ENCOMPASS AV INSTALLS MARTIN AUDIO CDD IN POPULAR CHINESE RESTAURANT/LOUNGE

Martin Audio CDD speaker systems were installed by Encompass AV to optimize coverage and audio quality in the stylish Won Fun/2Fun Sichuan Chinese restaurant/lounge complex in the West Loop district of Chicago.

The Won Fun restaurant downstairs is complemented by the high energy 2Fun lounge upstairs with DJ's, Karaoke and light food.

To get optimum audio quality and coverage, Encompass AV's Tim Pickett reports, 'We chose Martin Audio CDD for both spaces. Won Fun is a narrow rectangular space with 6 CDD10's mounted on the ceiling above the hanging lights and two CSX 212 subs built into the booths. With 6 CDD10's, the system can handle anything from background music up to a high-energy lounge feel.

'Upstairs, the 2Fun Lounge has a much larger system to accommodate the higher energy live music, with nine CDD15's flown in a u-shape around the bar, four on each side and one on the end cap facing outwards that cover the room beautifully and six CSX118's built into the booths.

'The only real challenge in that space was getting the low end where we wanted it. We had to play with phase and timing and run each sub channel with its own DSP just because the subs are in the booth seats. We had to flip some subs out of phase, add some delay to tighten the sound up, and play with crossover points. But when we got it set up, the room came alive like crazy. We got a tremendous amount of low end energy that hits real hard and obviously the CDD15's just sound better as they get louder.'

Tim has chosen CDD for many of his installation projects, largely based on the extended coverage: 'What I really like about CDD is the wider dispersion which allowed us to use less boxes but still have great coverage even close to the cabinets throughout the venue. It also allowed us to spend the money on the larger CDD15's so we could get the higher SPLs the club owner wanted.

'They're ideal,' he adds 'because the lounge is not a big room where you need a giant horn to throw 40 or 50 ft. We had nine of these to cover 3,000 square feet which was more than enough, especially considering 1,000 ft. is an area where you didn't want coverage. And because of the low ceiling and the short throw distance you need that wide dispersion and it worked out great.

'Downstairs, the CDD10's works perfectly in the narrow space because of the wide dispersion down low so people who are only two or three feet away from the speaker or off axis are still getting good coverage.'

Asked about his client's reaction to the CDD system, Tim concludes, 'He was ecstatic and didn't even know what he had until we really pushed the system. He had asked if they had to bring in sound reinforcement for the DJ's and I said, 'absolutely not.'

'I played some tracks to show what the system could do at higher volumes and he was absolutely blown away. He just said, 'Wow' with a big smile on his face. The amount of sound we have in there is incredible for the space we have to cover. The owner was adamant about having a great quality sound system that, in his words, would 'rage.' And that's exactly what we did.'