The venue, which opened in Autumn 2015, is a nightclub, recording studio and members lounge that aims to become the "home" of London's music industry. The nightclub offers an elegant and exclusive party experience, with sets from internationally renowned DJs attracting members of the music industry and music lovers. It is a unique, fresh and exciting new concept inspired by Grammy award winning producer Dallas Austin. The 250-capacity nightclub also has a full-sized stage for live performances.
The design brief for SSE Audio Group was to install a high quality audio system throughout the main bar and the private members bar that could accommodate both live performances and club nights. The club also has its own recording studio, which was seen as an integral part of the audio installation, with the capability to record artists from anywhere in the club including the studio itself. SSE Installations Director Emma Bigg took on the project for SSE.
SSE Audio opted to use DiGiGrid hardware and a SoundGrid network as the platform to distribute audio throughout the venue. DiGiGrid is a collaboration between plugin manufacturer Waves and console manufacturer, DiGiCo/Soundtracs. It enables high channel counts to be run over extremely long distances with ultra-low latency via simple Cat5e/Cat 6 cable infrastructure and provides processing and networking solutions based on the Waves SoundGrid platform.
Emma Bigg commented: "Opting for DiGiGrid enables us to connect all the IO and processing devices over a SoundGrid network and has several benefits. It means we can have strategically placed I/O units throughout the venue so that the whole club or individual parts can become part of the studio. This offers music producers and artists many options for where and how to record music. SoundGrid basically enables us to route any input/output to any other input/output on the network. So aside from the recording aspect, we have a high capacity channel network and this means the venue can be reconfigured very easily for any type of event."
For sound reinforcement throughout the venue, SSE used d&b audiotechnik. Four arrays of two d&b Y-8 cabinets are flown around the dancefloor, with two of the arrays doubling as L-R hangs for live performances on the stage. Four Y-Subs sit on the stage apron with four B6 subs placed at the rear of the dancefloor. Additional infill throughout the main room is provided by d&b E8's with E-12X Subs hidden under the seating.
To accommodate the live acts SSE supplied a DiGiCo S21 digital mixing console at front of house linked to a DiGiCo D2-Rack on the stage. The stage rack features three DiGiGrid IOX units each providing 12 analogue inputs and 6 analogue outputs on the Soundgrid network. A 48 way input panel splits the first 36 inputs to supply both the Soundgrid and the D2-Rack with Input signals from the stage with the remaining 12 patched directly to the D2-Rack.
All amplification for the venue has been housed remotely in a comms room. A single DiGiGrid IOX provides access to the Soundgrid network, but all system control is handled by two Soundweb London BLU100 units, which provide EQ and level control for the thirteen d&b D12 amplifiers.
For the recording studio an SSL Matrix 2 console was specified, along with an AVID Pro Tools Omni and a Magma Roben storage system. A DiGiGrid DLS server provides the multi-channel interface between Protools and the Soundgrid network. A DiGiGrid IOC provides additional control room I/O direct to the Soundgrid.
"The whole concept of Tape's studio is to give incoming producers a high quality set up but one that can be customised very quickly to match their ideal configuration" ex
