does not impact too dramatically on overall venue investment, which will inevitably be under greater pressure with so much uncertainty about the short- to mid-term future. West neatly summarises
several of the main strands. “Many projects will look to cheaper products, while [in terms of] premium products they will seek out those that offer a difference,” he says. “Audica Professional falls into the premium sector and is continuing its success in the bar and restaurant markets due to having great audio quality while being aesthetically unique with stylish ultra-compact designs.” Aesthetic considerations
have proven to be increasingly important over the past few years, with more and more specifiers selecting discreet in-ceiling or on-wall solutions. Citing high levels of interest in its MICROdot and MICROpoint loudspeakers, West says that Audica has “continued to do particularly well in the travel restaurant and bar sector; those located in hotels, airports and the like, where themes and the designer’s influence are strong. We have also remained strong with upmarket establishments, where they want to create an environment with a quality difference.”
Given the need to relocate
or reconfigure systems due to changing requirements, physical robustness of the speakers – internal and external – is also crucial. Alluding to its MASK series of contractor-oriented loudspeakers, Polfliet notes that all speakers in the range are “fully protected against abuse, which allows them to be used in difficult situations. This protection means that the speakers will not fail so do not need to be replaced, which can be very difficult when the installation is in constant use or the loudspeakers are mounted in inaccessible areas. The MASK speakers also have a very neutral and acceptable physical design, meaning that they can be accepted in many different applications by architects, and custom-painted where required.”
In small and mid-sized clubs, the ability to deliver system efficiency and generous (but precisely targeted) SPL continues to be pivotal. Pertinent products abound, such as: d&b’s xS-Series 12S and 10S loudspeakers, which can be used either as full-range systems or in conjunction with the 18S-SUB or 27S-SUB cardioid to deliver main PA in small to medium-sized clubs; Tannoy’s VX and VXP loudspeakers, whose “nice
Music in the upstairs bar at the Berkeley Suite in Glasgow is covered by four carefully positioned Tannoy VX 8s
and contemporary aesthetic”, notes Copeland, has lent itself to a host of club installs; and Dynacord’s Vari-Line Speaker Series, from which the VL262 has proven to be a particular favourite for club and combined venues “due to its high power, ultra-compact dimension and very discreet design”, says Sawyer. While high-power output
line arrays are often a default choice for larger clubs,
smaller dance venues, bars and restaurants have an ever- increasing variety of non- column, non-line array solutions from which to choose. In a designer-led segment, visual discreetness is of considerable importance – and here, too, manufacturers have risen to the task. With venues changing hands on an increasingly regular basis, particularly in the UK, this responsiveness to customer
needs should stand audio suppliers in good stead as the leisure sector continues to steer a course through choppy economic waters.