Mark Broadhead, installation manager at local dealers Matthews Electronics, who service many of the local bars, says that the comprehensive Wharfedale range offers so many options, that each venue can have its own tailored Wharfedale-specific sound to reproduce the wide range of background and DJ sound. This was certainly a feature that appealed to DV8 owner, Wayne Toon.
The 900-capacity venue was in a run-down state when he purchased it some four years ago and added it to his 150-strong community pub portfolio in the West Midlands. Recently he decided to commit in the region of £300,000 to developing a bar that would build up the early evening trade.
DV8 itself, which trades with a 6am license, is something of an institution in the city. While the VIP room, three club-rooms and annexes are serviced by three different entrances (and are available for private hire), Innov8has already changed since its original concept.
With its glazed roof, curved bar and odd mirrorball geometric, it was originally intended to have been a quiet feeder bar, but such is the power of the two Wharfedale LX12E 12in full-range cabs on each side of the stage that the DJ feeds the rest of the complex during the early part of the evening, before a flick of the switch on the Behringer system controller, enables to return in the other direction later on. Driven by QSC RMX2450's the sound is just incredible, says Broadhead.
To achieve the sub bass rumble, he has ground stacked two Wharfedale LX18MB single 18in drivers, recessed behind grilles to emulate the design of the barfront (industrially clad using 30 tons of Gabion stone, retained behind the grilles); the rear of the room is infilled with a pair of Wharfedale Programme 80s.
Broadhead says that from their origins in portable boxes, Wharfedale has grown into a credible installation brand. He says: "For example products like the SI Series - which we have used in white at the 61 Club in Bromsgrove - comes with its own Omnimount flying points, and the E Series has all the flying points and top hat bracket on the bottom. You can easily fly most of their speakers including the carpeted range.
"Good sound quality, reliability and excellent pricing is the perfect combination," he says. "And when you take one of their enclosures apart it's as if it was built in Cambridge rather than China."
Wayne Toon says: "I use Matthews Electronics for everything I do. DV8 is known for its sound and Wharfedale has enabled us to maintain that standard at Innov8."
(Chris Henry)
