The venue, which trades on an impressive 3500m, spread across three levels, boasts a remarkable sound and lighting fit-out, with equipment supplied by Bon Studio.
The company's Elpi Bofiliaki says: "The project was undertaken through our dealer, Mr Ritsopoulos. He chose Bon Studio because of our all-year-round operation, our excellent reputation and technical expertise, after sales support - and our ability to deliver top quality audio and lighting products, which are exclusively distributed in the Greek market."
Among these is a 40-channel Soundcraft MH3, part of an integrated package from Harman Professional. Bon Studio specified the MH3 because the requirement was for a good quality mixing desk, with many auxes and the facility for both front of house and monitor use in a single console.
"The sound engineers prefer this console for its high quality, absolute reliability, great flexibility and stability, as well as for its after sales support," says Bofiliaki.
The desk configuration consists of 32 input channels, plus six further channels, which support splits from vocal mics, in order to have different EQ settings for the main system and the in-ear monitors of the main singers. Eleven auxes have been used with the following routing: six aux for the in-ear vocal monitors, a single aux main band mix for the in-ears, two aux for the effect units, another aux for sending toms to the monitor mixer and overheads to the musicians and a final aux for sending vocals to the monitor desk, while the remainder of the inputs are fed by the console's direct outs.
For the control Irida again turned to a Harman Pro solution. The main audio system is set up using Crown's IQ-WIC software, which controls the Crown I-T6000 I-Tech amplifier. Two dbx DriveRack 260 provide the DSP - one controlling the JBL side-fills, the second for managing the JBL ceiling speakers.
"The dbx 260 multi-zone programme provides excellent results, including four independent delay zones from the main system, while at the same time we use in-ear monitors for every musician and singer, with just two JBL SRX 712M wedge monitors."
The same owners are also planning a full HiQnet-based system for a sister club due to open in November.
Irida's complex combines a small church and open café bar on the top; a stage dance floor, a swimming pool and space suitable for 450-500 people under two polycarbonate covers and a 13metre-high tent; and a level dedicated to the kitchen, bar, kindergarten, and a technical room for sound and lighting control. There is a further hall which accommodates 300 people (seated) and above this there is a roof garden, which will open during the next phase of development. The result is an astonishing and impressive audio and visual result for a club that will operate throughout the summer months - and for Greece that means six months of the year.
Headquartered at the Harman International Industries complex in Potters Bar, England, Soundcraft has built its global reputation over more than 30 years as a manufacturer of professional mixing consoles serving live, broadcast, theatre, recording and DJ markets.
Worldwide sales and marketing for the brand is handled by the Soundcraft Studer Group, also of Potters Bar. In the United States, Soundcraft and Studer's products are distributed by Harman Pro North America, a subsidiary of Harman International Industries.
(Chris Henry)
