The Society is a new venture from James Morgan of the Brittania Property Corporation, which already operates a number of venues, but this is the first of a new breed. According to Morgan, the aim is "to do something different to everything else we do. It will still offer the gastro food and fine wine that we are known for, but it will be the first of the Society Bar/Kitchen Venue brand."
It's also the first venture outside London, appealing to the well-heeled young demographic of Northampton, just 90 minutes north of the capital. Morgan had worked with Tarsin Entertainment for many years, prior to SSE's takeover of the company, so it was natural that he should turn to them for his all-important sound system, providing what he calls a simple brief. "I want to stand out from the rest."
To help the Society to do this, SSE London has designed a multi-faceted zoned system, with Nexo PS Series loudspeakers under the control of a BSS Soundweb. The venue is loosely divided into a lounge, bar, dance floor and terrace, relying heavily on the character of the sound system to give definition to the different areas.
For the main dance floor of the venue, which doubles as a seating/dining area by day, SSE had to install a system which could deliver both high SPL levels when required and also not be too obtrusive on dining clientele. In response to this SSE installed four Nexo PS10 Series loudspeakers, and two Nexo LS1200 subs which can either be removed when not in use or simply turned down at the processor. The whole system has been powered using Yamaha PC series amplifiers.
Three additional zones are created around entrance, bar and VIP lounge areas, which are fitted with both PS10s and PS8 cabinets according to function of the zone. The bar area is fitted with an additional two PS10s as an extension of the main dance floor, while the VIP lounge has four PS8s with two LS500 subs for a more laid back approach. To bring music presence right up to the venue's entrance area, two PS8s were used here. The Soundweb provides independent level control for each zone, and source selection from CD, MP3, and DJ inputs from both inside and outside. SSE also delivered a complete DJ setup including Allen & Heath X:One 92 mixer, the standard Technics 1210's and Pioneer CDJ decks.
(Jim Evans)
