The Nijmegen-based operators had already adopted a QSC solution at the sister Aspen Valley Arnhem, but head of technology and maintenance, Gerwin van den Brink, has now gone a step further.
A long time user of QSC components, he was first introduced to the brand's amplifiers four years ago by Benelux distributors, AED. But now the Californian manufacturer has a complete set of audio tools he has been able to network Aspen Valley's three nautical concept bars (including a circular revolving bar) on a CobraNet backbone.
It was AED, who alerted van den Brink to the potential of this end-to-end solution, and the order was serviced by QSC dealer, Fairlight.
The digital gain structure and routing matrix are contained in QSC's BASIS 914lz and 904zz DSP processors.
The 14 DataPort outputs on the processors provide 28 channels, with six channels streaming 24-bit audio through CobraNet at 2.5ms latency. All the internal and external processing, including EQ, matrix mixing, crossover settings, peak limiting, and seven personally-created macro blocks are contained in the BASIS DSP's.
The music is output to eight different stereo music zones - all managed from a QSC NAC 100 remote wall-mounted network audio controller situated behind the front bar, with its custom-created graphic interface - enabling easy volume control and source select options for the operator.
Gerwin van den Brink says he has been a big fan of QSC's design tools since first using QSCreator to design custom control panels in one of the company's Nijmegen bars two and a half years ago.
In fact he has built up an enviable knowledge of sound and light during his time working in various clubs and bars, before joining Oubaha Beheer in January 2004 - four years after the company set up. "I knew exactly what sound I wanted, and I knew that it needed to be flexible," he stated.
Aspen Valley operates as a relaxed café or full-on dance venue depending on the schedule, and thus music can be streamed either as background music from computer or via the DJ mixer to the 20 QSC ISIS 282H loudspeakers, with Advanced Directivity rotatable waveguide, powered by ten QSC ISA 750 amplifiers - along with six powered HPR181i subwoofers concentrated around the main floor. A pair of weather-resistant AD-S52's, powered by an ISA 280, provide the external sound, with the volume level outside controlled from the NAC 100.
(Jim Evans)
