Et – The Cultural Coffeehouse in the neighbourhood of Shimokitazawa aims to be more than just a coffee shop looking to create a creative gathering space where architecture, materials, and music come together. To help realise this vision, Genelec’s Smart IP loudspeaker series has been installed throughout the café.
Et’s focus on detail extended to every element of the customer experience. The café serves coffee brewed through distillation, alongside food crafted with a deep respect for producers and ingredients. That same care guided the decision to install Genelec’s Smart IP networked PoE loudspeakers.
With a long history as a musician and composer, Kimura has trusted Genelec for many years. He said: “I first used Genelec in a music production environment nearly 20 years ago, and I’ve been a fan ever since. However, I wasn’t aware that it could be used in a retail environment. Tetsushi Mase, who specified the sound equipment for Et, told me that there were models suitable for commercial AV use, and I thought, Genelec is definitely the way to go.”
Et’s sound design covers three distinct zones: the first floor, the spiral staircase, and the second floor. Four Genelec 4435A Smart IP in-ceiling speakers serve the first floor, while another 4435A is placed on the staircase to create a musical link between levels. Upstairs, three 4436A pendant-style Smart IP models are suspended from the ceiling. Each loudspeaker blends visually into the space, ensuring minimal intrusion on the café’s aesthetic.
Crucially, the Smart IP system enables individual zoning, allowing different audio content – or a continuous musical theme – to be played across the three areas. Kimura said: “In the future, I would like to create a performance where the music played on each floor has a story-like quality.”
The café’s playlist spans both digital and analogue sources, with music (including Kimura’s own original compositions) streamed via iPad or played from vinyl on a connected record player. Kimura said: “When you listen to records on Genelec loudspeakers, the sound has a true physical presence. You can really feel the sound image of the record. You can even tell the difference between the compressed sound of the iPad and the analogue sound of vinyl."
Looking back on the project, Kimura concluded: “I’m very happy that the café is now letting customers experience the same appeal of Genelec speakers that I first felt as a musician in a music store all those years ago.”