Genelec loudspeakers have been installed aboard the U17 submarine at Technik Museum Sinsheim in south-west Germany, where an immersive AV installation recreates life onboard the former naval vessel through engine noise, sonar pings, machinery sounds and synchronised emergency alarm sequences.
The installation was developed by multimedia audio specialist Laboratonium Audioproduktionen, which used 13 Genelec loudspeakers to transform the submarine from a static exhibit into a multisensory visitor experience combining spatial audio, lighting and triggered sound effects. The U17’s narrow corridors, metallic surfaces and confined compartments presented acoustic challenges that required careful loudspeaker placement and system design.
The installation uses 11 compact Genelec 8010A studio monitors positioned throughout the submarine, together with two larger 8030C loudspeakers that provide additional output for high-impact audio sequences. The loudspeakers were supplied by Musikhaus Schlaile.
As visitors move through the submarine, they hear the hum of engines, metallic control noises, sonar pings and other operational sounds reproduced through the loudspeaker system. Interactive audio sequences are triggered in selected areas, while one of the installation’s centrepieces recreates the submarine’s transition from alert status to stealth mode and combat using immersive sound design, voice recordings, Foley effects and synchronised lighting.
Jan Lipp, audio engineer and project manager at Laboratonium Audioproduktionen, said: “Metallic surfaces, narrow corridors, and many small compartments have specific acoustic characteristics. 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.”
Lipp added: “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.
“We installed eleven compact 8010A studio monitors throughout the submarine. 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.”
Ksenia Cherkashina, sound designer at Laboratonium Audioproduktionen, added: “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.”
The Laboratonium Audioproduktionen team is now working on another installation at Technik Museum Speyer, where Genelec loudspeakers will again be used as part of an immersive visitor experience.
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