Berghain's Panorama Bar Has A New Soundsystem

And it’s not a Funktion-One…

If you’ve been hanging around Berghain‘s Panorama Bar, you may have seen—and definitely should have heard—some major differences of late. That’s because since earlier this year, the often maligned sound in this otherwise celebrated club has had a major overhaul. Now when you dance in the space, you are taking in the crisp, direct sound of a four point line-array system with an additional six subwoofers from Studt Akustik.

For a number of reasons—chief among them, its relatively smaller size, highly acoustically reflective glass, concrete and tile surfaces, and odd floor plan—the venue’s sound could never match the scale and sheer impact of Berghain’s famed Funktion-One system. So when the club’s technical manager Krischan Makswitat began his search for a new sound system, it was necessary to find some creative, “off-market” solutions. This has resulted in a partnership with the less known Dresden-based audio company.

It may seem like a strange pick for Berghain to opt for a little-known producer, whose previous projects mostly consisted systems for theaters and opera houses, but Studt Akustik’s quality was clear from the first test they made in the club. The company’s owner Peter Studt sat down with Groove Magazine recently to discuss exactly the kinds of considerations that went in to designing the sound system for one of the world’s great clubs. You can head here to read the full German interview.

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