The small city of Carmel-by-the-Sea on the Californian coast is home to Barmel, a historic bar and music venue with the ambience of old-time saloons, the warmth and elegance of 1940s San Francisco and the bohemian style of Carmel’s artistic community. Recently an Alcons Audio pro-ribbon system has added an extra touch of class to Barmel’s live music evenings.
Opened in the late 19th century, the bar’s identity is maintained by the personal touch of owner Gabe Georis and his family’s musical roots. With developments in Carmel tightly controlled in order to maintain the city’s character, Barmel is the only bar with a performance stage and PA, ensuring that thrice-weekly acoustic performances attract audiences from a wide area.
When Georis set out to find a new sound system, he wanted the best for a small venue that attracts a lot of people. ‘We wanted a system that sounds musical, transparent and very pleasant to listen to, so we auditioned systems from many different manufacturers,’ he says. ‘We chose an Alcons pro-ribbon solution for several reasons. One was that David Rahn of Alcons Audio USA brought a system to us, so we could hear it in our room. This was a big factor in feeling we were going to get a system that worked in our space.
‘But a bigger reason was the sound quality, especially the high end. The Alcons sounded open, airy and clear in the high frequencies without feeling harsh at all. The lower frequencies were as good as anything else we listened to.’
Barmel chose a system comprising two VR12 two-way 12-inch monitors, featuring the RBN601 pro-ribbon driver, and two BF151 15-inch subwoofers, all flown from the bar’s ceiling. The VR12 is tailored to applications where high output, high-quality sound reinforcement is needed, with the subwoofers delivering tight, accurate bass response.
Georis is happy with the Alcons pro-ribbon solution, as well as appreciating Rahn’s help with placement and system tuning. As the bar’s owner he listens to it every day ,and reports that artists and audiences alike are like it.
‘The overall sound of the Alcons system is the best we’ve heard anywhere – the transparency, clarity and fidelity from a good audio source make the hairs on your arms stand up,’ he says. ‘The high end is its biggest strength, nothing else we listened to sounds as open, clear and pleasant to listen to for long periods of time.’
More: www.alconsaudio.com
