SI Sound & Light's Neil Silver designed and specified the sound system. The challenge was in making it affordable whilst also covering the Traverse's large bar area. Silver chose 16 JBL Control 25Avs. They are rigged in the shallow mesh roof running right across the top of the bar area and attached to the grid via custom mountings. Silver commented: "Control 25AVs are an ideal sized and sounding speaker for the environment."
The system is mainly used as a high quality background music arrangement. However, Traverse general manager Michael Fraser also stipulated that he wanted an audiological divide in the room, allowing it to be utilized as a conference and meeting space. Additionally, they wanted provision for tying in a DJ source or a small live performance set up. Neil divided the bar into four zones, and added an Allen & Heath mixer for control and EQ'ing the system.
The first use of the new installation in its function/conference set up format was for the launch party of the Festival's Fringe section. This was followed by intensive use throughout the event's five-week duration, when the large 300-400 capacity Traverse Bar becomes one of the city's highest profile social hubs for all involved in shows and productions - not just those staged at the Traverse, but at all the other venues across Edinburgh.
The Traverse Theatre has been a rental client of SI's for some years, so when it came to the bar having an audio revamp, they were suggested for the job by the theatre's technical department: "That's a pretty good recommendation to have," states Silver, "knowing how meticulous they are about their sound."
(Lee Baldock)
