Worchester -based Powerhouse Sound & Lighting, which specialises in custom sound and entertainment lighting for both the commercial and residential installation markets in addition to their production services for special events, was contracted to design and install the sound reinforcement systems at both properties.
Michael Lavoie, the firm's owner, consultant, and systems designer, selected loudspeakers that drew heavily from D.A.S. Audio's Avant and Arco lines.
"Opened this past New Year's Eve, Byblos Lounge is an upscale nightspot specializing in Mediterranean fusion cuisine," Lavoie reports. "The establishment uses background music during the early part of the week and, then on weekends, offers live music entertainment with a Middle Eastern slant. For this venue, we deployed 14 D.A.S. Arco 24T enclosures with multi-tap transformers that downfire over the main lounge area and are spaced roughly 10ft apart.
"This distributed system is driven by a D.A.S. Audio CSA-600T power amplifier that takes its signal from a 16-channel Mackie audio mixer interconnected with a variety of signal processing equipment. Low frequency support is provided by two D.A.S. Arco 12 subwoofers which use the company's new 122S dual coil, 12-inch transducer for bass reproduction. These two enclosures are flown in central locations over the lounge and are powered by a Yamaha P3500S power amp."
At Ritual, which also serves Mediterranean cuisine and just opened this spring, D.A.S. Arco loudspeakers- augmented by the company's CL-6 ceiling speakers - were chosen for the house sound system. "During the week, the sound system supports various playback options," Lavoie said. "These include sound for the TV systems as well as an iPod for their own internal music programming. On weekends, the system supports a DJ booth or a single musician/entertainer."
(Jim Evans)
