WILD is split across two floors with separate sound systems: on the top floor the venue retains its existing RCF Event system, whilst on the ground floor a new EAW system has been spec’d. Local installation company, Light and Sound FX were involved in the original installation and won the contract to handle the system revamp. Darren Gardener of Light and Sound FX explains: "Our brief was to reconfigure the Event system upstairs and put a new sound system in on the ground floor. We decided to talk to Andy Austin Brown at Mackie, as he'd been involved in the original spec, and since we had no flying options, he recommended the EAW system."
The EAW Boxes have been positioned to maximize sound coverage for the both the top boxes and the subs, which are situated at right angles to the dance floor. Mackie's Andy Austin Brown on another aspect of the room: "With the room having such hard surfaces, we let the speakers do the work. We didn't spread the sound around the room. By spec’ing the EAW FR 129Z we knew exactly what it would do. The difference between big and loud is the dynamics, so at relatively low levels it will sound good. We have built in enough 'headroom' with the amps.” The system is complemented by an XTA DP226 processors, a Denon CD system and a Formula Sound FSM 600 mixer.
(Ruth Rossington)