With such a wide a scope, Time called for a rather more complex sound system, one that could function in a variety of situations and that could be controlled at a touch of a button. For this the installation team, AVL, and Time production manager, Mike Warner, chose a complete EAW sound system.
"Sound systems for clubs are usually very easy to absorb because you're dealing with main dance floor sound so you can basically position speakers around the dance floor or all in front of the stage and you will get the desired effect. Around the club, in the bars and toilets or wherever else you want music you're usually just dealing with smaller speakers and it really doesn't matter if there is an overspill from the dance floor because it is a club. In a live venue, however, the sound system has to be front loaded, staged left and right. So when you look to design a system for a venue such as Time, where both live and recorded music is being played, you've got to look for a system with more control and adaptability, which we found in the EAW system," explains Warner.
Utilising a selection of EAW favourites including eight DCS two Bass bins and six AS660 mid-hi speakers, powered by a variety of Crest amps, the team designed a main dance floor system that was staged left and right for club music, with control mechanisms to shut down the mids and tops at the back of the dance floor for live performances. This stops any sound encroaching on to the stage other than that coming from the two EAW FR159 DJ monitors. A smaller system was also designed and installed in the live area, Warner explains; "For the second area within the venue, which is for the smaller bands, we had to integrate another two case system, which is a combination of four EAW FR159 mid/high speakers, two EAW FR250 Bass bins, two Crest CA9 amps, a 2-way crossover and a control mechanism that allowed us to mute the main system whilst the dance club carried on, and the band could plug into this smaller system. This means they aren't getting any feedback from us and we're not getting any feedback from them. We needed the EAW system to provide a balance of control and quality and it did this perfectly."
Kevin McCarthy of AVL agrees; "We are very proud to be associated with what is in our opinion one of the most exciting club ventures in Ireland and England and we are absolutely delighted with the results we have achieved with our sound and lighting products"
Backed by John O'Connel, family-owned Ace Developments and Kildare Estates, Time sits on an old army barracks and was designed and built completely from scratch. The club employs 85 staff with approximately 15 extra performers per night. It can pull a crowd from up to 50 miles away and provides a bus service for guests that rivals the local transport department. Time has eight bars on two levels, a dance floor overlooked by a 45ft atrium, a live room, a chill out room called the 'blue room' and a roof that can open thus creating an outdoor venue and some rather spectacular light and sound effects.
Condon finishes: "People don't expect to see such a spectacular place with such a wide variety of performances. Time is about old fashioned entertainment and sound that is big enough and clear enough to amaze a room of 2000 people (full capacity) regardless of what's playing."
(Sarah Rushton-Read)
