MSL supplies new Shoreditch venue with Martin Audio set-up

Middlesex Sound & Light (MSL) has installed a premium Martin Audio system at the new Barrio East venue in Shoreditch, London.

The installation came at the request of Ferdie Ahmed, the owner of the themed bar – the third club in the Barrio series, following Barrio North in Islington and Barrio Central in Soho – who previously opted for Martin Audio sound reinforcement in his other venues.

“From my initial meeting with Ferdie we decided Martin Audio was the right solution for the venue," said MSL project manager Darrel Olivier. "We will always promote the brand and specified a combination of Blackline+ and AQ cabinets to keep in line with what are already a popular choice in Shoreditch and Hoxton; F12+ in La Boca also fitted the bill in terms of the venue’s live programme.”

MSL’s installation manager Toby Jones provided independent sound and video systems to each of the four themed zones: Barrio Downtown, Barrio Uptown, Mercado Caf and La Boca Boom Boom Room.

It is in the club atmosphere of La Boca that four F12+ enclosures are flown – paired left and right of the stage area and rear left and right – with an S218+ (2 x 18) sub floor mounted in line with the front of the stage to provide LF extension.

Olivier explained: “We wanted to make sure the system had sufficient headroom. With Shoreditch being very music oriented it was important that even with a packed dance floor the system would not be labouring.”

“Our experience and Toby’s expertise means we always manage to get the best out of the systems we install and Ferdie is more than happy with the end result. We are currently looking at the opportunity of upgrading one of his other venues to Martin Audio.”

The Downtown area offers six wall- and ceiling-mounted AQ8s, while Barrio Uptown features four wall-mounted AQ8s and an AQ212 providing LF extension, as well as jackpoints for a separate DJ set-up where needed.

The SPL drops at the front-of-house Mercado Café, where four AQ6s are complemented by a more compact AQ210 sub, recessed under the seating and playing customer-profiled BGM.

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