40th anniversary and the Ones – 2018 was a memorable year for Genelec
The year got off to an auspicious start, with The Ones scooping three international awards in January, including the TEC Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement in the Studio Monitor category. The Ones have been a permanent feature this year, following their worldwide launch at London’s Metropolis Studios in 2017. The coaxial three-way monitors encompass the 8351, 8341 and 8351 – all offering pioneering ultimate point source monitoring.
L-R Paul Stewart, John Whitcore, Lisa Kaufmann, Juho Martikainen, Dave MacLaughlin, Darren Rose and Steffenee Copley.
February saw The Ones continue to triumph, with Genelec travelling to India. The team toured the vast country known for its booming music and film industry - showcasing the coaxial three-way monitors in major cities along the way. Talks were presented by Genelec’s Managing Director Siamäk Naghian who gave attendees an overview of the company’s approach to manufacturing.
Genelec's Managing Director Siamäk Naghian speaking to the audience in Bangalore.
In March, we drew crowds at NAB show Las Vegas with the immersive experience, where guest presenter Gil Gowing discussed how to produce and mix audio for immersive playback. In the booth was a Dolby Atmos rig featuring The Ones, along with the 7380 SAM Subwoofer – working in conjunction to produce the optimum experience for visitors.
Spring had sprung, blossoms were starting to bloom and in April we were off to new horizons - touring South Korea with The Ones. Currently captivating the world with K-pop melodies, South Korea seemed an ideal spot to showcase the ground-breaking range. Genelec debuted the ultimate point source monitors at a day-long event in the capital, Seoul, to a rapturous reception from industry professionals. Later, The Ones received a similarly warm welcome in China, as they received five Chinese industry awards.
South Korea welcomed The Ones.
BGA's Marketing Manager Qu Lu.
June saw Genelec’s landmark 40th anniversary celebrations get off to a stylish start hosting a live event with Boiler Room at Helsinki’s Ääniwalli club. It was also the month that Genelec perfected a classic, debuting the 7050C subwoofer. The 7050c has the same robustness and size-to-SPL ratio of its much-loved forerunner, the 7050B, with the added benefits of lower distortion and extended low frequency response with higher SPL.
In July, a second cooperation with Boiler Room explored The Science of Sound, with a short-film compilation to mark our 40th anniversary. Here is an example with Lorenzo Senni.
August was the month in which Genelec launched new high-SPL monitors for immersive audio. It also saw the #GenelecMoments roadshow travel to 16 cities across Finland and Sweden, affording passers-by the opportunity to sample newly-unveiled products, including the S360 speakers and 7382 subwoofers.
Sixteen cities experience #GenelecMoments with summer roadshow.
As autumn arrived in September, Genelec brought the S360 and 7382 to IBC 2018, at Amsterdam’s RAI, creating a soundproof listening room on the show floor to offer visitors a truly immersive experience. Towards the end of the month, we sponsored AES LAC in Montevideo, Uruguay, a conference hosted by the Audio Engineering Society Latin America.
Genelec at IBC. Anne Martikainen and Ole Jensen.
In October, the 8341 received Resolution magazine’s prestigious Best Monitor award, while Genelec was proud to honour the memory of the company’s inspirational founder with the announcement of The Dr Ilpo Martikainen Audio Visionary Scholarship. The month also witnessed the opening of Genelec’s first flagship store in the China World Trade Center.
(L-R) Juho Martikainen, Maria Martikainen, Siamäk Naghian, Dinana Liang, Ritva Leinonen, Jarno Syrjälä and Feng Hanying.
As Genelec’s anniversary year drew to a close, November saw esteemed industry publication Pro Sound News Europe choose Genelec as Company of the Year. What’s more, in December, the noted Finnish business magazine Kauppalehti, awarded our Managing Director, Siamäk Naghian, Business Director of the Year.
Genelec's Board and Managing Director (L-R) Ritva Leinonen, Maria Martikainen, Mikko Martikainen, Juho Martikainen, Topi Partanen, Lasse Aho and Siamäk Naghian.
With so much to celebrate in 2018, everyone at Genelec would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our worldwide family of colleagues, partners and friends. Here’s to more success together in 2019!