Villa Heftye, a Michelin Guide listed bistro in the heart of Oslo, recently renovated its listed located with a custom Genelec sound system. The former bank was acquired in 2018 by local investor Runar Vatne and became restaurant Villa Heftye, an elegant yet casual bistro with an emphasis on French-inspired cuisine that uses seasonal Nordic ingredients.
‘The brief was to build an audio system with the best possible sound,’ says Henning Dyngvold, founder of Appletify who installed the new system. ‘The loudspeakers had to look good and complement the design of the restaurant.’
The installed system comprises 16 Genelec 4020 loudspeakers, along with eight larger 4030 models, two powerful 4040 models and two AIW26 active in-wall loudspeakers. This combination allows Villa Heftye to accommodate live performances, while also serving up an ambient background for diners.
‘The 4020s were chosen for their compact size and the 4030s and 4040s for their powerful performance at a high event volume,’ Dyngvold says. ‘All of this together has given Villa Heftye a crystal-clear audio atmosphere.’
The 4020 is compact and can squeeze into any installation, whereas the 4030 is suited to small-to-medium-sized commercial installations. The largest of the family, the 4040 is designed for environments that require higher playback levels.
‘Since the building is listed, we had to take extra care placing the loudspeakers,’ Dyngvold continues. ‘The 4000 series was perfect because the loudspeakers are available in different sizes and custom colours, and there is a wide range of mounting accessories – which meant we could place them discreetly in the restaurant, without affecting the overall sound. As they’re active designs, they’re also incredibly easy to look after and control. You don’t have to find room for external amplifiers, which is especially important in a building like Villa Heftye where aesthetics are important and space is at a premium.’
The bistro is divided into four main rooms – three equipped with four 4020s, and the fourth with four 4030s plus two AIW26 in-wall loudspeakers. System management comes from an Allen & Heath AHM 64 audio matrix.
‘Villa Heftye wanted a sound that felt relaxing for their customers,’ Dyngvold explains. ‘The AIW26 active in-wall speakers were intended to be used together with the 4030s when there is an artist playing live. In fact, the restaurant now leaves them on all of the time because it gives the background music a warm feeling and improves directivity, making the sound more precise – both at low volume and at event level.’
The venue’s walls are dressed with a rich red fabric that adds to the restaurant’s aesthetics. Additionally, the fabric reduces sound reflections in the room, resulting in a smooth, ambient atmosphere in which the music is clear without overpowering dinner table conversation.
‘It sounds amazing and it’s all thanks to Genelec’s excellent product range,’ Dyngvold reports. ‘We were able to meet the client’s needs thanks to the quality and versatility of the brand. The restaurant has some of the most talented local chefs, and now its Nordic neighbor Genelec has added to the quality that people have come to expect from the Michelin Guide bistro.’
More: www.genelec.com
