Housing one of Europe’s most significant collections of transport artefacts, Germany’s Technik Museum occupies two locations, the historic towns of Sinsheim and Speyer, where more than 6,500 exhibits explore military history, aviation, space travel and marine mechanics. Following the arrival of U17 last year, the submarine has become a highlight at the Sinsheim museum.
More than a static exhibition piece, U17 invites visitors to dive into a multisensory journey that explores life onboard the vessel, with Genelec loudspeakers reproducing the sounds of daily operations for a new generation.
For several years Laboratonium Audioproduktionen eK has been creating multimedia audio projects, sound designs, and immersive audio installations for museums and exhibitions. To support Technik Museum Sinsheim, the team – led by MD Marc Simon, audio engineer and Project Manager Jan Lipp, and Sound Designer Ksenia Cherkashina – set out to make the U17 exhibit an emotionally engaging, immersive experience through a custom-designed acoustic concept.
With narrow passageways crowded by technology of the era, the submarine presented a uniquely challenging environment to install an immersive A/V system. ‘Metallic surfaces, narrow corridors and many small compartments have specific acoustic characteristics,’ Lipp explains. ‘In order to integrate an impactful sound system, it required precise planning of loudspeaker positioning, discreet design, and a way to combat the complexities of technically sensitive spaces.’
With the aim of creating emotional interactions between museum visitors and the technology that shaped life on U17, Genelec loudspeakers were chosen for the exhibition’s immersive soundscape. ‘We were committed to choosing Genelec loudspeakers from the outset because they match the installation’s requirements perfectly, both in terms of design and technology,’ Lipp says. ‘A decisive factor that led to their selection was the robust, yet timelessly elegant form factor. They blend unobtrusively into the existing technical environment of the submarine, which was essential to the exhibit’s emotional impact. When loudspeakers are not consciously perceived, visitors are convinced that sound is emanating directly from the space itself.’
Thirteen Genelec loudspeakers were supplied by Musikhaus Schlaile finished in dark grey to correspond with the interior. ‘We installed 11 8010A studio monitors throughout the submarine,’ Lipp says. ‘For such small loudspeakers, they deliver a surprisingly precise and balanced sound image that made them ideal for the cramped structures and limited space inside the submarine. Two larger 8030C models offer necessary power reserve and dynamics to ensure powerful and distortion-free sound even at peak levels.’
As visitors explore the submarine, the hum of engines, metallic sounds of controls, sonar pings, and the oppressive sense of being underwater become increasingly apparent. With loudspeakers hidden in plain sight, the soundscape adds an eerie atmosphere, while in some spaces, interactive sequences are triggered to heighten the experience.
A highlight of the exhibit is the alarm sequence, during which the submarine transitions from alert status through to stealth mode and combat. ‘This is supported by immersive sound design, specifically produced voice recordings, and newly developed Foley elements,’ Cherkashina says. ‘As a source of inspiration, we received original audio tracks from the series Das Boot, which we reinterpreted and reproduced for the specific acoustic conditions in the U17. When paired with lighting changes and the submarine’s original red emergency light, it creates a particularly intense, emotional moment.’
For an exhibition where technology plays such a central role, the Genelecs merge into the environment while enhancing the emotional impact of the experience through sound. ‘Sound design for a walk-through submarine is not an everyday scenario and required a high degree of creative flexibility and technical expertise, but this uniqueness was ultimately part of the project’s appeal,’ Simon confesses. ‘We were very satisfied with the Genelec loudspeakers. In our own surround studio, we work with Genelec 8030 systems and are constantly impressed with their quality, precision, and flexibility – the same proved to be true in this installation.
‘We are hugely grateful for the support of the museum’s technicians and electricians, as well as Patrick Lesser from Musikhaus Schlaile who supplied the loudspeakers that helped bring the U17 back to life,’ Lipp concludes. The Laboratonium Audioproduktionen team are now working on another installation at Technik Museum Speyer, where Genelec loudspeakers will again play a role in shaping immersive visitor experiences.