The design was conceived by Enhance Audio's Jerey Denning, with the Ba Orient's system based on Turbosound QLight TQ-308 and TQ-230 enclosures, deployed in multiple stereo zones, complemented by TQ-115 and TSB-110 bass units installed at floor level and built into columns along the venue's central axis. A Turbosound TXD-081 loudspeaker is also installed as a monitor for the DJ station, which is incorporated into the bar. Enhance Audio used flexible rubber suspension brackets to mount all the mid-high loudspeakers, in conjunction with acoustic treatment of the ceiling void, to prevent sound from the Ba Orient being transmitted to the Italian restaurant on the floor above.
The owner's brief emphasized a relaxed wash of sound, with the capacity for higher levels during weekend evenings. With four public-area zones, and three VIP suites - which can be hired out independently for private meetings - the system had to be sufficiently flexible to provide some of the zones, particularly the VIP suites, with their individual choice of music. The system is configured with a total of five stereo images in the public and bar areas, using Turbosound TQ-308 mid-highs, with a pair of TQ-230 mid-highs installed in each VIP suite. Control over the zoning is handled by a Biamp AudioSolo system, using four Select 8 control panels to givelocalised control over levels and sources.
Jerey Denning, of Enhance Audio, explained his approach: "The Ba Orient comprises a long main room, approximately 20 metres long by less than 10 wide, and to achieve the optimum quality throughout, we designed the system to have a stereo image at every four metres down the room. Each stereo pair of TQ-308 enclosures has a supporting TQ-115 sub-bass unit, built into a cabinet at the base of each column, while the TQ-230 mid-high pairs in the VIP suites each have an associated TSB-110 bass enclosure. Configuring the system in this way has enabled us to ensure a tight stereo image within each zone, and with a very even distribution of low frequencies. The coverage patterns of the Turbosound speakers are entirely appropriate for this kind of application, and the designs make a highly significant contribution to the consistency of image and quality throughout the venue. An important factor for the Ba Orient project is thatthis performance can be maintained as the levels rise during an evening. Typically, the levels are set-up to rise at around 5pm, and again at 7pm, as customers leave work and the bar gets busier, with further increases later in the evening and on DJ nights. The automated levels can also becontrolled manually, for example within the VIP suites, with the whole system re-setting at the end of each evening. The overall result is a very good combination of quality, control and flexibility."
In addition to the Turbosound loudspeakers, Enhance Audio also installed a variety of MC2 power amplifiers, including T-1500, T-1000, T-500 and T4-250 models, plus a BIAMP AudioSolo 4-in/12-out DSP system with wall-panel volume/selectors. The DJ equipment included a Denon DN-D4000 double CD player, Technics SL1210 turntables and an Allen & Heath Xone:92 mixer, witha Denon five-disc CD carousel and a c-burn digital music system being supplied for playback duties.
(Lee Baldock)
