Funktion-One is a British loudspeaker manufacturer based in Dorking, Surrey, England. The company was formed in 1992 by Tony Andrews and John Newsham.[1]
Widely known for their distinctive[2] 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[1] 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.[5]
Funktion-One equipment, installed by Sound Investment Audio, is in use at many music venues in the United States.[6]
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.[7]
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.[8][9]
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.[10]
2004: Berghain, Berlin, Germany
Berghain is one of the company's largest installs, and the first in Berlin.[5] 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.