8 June 2009

Systems Etc completes major sound upgrade to premier West End venue

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One of London’s most beautiful buildings, the Grade II-listed No. 5 Cavendish Square, has long been a landmark on the upmarket dining and clubbing circuit. Formerly the Spanish Embassy, the membership venue (which incorporates an eight-room boutique hotel, and is owned by Jay Maggistro), recently underwent a complete sound system upgrade throughout its basement VIP lounge and main dancefloor, as well as the expansive ground floor Drawing Room bar and lounge.

The contract was awarded to Bernard Mani of Systems Etc, who had previously worked with No 5’s creative & strategic manager David Carvalho at Hedges & Butler, and he recommended a Martin Audio solution. Although Mani has specified the British manufacturer’s systems several times in the past (most notably at Pacha London), this time around Carvalho and No. 5 bar manager Suresh Gurung also lent their weight to the argument. “All the DJs we asked recommended that we go with Martin Audio,” they said. “We also requested several other quotes and without exception everyone specified Martin Audio. It’s the best British made system on the market and has a great power to weight ratio.”

No 5 Cavendish Square has been trading for the past six and a half years, and also includes a dedicated Whisky Bar and Cigar Lounge. But when David Carvalho arrived a year ago he instigated an immediate upgrade programme. “Bernard had installed a great sound system for me at Hedges, we kept in touch and he became the natural choice to carry out the refurbishment here,” he said. Suresh adds that the old system had lacked the necessary punch to be anything more than a bar system.

The installer duly turned to Martin Audio’s AQ and Blackline systems. Upstairs the front bar is served by four AQ8’s, with a floor-mounted AQ212 (2 x 12”) sub, and the adjacent room beefs up the sound with four AQ10’s and an AQ215 (2 x 15”) sub, neatly nestled in the ornate fireplace.

Downstairs, Bernard Mani has turned to the dedicated punch of Blackline, with four F10’s, mounted on standard yokes, flown around the VIP bar, calling on a custom black AQ215 to provide the low frequency extension. A pair of Blackline F10’s are positioned over the main bar, which leads to the dance area. Here he has taken the unusual step of complementing the four Blackline F10’s with Martin Audio tour grade WS218X, floor-mounted next to the booth.

The venue’s six zones are accessed by a pair of Martin Audio Engineer 818 DSP’s. With DJs playing both downstairs and upstairs six nights a week, and background music providing the atmosphere at other times during the long trading cycle, the Engineer 818’s unique algorithms are vital to balance the input sources in terms of level and tonality. Music is pumped into the different spaces either from an 8-Track Music Solutions server via the resident laptop, or by other MP3 formats and CD.

With a heady mix of hip hop, house and electro it was vital that both the DJ booth and loudspeaker specifications in this zone were high. David Carvalho couldn’t be happier with the result; not only have Systems Etc delivered the quality, but thanks to the Engineer 818, they have given the venue ultimate routing flexibility.

From: Night Online

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