Funktion-One Explained

Funktion One Research Limited
Type:Private Limited Company
Industry:Sound Reinforcement
Predecessors:-->
Successors:-->
Areas Served:-->
Owners:-->

Funktion-One is a British loudspeaker manufacturer based in Dorking, Surrey, England. The company was formed in 1992 by Tony Andrews and John Newsham.

Widely known for their distinctive[1] purple cabinets and white axehead drivers, Funktion-One systems have been popularly employed in notable dance music venues across the globe including Berghain (Berlin), Jaeger (Oslo), Cocoricò (Riccione), Marquee (New York), D-Edge (São Paulo), Laura's Shed (Kinvara), Circus Afterhours (Montreal), Smartbar (Chicago), Colosseum (Jakarta), De School (Amsterdam), and Savage (Hanoi).

History

The company was formed in 1992[2] by Tony Andrews and John Newsham, following their departure from Turbosound - a company focused on sound systems for music festivals they had started in 1978.[3] Following eight years of research and development, Funktion-One completed its first major project - designing and installing a sound system for the Millennium Dome's Central Show.[4] Since then the company has built a reputation in installed sound.

According to Andrews, the company's name spells "funktion" with a "k" as a reference to 1970s funk music.

Funktion-One equipment, installed by Sound Investment Audio, is in use at many music venues in the United States.[5]

Notable projects

2000: Millennium Dome, London, England

Funktion-One were chosen to provide the sound system for the Millennium Dome's Central Show. This was the first official Funktion-One installation, ostensibly the debut of the company's Resolution line of loudspeakers.[6]

2002-2014: Space, Ibiza

Funktion-One's relationship with Space began in 2002, following a recommendation from We Love... promoter Darren Hughes. After an initial installation on the club's Terrace, Funktion-One systems were gradually introduced to five of the venue's six rooms - including the 2,000-capacity main space, known as La Discoteca.[7] [8]

2003: Cielo, New York, USA

Cielo nightclub marked the first US sound installation by Funktion-One. Located in the Meatpacking District of Manhattan, on opening, the main room featured an AX88 double 8" passive loud speakers, Infra Bass Sub Enclosures and F218 double 18" subwoofers.[9]

2004: Berghain, Berlin, Germany

Berghain is one of the company's largest installs, and the first in Berlin.[10] At its launch, the sound system comprised four Funktion-One Dance Stacks (consisting of a DS210, a DS215 and three F218), one Double Infrahorn (consisting of two Infrabass, one Doublehorn Extension), and two Resolution 2 for monitoring.[11] The system was installed by Benedikt Koch of Funktion-One Germany, who has stated that - as one of the most powerful club systems in the world - it operates at only 10 to 20 percent of its full capacity.[12]

2018: Volgograd Arena World Cup Stadium

Funktion-One Russia supplied and installed a permanent state of the art sound system for Volgograd Arena — one of the Russian World Cup 2018 stadia. Working closely with the Funktion-One design team in the UK, the company specified a system that features 638 Funktion-One loudspeakers and 50 MC2 Audio amplifiers.

Products

Resolution Series (introduced 2000)[13]

Dance Stack (introduced 2002)[14] - originally designed for Maze nightclub in Miami[15]

Evolution Series (introduced 2015)[16]

Vero (introduced 2016) - a large format touring sound system[17]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Industry standards: Funktion-One. Rothlein. Jordan. March 2014. Resident Advisor.
  2. Web site: Funktion-One About Us Our History. www.funktion-one.com. 2018-05-13.
  3. Web site: Our Story Music Tribe - Turbosound. www.turbosound.com. 2019-05-15.
  4. Web site: "Funktion One's Dome Launch for Resolution Series", Installation Magazine. August 1999. Funktion-one.com. 20 November 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727202141/http://www.funktion-one.com/news/funktion-one-at-the-millenium-dome/. 27 July 2014. dead.
  5. News: Funktion-One dominates in 'Best Sound Systems in America' list. March 2014. Audio Media International.
  6. News: Funktion One's Dome launch for Resolution Series. August 1999. Installation Europe.
  7. News: Funktion-One and Space Ibiza's summer of love. 6 October 2014. LSi Online.
  8. Web site: Space Ibiza – home to Funktion-One sound system – voted 'Best Club in the World'. AV Magazine.
  9. May–June 2003. Cielo, New York. Mondo*dr Magazine. 77–78.
  10. Web site: The Story of Funktion One. Mahrt. Emin. August 2011. Proud Magazine.
  11. July–August 2005. Berghain. Mondo*dr Magazine. 76–78. 2018-05-13. 2021-05-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20210531010414/https://www.funktion-one.com/images/Berghain/Berghain-mondo-3-0805-web.jpg. deviated.
  12. Berghain: The Secretive, Sex-Fueled World of Techno's Coolest Club. Rogers. Thomas. Feb 2014. Rolling Stone.
  13. Funktion-One Resolution Series. Audio Technology. 5.
  14. November 2002. PLASA review. Club Systems International.
  15. Landers. John. July 2003. Loud, Clear and Cute. Club Systems. 24–28.
  16. News: Prolight + Sound: Funktion-One introducing new Evolution series. Savage. Adam. April 2015. Audio Media International.
  17. News: Vero Ready to Deliver the Next Level of Tour Sound. April 2016. TPi Magazine.