Recently owners Robert Newmark and Graham Rebak sensed that in order to keep BBB firing on all cylinders they needed to improve their sound system. And so they returned to their long-term A/V suppliers, the Sound Division Group (SDG).
The relationship with Newmark and Rebak has developed over a three-year period since they were first introduced by near neighbours (and fellow SDG clients), Adam and Charles Breeden from the award-winning Lonsdale.
Initially the audio visual specialists upgraded the system at Dollar Grills and Martini's in Exmouth Market to JBL, and helped deal with the venue's sound leakage problems. They followed this up by installing two Phillips 42in plasma screens in the venue, and then four LG 32in LCD displays at Beach Blanket Babylon for last year's FIFA World Cup.
"Because of its position in Notting Hill this venue has been going through a renaissance and we felt now was the time to act," said Graham Rebak. "When people are paying top end prices they expect the best of everything - including the sound quality."
Sound Division Group specified a JBL rig to integrate with the existing set-up. With so many private dining areas, the company opted for a five-zoned system, recommending Pioneer CDJ-800 CD players and Allen & Heath XONE:62 - housed in a DJ 'coffin' for use as necessary. The DJ system is set up by the main bar and plugged into the house system via a remote input point.
Over the main bar at the entrance, four JBL Control 29AV's provide the foreground sound, powered by two existing QSC amplifiers. Elsewhere a pair of Crown-powered JBL Control 28's in the Chapel, Control 25's in the Kitchen and Gallery, and Control 25AV's in the Crypt provide the aural food to accompany the culinary type. Right down in the lower basement level, the Crypt is also enhanced by a JBL SB2 (1 x 10in) sub, and Graham Rebak is in the process of requesting further bass extension for other areas.
An additional Cloud CX163 now accompanies the existing Cloud Z4, which serves as a conventional mixer/router for the signal sources, while the background system is EQ'd using dbx's popular dbx 215. A further dbx 2215 controls the ground floor bar, where a limiting feature is required for the sound.
Said David Graham, "We always try and achieve maximum value for money for the client, and where possible integrate an existing system into the new architecture; this has been particularly effective at Beach Blanket Babylon."
(Jim Evans)
