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Wharfedale are In The Pink
Birmingham-based Matthews Electronics have spent the past year systematically upgrading the ribbon of pubs and bars that make up the second city’s gay village, using exclusively Wharfedale loudspeakers.
Such is the variety in the Wharfedale Pro catalogue, that Mark Broadhead, installation manager for the long-established retailers, has managed to devise bespoke solutions rather than adopt a ‘cookie-cutter’ approach. He says that Wharfedale ticks the box every time, because “once installed, they operate entirely problem free. What Wharfedale have ended up with is a series of credible installation products.”
Matthews Electronics have been a feature of Sherlock Street since 1933, and the gay community (led by the Nightingale) has grown up around it.
But today the complexion is changing in the wake of a number of luxury residential developments in the area. Typifying the new sense of chic is Loft Lounge on Bromsgrove Street, fronted by former Nightingale supremo, Phil Oldenshaw. Here the sound is relayed via a stylishly discrete Mission Pro NXT flat panel system, from the same IAG stable as Wharfedale Pro.
More Mission Pro speakers are to be found at the Angels Café Bar, where 16 provide the background surround sound. But more notably, this is one of the first installations of Wharfedale’s new plastic Titan enclosures, with a pair pumping up the volume at the front of the venue.
Around the corner, The Village comprises one big room with an annex, where a pair each of Wharfedale LX12’s and LX18’s provide the stage playback for a venue essentially focused on operating karaoke nights.
Nearby, Route 2 also parades LX18’s while The Jester has a combination of Wharfedale 3190’s and LX12’s providing the sound throughout the basement venue. Like so many of Matthews’ installations, it is powered by QSC amplifiers, with an Alto limiter and Studiomaster mixer.
In the high quality Fonteyn’s bar and restaurant in Thorp Street Matthews have specified Wharfedale Twin 15s and Twin 12’s driven by a pair of QSC RMX 2450’s, are under the management of a Behringer system controller. “The venue wanted compact but loud speakers — and of very high quality, and that’s what we have given him,” says Mark.
Down at the Glamorous Show Bar, a live drag cabaret venue, the original pair of Wharfedale 3190’s has expanded along with the club. As the bar (and consequentially the acts) assumed a higher profile, so Matthews boosted the 3190’s in the rear of the bar to four enclosures, adding a pair of LX12’s flown either side of the stage, and run full range.
Operators in Birmingham’s pink area love the sound of Wharfedale, confirms Mark Broadhead. “We have a vast choice now within the Wharfedale catalogue – from the SI, which comes with its own bracket, looks neat, provides a lot of output and comes in the option of white, to the ‘E’ series, which has all the flying points and a top hat bracket on the bottom.
“We find that a lot of clients say they want background sound but when you arrive on site decide they want it to be played loud, without sacrificing quality. Wharfedale will guarantee all this — and at an excellent price.”
In picture: The Village, the Loft Lounge and The Glamorous Show Bar.
25th September 2006
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