UK - Overlooking the Tetris skyline of London, SushiSamba is an opulent rooftop restaurant and bar that takes diners on a culinary journey. Located on the top three floors of the Heron Tower – the second tallest building in the capital’s financial district – SushiSamba offers panoramic views of London through floor-to-ceiling windows. A full sensory experience, the restaurant sought the help of Cosmic Electronics to elevate its offering through an upgraded audio system. KV2’s ESD loudspeakers were chosen to bathe diners in high-quality sound.
“SushiSamba has been a client of ours for a few years now and it’s a magical place,” begins Mark Damon, CEO of Cosmic Electronics. “They wanted a system that wouldn’t take away from the splendour of the restaurant – it needed to blend into the surroundings whilst sounding amazing and consistent across every floor.”
SushiSamba comprises a main dining room and additional venues on the 38th and 39th floors. The main room is where guests can enjoy a fusion of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian cuisine from breakfast to dinner, complete with bespoke cocktails at three separate bars. The 38th floor is the largest space with a double-height ceiling and two outdoor terraces. It also houses the sushi bar and robata grill. The 39th floor bar and lounge sits on a mezzanine overlooking the dining room – this private space is known for its exclusive parties and VIP dinners.
Ascending further into the clouds, diners will discover Duck & Waffle on the 40th floor – a 24-hour eatery that focuses on British and European cuisine. Renowned for its luxury brunches and bespoke cocktail experiences, Duck & Waffle’s ambience demanded an audio system that matched its sophistication. To meet this need, Cosmic Electronics installed a selection of KV2 ESD models, including four ESD5s, eight ESD Cubes, and four ESD1.12s.
“They wanted a consistent sound throughout the entire space, but each floor had unique requirements,” Damon explains.
“We were either running background music in the bars and restaurants or catering for a busy DJ event on the VIP floor. Aesthetics were a top priority, so we opted for the ESD Series – particularly the ESD5s. These compact speakers pack a punch and deliver phenomenal sound despite their small footprint.
“For the main dining area we installed ESD10s. Typically, for a room this size we would specify subwoofers, but the venue didn’t want to lose valuable floor space. Fortunately, the ESD10s sound amazing on their own, with a high-fidelity quality that allows them to reproduce frequencies normally associated with much larger enclosures or subs.”
As well as delivering big sound to Duck & Waffle, ESD5s were installed across multiple spaces, including the sushi bar on the 38th floor and the bar, lounge, and entrance on the 39th floor. In the larger areas of the restaurant, Cosmic Electronics selected six KV2 ESD8s, six ESD10s and two ESD1.15s to deliver powerful, immersive sound. “The results were exceptional. Everyone loves the clarity and volume, and the system will easily meet their needs for the next decade.
“SushiSamba and Duck & Waffle both offer a one-of-a-kind dining experience, so they had to have the sound to match. Some huge names have played the venues over the years, including Todd Terry, so that’s the calibre of events we were catering to. KV2 offered everything we needed and more, including detailed, high-quality sound, discrete aesthetics and diversity of models. We couldn’t be happier with the final outcome.”
Check out LSi’s December issue for a Company Profile on Cosmic Electronics.
