Company co-founder Anders Uggelberg explains the history and heritage of Procella Audio and what makes the brand unique in the world of home cinema and AV performance.
With a new management team pledging to further raise the profile of the company, comprising Ignace Rombaut, CEO, and Wim Buyens, Chairman of the Board, Procella Audio is also keen to emphasise that the brand’s heritage remains fully intact. Company co-founder Anders Uggelberg continues to lead product development and production.
Anders enthuses, “I am really happy to stay on, looking after the development of future products and, of course, exploring upgrades for existing ones, an area we have always been strong in. It’s an exciting time for the brand as we expand our presence across the sector.”
Anders’ interest in audio goes back a long way. He reveals that he was just 15 years old when he designed his first speaker. This early passion only grew as the young audio enthusiast matured.
Anders explains, “At around the age of 18, I found myself in Stockholm after completing my military service. I began studying mathematics, physics and architectural acoustics at the Royal Institute of Technology. This obviously deepened my understanding of what makes audio and design work. During this time, I also worked as a projectionist at a local cinema. This was the beginning of my deep interest in cinema design and how to achieve the best performance.”
Following this, Anders also studied Industrial Design at the Swedish Institute of Arts and Crafts. More crucially, he co-founded his first company with Tobbe Benckert.
“Both big music fans, Tobbe worked in a shop selling musical instruments in the late 1970s, and we thought it would be a great idea to build our own touring rig to rent out and take on the road. So, A&T Ljudproduktion AB was born, and we had a successful period touring with many artists. We even worked with Eurovision.
“However, staying on the road for too long wasn’t for me, so I pivoted back to speaker design and began consulting on systems for commercial cinemas. It was during this time that I developed a strong interest in THX and the company’s approach to not just speaker design but overall cinema design.”
In 1990, Anders became one of the first European designers to graduate from THX training. The training was led by none other than Tomlinson Holman, the inventor of THX.
Anders recalls, “Shortly after, I designed and project-managed the first THX-certified cinema in Stockholm. It was a huge success, paving the way for an even closer relationship and collaboration with THX.”
Anders continued to use THX technology for the backbone of many of the cinemas in the early days. Working closely with the company Anders delivered over 100 THX certified commercial cinemas in Scandinavia.
Anders’ success in cinema design continued. With a total of over 300 installations under his belt, his growing reputation earned him the role of Director of Cinema Products for DTS Cinema Division in Europe in 1998. While still in this role, the seeds of Procella Audio began to sprout when Anders was invited to design a new DTS cinema at DTS Europe headquarters in Twyford, England, in 2005.
Anders explains the considerable requirements for the cinema, “It needed to seat 30 people and deliver the best audio and video performance across a variety of sources—not just 35mm film, but e-Cinema and DVD in every existing DTS surround sound format. The space also needed to be future-ready for playback of the Digital Cinema (DCI) standard, as well as HD DVD and Blu-ray Disc, which were just around the corner.”
Anders continues, “At this point, I began collaborating with Procella Audio co-founder Gerben Van Duyl, who was also working at DTS as Director of Business Development for Consumer Content. We took on this challenging project, which required the highest standards. We visited many speaker manufacturers looking for something suitable, but we concluded that there were none that would work for what we were trying to achieve. The solution? Design our own, of course!”
Located in Harderwijk, Netherlands, The Procella European Demo Centre
CINEMA DNA
Using principles that still define Procella Audio today, Anders and Gerben created the first true Procella Audio system. The design considered both cinema and home entertainment requirements, employing thorough acoustic design, top-tier components, mathematical modelling and meticulous testing and optimisation.
Another successful collaboration with Gerben followed: a 7.1 DTS room for BAFTA in London. This project brought Procella Audio even closer to becoming a reality.
Anders reveals, “The DTS and BAFTA screens were a huge success and word spread about the system’s performance. It seemed logical to design a system for the wider market. I left DTS to pursue this project and create commercially available speakers based on true cinema design.”
One of the first outings for the new project was a room sponsored by DTS at the Hi-Fi News Show in Heathrow, London, in 2006. Anders recalls, “The system comprised three P815 screen speakers, six P8 surround speakers and six P15 subwoofers. The event went so well that we received the Best Demonstration in Show award. This success gave us confidence that there was an audience for what we were doing and led to the establishment of the original Procella Audio factory in Sweden.”
In later years, the success of the brand has led to other high-profile projects including being asked to contribute to the THX certified CEDIA Showroom at the organisation’s HQ in the U.S. Described by many at the time of its launch in 2017 as, “the best cinema demonstration space in the world,” Procella was invited to provide the audio elements by Dennis Erskine, then Chairman of CEDIA, as well as being CEO and Founder of the highly respected Erskine Group, specialising in architectural acoustics – a very real endorsement of what Procella Audio had set out to achieve.
The first Procella Audio Partner Event recently took place at the Procella European Demo Centre, Harderwijk, Netherlands
MAKING THE PROCELLA AUDIO DIFFERENCE
Meticulous design and dedication underpin Procella Audio’s concept. However, Anders believes what sets the brand apart is its approach.
“My earliest audio experiences come from live sound and rock and roll. Many of our competitors approach the market from a Hi-Fi perspective, adapting products for jobs they weren’t designed to do. From day one, Procella Audio products have been purpose-built for their intended roles, with cinema in their DNA. This really shows in their performance.”
Anders adds, “Dynamic range is another of our USPs. We lead in this area, ensuring every part of the playback, from the loudest to the quietest, is handled with care. This is evident in products like the P815, one of the first speakers we ever designed. It’s still in the range today, now in version 6.1, as we continually find ways to improve its performance.
“The range is accessible, too, because each product is designed to suit specific room sizes. All models share the same voice and high performance, but they’re tailored to provide the appropriate sound levels for different spaces. Simply know your room size and you can select the correct Procella Audio system for your project.”
Respecting content is also key. Anders says, “THX, as a concept, was created by George Lucas and Tomlinson Holman to protect the integrity of George’s work. This principle has been central to Procella Audio since the beginning—respecting the creator’s vision and bringing it to life.”
Because of the close collaboration and respect for the THX concept over the years, from the current range, the P815, P8 and P18 Procella Audio speakers are all THX Certified.
Anders highlights other key performance features, such as uniformity of voice across the space, closed-box cabinets for superior transient
response and group delay, a constant directivity waveguide and carefully matched crossovers for superior dispersion characteristics.
Ultimately, Anders’ story underscores that Procella Audio is rooted in a deep understanding of and dedication to cinema sound and design. It’s in the brand’s DNA and this expertise is embedded in every Procella Audio system.
This Procella Audio based systems by DPP Smart Home & Electrical won ‘Best Home Cinema Project Over £50K’ at the Smart Building Awards 2024