The loudspeaker sphere is based around a three-metre diameter frame, constructed within an anechoic chamber, and utilizes a network of thirty-five Genelec 8320 monitors, five 8331 three-way coaxial monitors from The Ones series, plus four 7050 subwoofers to create instantly recallable sound fields ranging in format from simple stereo and 5.1 up to 22.2.

The result is a one-of-a-kind environment which allows the listener to experience the acoustic conditions specific to a particular concert hall, car interior, living room or other acoustic space.

At the heart of the research project is the understanding and analysis of reverberation – what it is, how sound reacts with reflective surfaces, and how it can benefit — or detract from — the listener’s experience.

The collaboration between Genelec and B&O is long-standing. The integration of SAM monitors with Genelec’s own GLM software was central to the project. Being able to test the sound of a loudspeaker in different acoustic environments in exacting detail — without physically going there — is of obvious benefit because the team doesn’t have the knowledge of an individual listener’s living room conditions.

Now it is possible to simulate those conditions with a high degree of accuracy with Genelec’s expertise in acoustic design and the precise reproduction of sound.