It has quickly become a magnet for lovers of all types of popular music in the fields of acoustic, folk, traditional and rock. Besides being a popular live music venue, the Spirit Store now leads the way with a state-of-the-art sound system, having recently installed a d&b audiotechnik Qi-Series supplied by pro-audio dealers Mosco. Kevin McGing, Mosco's designer and sound engineer who specified and installed the system was enthusiastic about the result: "After the Store had considered a number of manufacturers, we demonstrated the d&b Qi-Series. The sound just suited the venue and the type of music it presents. They loved it," said McGing.
"Not only did they like the sound itself but they were impressed by the various options the system offered and the back up provided," said Mick O'Gorman, head of Mosco.
The venue is small and intimate with low ceilings and the low profile of the loudspeakers worked out very well because of this. The system consists of Qi7's flown horizontally (this gave the additional bonus of releasing more stage space) and Qi-SUBs. "These are powered by d&b's D12 amplifiers which give particularly good EQ's and delays," explained McGing. This is the first d&b Qi-Series installation in Ireland and is Mosco's latest in the country having subsequently commissioned d&b loudspeakers in The Village (a popular Dublin venue) and the new media building at Ballyfermot College of Further Education.
All the team at The Spirit Store are avid music fans - you won't find a TV anywhere on the premises - and they are actively involved in the music scene in the North East of Ireland. They are confident that the new PA will reinforce the venue's position as the home of live music in the North East. "In picking a new sound system for The Spirit Store we looked at various options and consulted many industry professionals. It was d&b's warmth, neutrality, intelligibility and transparency that won out in the end. Add all that to the Qi7s compact nature and efficiency and you have the perfect system for the room. We are delighted," commented Oran Burns, The Spirit Store's house engineer.
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
