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B.A.S.S. Ups the Ante for Martin AQ with High-Profile Installations
Bristol-based installation company, Bristol Architectural Sound Services (B.A.S.S) continues to leave its mark on the city, recently specifying and installing Martin Audio AQ systems into a couple of high profile nightclubs.
Up in the fashionable Clifton leisure strip known as Whiteladies Road, operator (and former Liquid owner) Tony Leventhal contacted BASS’ prorietor Mike Brice as soon as he had purchased the former Kickers.
He committed £250,000 to a complete refit and rebranding, with Brice’s associate company, Arclight Engineering, producing the vibrant visuals to a design conceived by interiors company Simple Simon Designs.
Mike Brice has vast experience working with the Martin Audio catalogue and was almost certainly the first person in the UK to specify the new AQ series when it was announced. At the newly-named K2 he has used a pair of AQ15’s, front-facing over the dancefloor, and mounted on special Powerdrive brackets, with four AQ8’s as sidefills (and peripheral infills).
He has cleverly matched the dancefloor sound with paired Blackline S218’s on the left of the dancefloor, providing a single point source, while a second sub — this time an AQ210 — reproduces the low frequencies at the bar area.
Says Mike: “The sound produced by the AQ’s is awesome, and the fact that you can rotate the horns gives them a versatility that the EM series (which it replaces) didn’t have.”
The system is powered by Crown XLS and XS amplifiers, and processed and routed through the Allen & Heath iDR8 DSP engine.
As a result Tony Leventhal is delighted, and now boasts the only 3am license in Clifton. “This venue has been here for 17 years and is in a prime spot — in fact we are looking to trade K2 six nights a week.”
Meanwhile, back in the city centre two men who once operated famous London landmark, the Limelight, have opened an opulent gentleman’s club, the Velvet Lounge.
Directors Robert Blanchard and Scottie Muir have spared no expense in converting this two-storey building, with a café bar/restaurant on the ground floor and table dancing/cabaret lounge upstairs.
Originally a Greene King venue called the Sedan Chair, the directors have spent in the region of £400,000 — but Rob says this is justified, since the site is in the prime Broadmead location.
They, too, turned to B.A.S.S., who have flown seven Martin Audio AQ5’s around the bar, while upstairs sound generated from the stage and DJ areas is reinforced through a pair of AQ10’s and an AQ212 sub. A further AQ112 is positioned in the stairwell while the the gain structure/EQ is again programmed into an iDR8, which also routes the signal sources.
Summarised Mike Brice: “The AQ series works for us every time — its versatility, sonic characteristics and aesthetics tick all the boxes, whether we need a punchy dance sound or a more hi-fi delivery for background music.”
All Martin Audio products were supplied by wholesalers, Batmink Ltd.
2nd December 2005
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