interview with jan-erik lundberg of geneva sound systems

interview with jan-erik lundberg of geneva sound systems
photo by matteo cirenei

in a short amount of time, geneva lab has become a leader in hi-fi technology. the swiss brand’s sound systems, while employing advanced electronics, patented acoustics, combined with the best amplifiers, speakers, tuners and components, have garnered praise for presenting themselves more as pieces of furniture — forgoing the traditional black-box formula. each one is engineered within one simple cabinet crafted by hand from a genuine american walnut veneer that is finished with up to eight layers of high-grade piano lacquer by hand, applied to each glass finish.

from their exteriors, the simple designs are distortion-proof enclosures which seamlessly integrate a digital amplifier, digital cross overs, high quality drivers, media players and power supply, offering up to 600 watts of digital amplification. with this, geneva sound systems project a solid three-dimensional sound image that is high, wide and deep, delivering a stereo image that is more uniform in manner throughout the room’s in which they are installed. developed and engineered for simplicity, style and superb sound, designboom interviews geneva lab’s founder jan-erik lundberg about the company’s technological progressions, and its newest product launched to market, the ‘aerosphère’ sound system.

geneva sound system model XL wireless in white
photo by matteo cirenei

designboom: how has geneva lab revolutionized the way we listen to music?

jan-erik lundberg: to say we have revolutionized the way people listen to music is a huge claim, but I do believe we have been leading the development of a true hi-fi stereo in a single unit that is much easier to use in a normal home. geneva was the first hi-fi company to embrace the way people listen to digital music by making a serious hi-fi system with an iPod dock. most iPod docks and now bluetooth-enabled audio systems look more like gadgets than serious hi-fi systems.

we believe that just because you want the convenience of streamed music doesn’t mean you’re not serious about audio quality. unfortunately, the tradition of good hi-fi sound has been partly lost with the growth of digital music. many younger people today have never heard how incredible a listening experience can be when played through a serious audio system. 

the swiss company’s products blend seamlessly into contemporary home interiors
photo by matteo cirenei

DB: all geneva products share the same straight and very clean lines. is this only an aesthetical feature or does this design hide a technological aspect as well?

JL: geneva products are designed to blend into any type of environment – the aesthetic is not really driven by the technology. but on the flip side, the technology inside is very complex. a traditional hi-fi system with two separate speakers and a center console that houses all electronics and cables is much easier to create than a system that is all contained in a single wood cabinet. interferences like heat and vibration from 600 watt amplified music on a CD player were some of the obstacles we had to consider during product development. many competitors have tried to copy our flagship products over the years, but most have given up because they find these challenges overwhelming.

wireless sound system model XXL appears more like a low-sitting table than a stereo
photo by matteo cirenei

DB: what differentiates geneva products from their competitors?

JL: I believe the simplicity in design sets us apart from many audio brands that tend to have a far less stringent approach. we operate in an industry that often favors complex features that few customers actually appreciate. our commitment to making products that are easy to use helps us stand out. we like to stick to our core values – products that sound very good, are easy to use, and are packaged in a high quality finished exterior.

geneva sound system model L wireless is compact, connected and powerful
photo by matteo cirenei

DB: your latest collection is the ‘aerosphère’ sound system that you launched at maison&objet in paris and the IFA in berlin in september 2014. it looks very different from the rest of the products you have in your portfolio. what drove you to override the traditional square lines of geneva sound system designs, and explore a more spherical shape?

JL: we felt it was time to offer variations in the design language we use for our product. we still hope there is a familiarity in the simplicity of our product design, and that you can tell that the ‘aerosphére’ is a geneva product without seeing the logo. we’re coming up on the 10th anniversary of the external design language for our range of all-in-one products, and in our industry it’s very unusual for product design to last longer than a couple of years. we are very pleased to see how the original design has stood the test of time.

geneva sound system model combines superb musical fidelity with unique high-concept design

DB: when was the ‘aerosphére’ project created and who designed it?

    
JL: like all of our previous geneva products, the design of the ‘aerosphére’ has been an internal collaboration between chief designer ivan pedri and myself. since it is quite a technical product, it took one and a half years to develop, with many limitations and restrictions as to how the design was eventually executed. our engineering team also plays a very important role in the design process.

aerosphère replaces the traditional dual speaker (stereo) hi-fi system with optimal acoustic performance

DB: ‘aerosphère’ comes in two sizes: is there a technological difference between the two?

JL: the functions of the two systems are the same, but the acoustics are very different. the ‘aerosphére’ large is a stereo speaker that has a very high performance, similar to a traditional hi-fi system with two separate speakers. it’s designed to perform very well on its own in a very large room. the ‘aerosphére’ small is a mono speaker that is primarily designed for environments like a kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom – anywhere you would want music or radio playing in the background.

aerosphère takes on a domed cabinet

DB: why is ‘aerosphère’ so innovative compared to the rest of your products?

JL: what differentiates the ‘aerosphére’ from previous geneva products is that this series is wi-fi based and made for customers who listen to music from internet streaming services like spotify. the ‘aerosphére’ series not only provides wi-fi using airplay, DLNA, and bluetooth, but also more traditional audio sources such as radio and CD playing capabilities. the system can also be used in multi-room configurations, where music is controlled by a smartphone app and streamed simultaneously to several rooms. wi-fi systems are much more complex to set up and operate than traditional stand-alone systems, so making them easy to use has required a lot of thought and innovation.

wireless sound system model XXL has airplay, bluetooth, FM, DAB+, HDMI, speakers, amplifier all-in-one

DB: what have you got in store for the future? new designs, new technologies?

JL: in 2015, we plan to not only expand the audio product family, but also launch an ambitious line-up of two completely new product groups. these innovative products will also involve collaborations with design studio industrial facility. I’m very excited about the results.

the simple design of geneva sound systems makes them appear more like pieces of furniture

DB: is there a designer you would like to work with in particular?

JL: like so many others, I am a great fan of the work dieter rams did for braun. in fact, the idea of re-creating the original braun concept is what led me to start geneva. every product should start with a very strong design idea that offers something different from everything else available in the market, followed by the technical development – not the other way around, as is now common in the industry. unfortunately, I do not believe dieter rams takes commissions any longer.

portrait of jan-erik lundberg of geneva sound systems

1/14