Beat Audio's Mark Kelly conducted several site visits, designed a system and liaised with Funktion One. At the Guild's request he also helped arrange lighting for the venue, so he introduced Neil Marsh of Hayden Cruickshank's Colour Sound Experiment to advise, design and supply this element of the project.
The main gig is geared towards DJ performance with some live acts. Kelly started at the bass of the matter, with two Funktion One 218 bass bins per side, added to which are two Resolution Four flown full range speakers per side. Both weight issues and aesthetic considerations made him choose the skeletal version cabinets - weighing just 38kg and running passive at the top end.
Amplifiers are the new F1 E-Series manufactured by MC2. There's E45s on the subs and low mids and E25s running the high mids, with passive crossovers inbuilt into the speakers.The Resolution 1 DJ monitors - the first time these have been used as such in the UK - have their own E25 amplifier and are also running passive so they can be run in stereo.
The DJ Box was an interesting area to design explains Kelly. Here Beat Audio specified two Pioneer CDJ1000 Mk II CD dex and Technics 1210 record decks, complete with Stanton 680 carts optimised for scratching and club mixing. Also featuring is the F6000 DJ mixer, the result of a collaboration between Funktion One and Formula Sound. Background music is supplied via a computer music source, and voice alarm priority interfacing is via a Formula Sound Guardian CX4.
The biggest audio challenge, says Kelly, was the timescale in which the system had to be delivered and completed, and working alongside the other building contractors in the relatively tight space - hence the call to Dave Cole, the world's most experienced F1 installer. Luckily being involved at the start of the project also brought many advantages for the audio department. Kelly advised them to source fabric rather than metal ducting for ventilation in the venue to minimize the standard environmental problems caused by metal on site, and they also addressed other issues like acoustic dampening where needed.
"The result is a world class sound and lighting system that puts the Lemon Grove right up there on the professional touring and performance circuit in the West of England," states Kelly.
(Lee Baldock)
