RUMOURS RE-EQUIPS WITH MARTIN AUDIO AQ SYSTEM

Audio Sound Advice provide new A/V infrastructure for Blackpool's landmark dance venue

A landmark on the Blackpool dance scene for many years, Rumours the Venue has recently undergone a complete refurbishment.

The combined 800-capacity wine bar, night club and party venue enlisted Peter Bawden's Audio Sound Advice to create a new technology infrastructure. The locally-based installers were offered the contract by owners Betawell Ltd after having worked at Rumours' counterpart club, the 300-capacity urban nightclub Hush underneath.

Looking to redefine the way Blackpool spends its nights out, Bawden was entrusted with outfitting the venue with a top-spec sound, lighting and video system, and to satisfy the sound reinforcement he turned exclusively to Martin Audio.

'We've worked with the venue for almost 20 years, so we know it inside out,' he said. Out went the old reinforcement system to be replaced by Martin Audio's sleek new two-way passive AQ architectural range.

Flown and angled down onto the dancefloor via long ceiling brackets are four AQ12's, with a groundstacked AQ215, while seven of the smaller AQ8's service the dancefloor periphery. Elsewhere a combination of five AQ8's act as a line source at the bar, with 12 x EM15's infilling as necessary. A pair of AQ210 subs are cleverly built into the seating at the rear, where a further pair of Martin Audio Blackline S12's complete the installation.

Also included in Audio Sound Advice's design were moving lights, multiple TFT and plasma screens and a pair of overhead digital projectors, with subtle LED colour-changing throughout the building.

Peter Bawden says that Martin Audio has been his first choice loudspeaker brand since turning to the company's product catalogue four years ago (for the installation of Hush). 'There was never any consideration of going with any other brand,' he says. 'The DJ's love the system and the AQ's do exactly what they say on the box.'

Rumours is just one of several high-profile bars Audio Sound Advice has recently fitted out using Martin Audio series loudspeakers. He has also completed the sound system at the swanky Septembers Champagne Bar & Restaurant in Blackpool for David Moseley (using EM15's and C115's) and Blue Jay Way in Penrith - a converted bank - for Edward Cowin's Bars Aloud Ltd. Here, five AQ8's operate as a full range mono line source - two of them firing backwards - obviating the need for low-frequency reinforcement.


Further information from:

Maureen Hayes, Martin Audio Jerry Gilbert, JGP Public Relations
Tel: +44 (0)1494 535312 Tel: +44 (0)1707 258525
Fax: +44 (0)1707 267140 Fax: +44 (0)1707 267140