One of the new flagships in the IRC portfolio is the Restaurant Bar & Grill in the centre of Leeds. Converted from an old post office, this elegant brasserie features a double-height restaurant, which takes advantage of the original Victorian architectural features. Oldham-based installation company Rio Systems chose the newest high-output small-format loudspeakers from Electro-Voice for the main restaurant; 12x EV ZX1s are wall-mounted about 15 feet above floor level, either side of the room.
With very high ceilings in the venue, Rio Systems had to choose larger speaker units: specifying more compact enclosures would have meant more units. EV's ZX1 has the advantage of a rotatable horn for controlled performance, and an 8" long-throw woofer. And the loudspeaker box can be sprayed to suit the customers' requirements: in Leeds, all the speakers in the main restaurant have been custom-sprayed to match the décor.
Alongside its open kitchen, the Restaurant Bar & Grill has another eating area, which, like the mezzanine floor above it, has been equipped with Electro-Voice EViD ceiling speakers, 18 in total. The whole system is configured in four zones; the main restaurant, two levels of the mezzanine, and the private dining room.
Rio Systems worked closely with Dave Howe of Shuttlesound, EV's UK distributor, on formulating an equipment template that Rio has used for other IRC venues. "We use a lot of suppliers, and Shuttlesound is one of the best, offering excellent service and the best technical support," according to Rio's Pete Gooseman. "We include three years of free maintenance in our contracts, so it is important that we choose the right equipment. We've never lost an EViD or a ZX1 loudspeaker."
(jim Evans)
