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Case Study
06/03/2026
With an enviable reputation founded in professional music production, the qualities that have made Genelec a reference for studio monitors are increasingly being sought for higher education. At the University of Derby’s new home for its Derby International Business School, Genelec loudspeakers form the backbone of the audio system across a flagship teaching facility designed for flexible, technology-led learning.
GVAV, which delivers audio visual integration, consultancy and support across the UK, has worked with the University of Derby for more than a decade, providing AV systems across its wider campuses. That long-standing relationship formed the backdrop to a major project for the Cavendish Building, new seven-storey, sustainable teaching space bringing together lecture theatres, classrooms and collaborative learning environments.
Awarded to GVAV in spring 2024 and completed in summer 2025, the AV contract covered audio, visual and control technologies throughout the building. From an audio perspective, the brief was shaped by continuity and integration with existing systems, alongside performance expectations for varied-use teaching spaces.
Genelec’s 4030C was selected as the primary loudspeaker model for the bookable rooms, where reliable sound reinforcement is essential for spoken content and media playback. Supplied by Audiologic, Genelec’s UK distributor for Installed Sound products, the compact active loudspeaker delivers clear, full-range sound with controlled directivity and output of up to 104 dB SPL. This makes it well-suited to small-to-medium teaching environments where intelligibility and consistency are critical.
Originally, a larger model had been specified by the University, but GVAV made the call to step down a size once the rooms and usage patterns were fully understood. "In a classroom environment, you don’t need that level of output,” explains Maarten De Vogel, Technical Project Manager at GVAV. “Going smaller also avoids sound spill into neighbouring spaces.”
The result was the deployment of substantial quantities of the Genelec 4030C across more than 20 learning rooms, delivering consistent sound quality for programme audio, video playback and teaching content.
The university already had extensive experience with Genelec loudspeakers across its estate, a familiarity that proved influential when planning for the Cavendish Building. “The University uses Genelec speakers everywhere. They love them, and they wanted to carry on using them,” observes De Vogel. “That made the decision really straightforward.”
“We selected Genelec for this project based on our successful experience in previous AV installations,” agrees Matthew Birkin. “Their sound quality and reliability make them an excellent fit for our teaching spaces. Knowing they would integrate seamlessly with our systems and stand up to long-term use gave us additional confidence in our choice.”
Aesthetics and build quality also played a role. As teaching spaces evolve, Genelec loudspeakers are often redeployed rather than replaced, a practicality that depends on physical robustness as well as on audio performance. In higher education environments, AV kit is expected to operate with minimal intervention, making reliability and longevity as important as outright sound quality.
While the Cavendish Building represented a clean slate in terms of AV infrastructure, the architectural design introduced some early challenges. Reinforced concrete ceilings limited how and where equipment could be installed, prompting changes to the original visual and audio plans. From an acoustic standpoint, the use of sound baffles and ceiling treatments helped mitigate the concrete's reflective properties, allowing GVAV to proceed without major compromises to audio performance.
Audiologic delivered the Genelec loudspeakers to schedule, with installation following later in the programme once interior layouts and display technologies had been finalised. As the building design evolved, particularly around the integration of recessed LED walls, some loudspeaker positions were adjusted to suit the final room configuration, a common process on large new-build projects like this.
While the 4030Cs performed exactly as expected, mains power requirements for the sound reinforcement did prompt a few aesthetic and logistical debates. De Vogel observes that Genelec’s Smart IP range, supporting Power over Ethernet alongside Dante and AES67, would offer additional flexibility on future projects.
“From an installation perspective, IP loudspeakers simplify things considerably,” he says. “You’re not constrained by local power outlets, which makes coordination much easier.”
“We’ve just installed our first PoE Genelec speaker in another classroom, in another building, for the University of Derby,” he adds. “It went in perfectly. Going forward, I think that’s what we’ll use everywhere.”
Several complementary technologies were specified to support speech reinforcement, wireless audio and accessibility, all supplied by Audiologic. Shure Microflex Wireless neXt 2 systems were selected for handheld and lavalier microphones, with Shure’s MXA901 ceiling-mounted array microphones used in larger spaces, again reflecting the university’s experience with the brand.
For assistive listening and talkback, Sennheiser MobileConnect was deployed across lecture theatres and teaching rooms, providing a flexible accessibility solution. All elements were integrated within the wider Crestron-based control environment and Shure audio control system, with the Genelec 4030C’s control-system-agnostic design allowing straightforward integration without the need for proprietary hardware.
While additional reinforcement is now being evaluated in a small number of rooms, GVAV’s Cavendish Building installation has been very well-received, with the audio system performing consistently across the teaching spaces.
“In a couple of the bigger rooms, they’re looking at adding more Genelec speakers for additional speech reinforcement,” says De Vogel. “That speaks volumes for the quality and performance of the product range – when a client has complete confidence to continue investing in their system.”
Genelec 4030CM
Installation Speaker (Black)
The compact 4030C offers crystal clear sound and round-the-clock reliability, making it the natural choice for small to medium-sized commercial installations. Black. Priced and sold singly.
List price *
£545.00
Genelec 4030CW
Installation Speaker (White)
The compact 4030C offers crystal clear sound and round-the-clock reliability, making it the natural choice for small to medium-sized commercial installations. White. Priced and sold singly.
List price *
£545.00
Shure MXA902
Shure Conferencing Ceiling Array
The first integrated ceiling array microphone and loudspeaker for AV conferencing in small & medium spaces. Includes an advanced array microphone and a wide-dispersion loudspeaker for natural sounding speech capture and reproduction. Single Zone...
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£3,200.00
Shure MXW2X/VP68
MXW neXt 2 Handheld Transmitter
Part of the MXW neXt 2 wireless conferencing system for classrooms, conference spaces, presentations, and events. Lightweight and ergonomic, this handheld microphone transmitter is a smart choice for presenters who prefer to hold a mic or to...
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£704.00
Shure MXWNDX8
Networked Charging Stations
Networked Docking Stations that can charge 4 or 8 MXW neXt transmitters without removing the battery. Compatible with MXW neXt bodypack, handheld, and boundary transmitters. MXW neXt transmitters can be linked to an associated MXWAPX4 or...
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£1,166.00
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