrative, soundscape, secret passageways and so much more.
Once through the portal you’re transported to the world of Meridia, a world not too dissimilar to our own, where you’ll discover an old abandoned factory, a time capsule of messages, theories and wild experiments.
Such a mesmeric experience requires the highest quality of audio. AF Live, an award-winning technical production company, took on the project and designed a bespoke sound system suited to their specific requirements.
Paul Rose, Founder and Director of AF Live comments: “AF Live has managed Boomtown Fair’s technical production for over a decade. So, when we were approached by Wake The Tiger in Spring 2022, we were already onboard to help create a sound system that would bring their new interactive Amazement Park to life."
AF Live approached the team at Audiologic for support with the supply. Business Manager Paul Simpson, Audiologic, added: “Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers were the obvious choice for this project, offering system designers, integrators and installers an easy, powerful and cost-effective solution for guaranteeing high-quality audio across entire installations, delivering unrivalled flexibility, cost-effectiveness and simplicity of installation.”
Genelec 4430A and the more compact 4420A Smart IP Installation Speakers were used across the park. The 4420 and 4430 models combine both exceptional sound quality with single cable convenience, and their onboard Smart IP technology provides scalable power, audio and loudspeaker configuration, supervision and calibration features via a standard CAT cable.
Graham MacVoy, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Wake The Tiger comments: “Wake The Tiger is a permanent and inclusive attraction that focuses on creativity. For it to succeed, we needed a sound solution that captured visitors in every one of the unique spaces. Thanks to AF Live, and the Genelec technology supplied by Audiologic, our Amazement Park® is an all-around interactive experience with bespoke, mixed-reality soundscapes. The system continues to perform exceptionally, with loudspeakers that blend into the surroundings to not take away from the installations.”
Paul Rose added: “Wake The Tiger was a first for AF Live and its Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) installation is both complex and unique. We required a system that was intelligent and reliable, and Genelec loudspeakers achieved both. We’ve worked with Paul Simpson and the Support Team at Audiologic for over two years. The expertise offered by Audiologic to AF Live during this project helped to ensure a seamless implementation and fostered long-lasting confidence in the Genelec product.”
Producing the clarity and intelligibility for which Genelec has become a benchmark, the 4420 and 4430 are compatible with both Dante and AES67 audio streams and derive power via PoE and PoE+ Power-over-Ethernet formats. Both models feature a single rear panel CAT connector which also allows access to Genelec’s Smart IP Manager - a sophisticated software tool that allows installers to configure an almost unlimited number of rooms, zones, loudspeakers and audio channels, and includes device discovery, a versatile room equalisation tool set, system organisation and status monitoring.
For a fully integrated, aesthetically pleasing look, the loudspeakers are available in 120 different RAL colours, to literally disappear into the background.
Greg Chapter, AF Live’s lead designer for the project, looked into many different products on the market to implement this complex installation and after testing various products on demo it was clear that Genelec PoE products were the best solution.
He added: “The Dante system allowed us to effectively realise the sound design over the 27 different zones of the exhibit, allowing the freedom and control needed to engage the listener in an immersive experience. The onboard DSP processing available on the Genelec Smart IP series loudspeakers was extremely useful for Wake The Tiger’s complex and unique audio environment. We identified the Genelec Smart IP series as a market leader, for both its quality of sound and ease of use. The system has exceeded expectations, working flawlessly since the opening of the venue.”