Opening a second venue in Birmingham, following its established presence in Manchester, the German-themed Albert’s Schloss draws heavily on Alpine design and traditions to offer ‘a retreat from the modern’. Named after Prince Albert, the venue is set in a giant new-build that is part of the city’s Paradise Forum development.
Needing a suitable sound system, integrator Richard Anderson of Pro Technical (UK) was called in having worked with the directors of operating company Mission Mars when they ran the hugely successful Revolution string of bars.
His solution was Martin Audio’s new Torus constant curvature array, combined with CDD loudspeakers. This formula is proving so successful, that it has already been adopted as the template for future openings.
‘These venues are solid entertainment venues,’ Anderson says. ‘Therefore they wanted a powerful array for the stage but also something that would fit within the budget. Martin Audio is a reputable brand and we have used CDD many times over the past ten years.’
Torus had been suggested as a close-field solution for the stage in the giant beer hall, which hosts live bands from cabaret to full-on rock, seven nights a week, as well as DJs and background music during its all-day trading hours.
Anderson mixed pairs of Torus T1230 (30° vertical dispersion) and T1215 (15° vertical dispersion) constant curvature arrays in stacks either side of the stage, with Martin Audio’s proprietary Display software optimisation and manual horizontal dispersion adjustability, providing tailored medium throw coverage across the width of the stage.
Both Torus models also feature a 12-inch driver, but the low end is reinforced by four SX118 (single 18-inch subs) set under the stage, with the 550-strong clientele further back down the hall immersed in a sound field created by 24 coaxial differential dispersion CDD10s.
Upstairs is Ludwig’s Tavern, named after Bavarian king Ludwig II. This more exclusive area, where customers can play shuffleboard, takes a feed off the main system downstairs but also has its own independent DJ plug-in point. This is served by six CDD6 and a fully displayed Martin Audio SX210. ‘The client has never worried about having the loudspeakers fully visible,’ says the installer.
The entire system is powered by a combination of Martin Audio iKon iK42 and VIA5004 amplifiers, and was commissioned by Martin Audio’s Nigel Meddemmen, who also provided design support.
‘The client is ecstatic and we’re now looking forward to adopting a similar model in Liverpool,’ Anderson reports.
‘The Martin Audio system has provided Alberts Schloss with a great sound; we are really happy with the result,’ confirms Mission Mars Group Property Director, Godfrey Russell.
More: https://martin-audio.com
