Luxury Icelandic winter clothing brand 66°North has unveiled its UK flagship store, incorporating a immersive sound experience – lending the atmospheric soundscapes of its Reykjavik store to UK shoppers – devised by Marquee AV and distributor Audiologic.
66°North established itself as a manufacturer of protective outerwear for fishermen and those braving the harsh elements of the North Atlantic. Today, the brand continues to make functional clothing without compromising on comfort, for a range of activities. The Regent Street store, located in the heart of London, represents 66°North’s first venture outside Iceland and Denmark, making it a significant milestone for the brand.
Leading professional audio brand Genelec got in touch with UK distributor Audiologic after 66°North adopted a Genelec loudspeaker system in its Reykjavik store, and wanted a similar solution for their flagship London store. Having worked with Marquee A/V on a number of projects, Audiologic Business Manager Paul Simpson made the introduction to 66°North.
‘It was fantastic to meet with the Icelandic installation team virtually, where we went through drawings and speaker placements, so we got a real feel for the client’s requirements,’ says Marquee AV MD, Mark Brown. ‘The brief was for a discreet, high-quality solution with individually controllable speakers to provide excellent coverage throughout the store. We then worked alongside the UK designers and contractors from the beginning to discuss how best to facilitate this.’
Consulting with Audiologic, the chosen system comprises 15 Genelec 4020C compact installation loudspeakers and three 7040APM Active Subwoofers. The 4020Cs were selected to meet the spatial constraints and design aesthetics of the store.
‘The Genelec 4000 series removes the need for cumbersome external power amplifiers,’ Simpson points out. ‘By housing amplifiers, crossover filters, and protective circuitry within the loudspeaker cabinet, the design optimises both electronics and drivers while reducing reliance on extensive racks of external amplification and intricate cabling – an imperative in dynamic public spaces like retail stores.’
The approach to loudspeaker placement involved concealing colour-matched speakers behind the metal-fenced ceiling, blending with the store’s design aesthetic. Brown notes that this placement made it possible to have consistent sound coverage throughout the venue, eliminating ‘sweet spots’ and delivering an immersive experience.
‘The Genelec speakers have exceeded expectations, showcasing their technical excellence and versatility, the controlled directivity allows installation in many types of acoustic environments, providing outstanding sound coverage,’ Brown reports. ‘We value our longstanding relationship with Audiologic and appreciate the introduction to this exciting project by Paul, which has allowed us to provide our expertise directly to the client.’
The installation has elevated the 66°North shopping experience, with discreet yet powerful loudspeakers delivering an immersive sound experience to customers.
