The new Casino Tampere in Finland, located at Tampere’s Nokia Arena, combines Nordic design with an advanced casino concept that’s further enhanced with more than 100 Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers and subwoofers installed throughout the facility by digital AV integration firm Craneworks Oy.
“We wanted all of the casino AV technology to be built on an IP network with full remote controllability,” explains Craneworks managing director Sami Käyhkö. “That includes audio, video, lighting, digital signage, the AV matrix and scaler, and even scent control.”
He adds that the Smart IP loudspeakers were the right fit in this context: “Aesthetically, their rounded form works very well with the casino’s Finnish-inspired interior – in certain areas we even have some of the models with the RAW aluminum finish, which look amazing – and of course they are very easy to install with just one Ethernet cable and no external amplifiers to worry about.
“From a sound quality and durability point of view, you can’t ask for more – Genelec stands for quality and we’re pleased to use a Finnish brand,” he continues. “The other major bonus points were full remote control – our HQ is in Helsinki about 150 km from the casino, so you don’t want to have to drive there just to adjust one speaker – and easy on-the-fly configuration.”
A unique aspect of Casino Tampere is a “nature 2.0” concept called “Virta” or “stream” in English. The architecture brings together wood construction along with smart lighting and digital signage, creating about 250 meters of digital screen that are used to display a range of continually updated, seasonally themed content. Quality audio is an integral part of the experience and includes six separate 12.1 surround sound zones throughout the Virta space, while a series of adjoining “bays” serve as lounges and other seating areas that patrons can use for dining, or to play mobile sports games. There are also large screens for catching up on the latest live sports.
Further, the venue includes several stereo sound areas in various gaming rooms, lounges, the check-in area and even the rest rooms. In total, more 100 4420 Smart IP loudspeakers joined by 13 7050 subwoofers deliver the audio throughout the casino.
All systems are controlled via a Crestron server accessed by several touchscreens, both fixed and wireless. “The customer can change the volume in any sound zone – or even the volume of an individual speaker – via the touchscreen as well as route different sources to different zones,” Käyhkö notes. “For example, in certain sports areas, the nearest IP speakers are normally part of the Virta 12.1 soundscape, but if a customer wants to see and hear the match at levels greater than the screen will allow, we can mix the sport sound to the nearest loudspeakers.”
Further, when there is a sporting event at the adjacent 15,000-seat Nokia Arena, sound and video feeds from the arena can be delivered to any or all loudspeakers and screens in the casino. When a goal is scored, it triggers a “goal show” across the casino’s AV system so that gamers are kept up to speed with progress from the hockey rink.
“This has been a fascinating project at every level,” Käyhkö concludes. “We developed the multisensory approach as a whole customer experience, of which audio is an integral part, rather than separate silos of sound, video, lighting etc. Thanks to the easy on-the-fly configuration of Genelec Smart IP loudspeakers, we can create new sound zones at will and mix easily between different zones, enabling us to be extremely reactive to changing circumstances or the addition of new content. Achieving the same functionality with a traditional analogue loudspeaker setup would have been virtually impossible, but with Genelec’s Smart IP loudspeakers, it was actually very easy to execute, and the results are stunning. Big thanks to our team of professionals who made this happen!”
