Two of the hottest nightspots in Katowice – the iconic P23 club located in a former porcelain factory and it's the recently opened CEL club in the city centre –have seen comprehensive KV2 sound systems installed by leading A/V consultancy and integrator Wise Clubs – the first KV2 systems to go into clubs in Poland.

Designed and installed by Kraków-based Wise Clubs and supplied by Arcade Audio, the installations bring club sounds and reflect the visual aesthetics of the venues. P23 has a post-industrial feel with natural brick walls, steel girders and lofty ceilings, and hosts events ranging from acoustic concerts through to rock music and techno.

The upgraded sound system is a full front-to-back KV2 solution based on the SL412 full range wide dispersion system plus a pair of SL2.15 subwoofers and two VHD2.21 ultra low frequency subwoofers per side. Four ESD 12s and two ESD 15s are used for front fill and balcony delays. On stage two EX12s accompanied by two EX1.8 subwoofers provide a monitor system, which may also be used as a stand-alone sound system for separate events.

CEL is dedicated strictly to clubbing – techno, house, electro, drum and bass. Here, Wise opted for KV2’s ES system, installing a pair of ES1.0 mid/high speakers supplemented by four ES1.8 single 18-inch subwoofers, with power and control supplied by two EPAK2500/R units.

Michal Piwowar co-owns and manages both venues, and explains that for P23 they were looking for a system that would provide high-quality sound and even coverage throughout the venue – which he admits is not an easy task due to its unusual shape. They also wanted something that would fit the austere aesthetics of the club, and yet keep acoustic treatment work to a minimum.

‘We tested many systems and played concerts and events on several different rental set-ups, but it was the KV2 system that sounded truly exceptional,’ he says. ‘It delivers across the full spectrum of sound – attacking in the middle, massaging the bottom end and penetrating the highs.’

He also admits with a grin that sound engineers sometimes take a bit of convincing to use the system, but once they’ve heard it, they’re converts. ‘People often object to what they don’t know, especially when they’ve probably got a mate in a local rental company with gear they do know… Eventually, after the rehearsal, the engineer admits that we are right, and by the time they’ve done the show, he’s of the firm opinion that it’s an outstanding sound system! As I said earlier, we tested a number of so-called ‘top-shelf’ systems; only a few sounded comparable, but they didn’t cover all of our concert space and yet were more expensive.

‘We’ve had the opportunity to use the KV2 on many events now,’ he continues. ‘It works well for everything, from intimate solo events to a full house with black metal bands and all-night techno events. The feedback has been unequivocal, and in line with ours.’

For CEL, Piwowar explains that the requirements were slightly different in that it is a pure underground techno/electro venue. ‘Our clients demand a lot, so we needed an efficient, maintenance-free system to cover the long, narrow space that is our main dancefloor. That’s why we opted for KV2 again because, frankly, having heard the system we have in P23, it’s hard to look at equipment from any other manufacturer any more.’

Daniel Klasa is the chief audio specialist at Wise Clubs and was involved in both of these pioneering projects. ‘We are a company that is constantly looking for new solutions in the pro A/V world,’ he says. ‘After many conversations with Alex Pagliani, Sales Drector at KV2 Audio, we were able to visit the factory in the Czech Republic to hear about their various solutions. It was love at first sound.’

Fascinated by KV2’s unprecedented approach to sound system design based on analogue architecture, Wise Clubs decided to invest in a demo system and introduce KV2 to their world. ‘The system that was finally installed in P23 was tested by the club owners during the Upper Festival, a multiform experimental music experience held every year at P23,’ explains Klasa. ‘It passed the test with flying colours and I think it’s no exaggeration to say that the system simply rocked! The club owners are thrilled with their new systems, and I’m sure it won’t be long before other clubs in Poland follow suit.’

More: www.kv2audio.com