Tannoy, Lab.gruppen go down a storm in Brighton venue

A new Tannoy and Lab.gruppen sound system has been installed in the recently-opened Tempest Inn in Brighton.

The installation was completed by Brighton-based Pro Audio Installation. In conjunction with Tannoy’s Paul McMullan, PAI’s Alastair Dixon specified a high quality background music system that can also comfortably cater on the weekends for the occasional DJ slot. The sound system consists of Tannoy VX 5.2 dual five-inch passive wall mount loudspeakers, with the majority horizontally mounted due to the limited ceiling height, and Di8 DC architectural loudspeakers. Also installed are VSX 8.2 subwoofers, VSX 15DR bass cabinets and Lab.gruppen IPD series amplifiers.

With its two discreet five-inch transducers – one is a two-way Dual Concentric unit while the other is a dedicated bass driver for low-mid extension – the VX 5.2 promises ‘exceptional clarity, precise definition, and balanced response’ from a small footprint. On the ground floor the wall-mounted VX 5.2 units are supplemented by two VSX 8.2 bandpass subwoofers equipped with dual eight-inch bass drivers, designed to extend system response to below 40Hz and provide solid low frequency support.

As well as the three arches comprising the ground floor, there is a mezzanine level upstairs with a floor-to-ceiling picture window affording views over the sea and the remains of the West Pier. Here, additional VX 5.2 units are deployed together with four VSX 15DR bass cabinets, two positioned in the bar arch and two in the middle of the room to provide even low frequency coverage.

Immediately outside, four Tannoy Di8 DC weather-resistant surface mount loudspeakers, grouped in two pairs, cater for the patio area. “The Di8s sound absolutely fantastic,” commented Dixon, “and they are very highly rated to an IP64 weather-resistant specification so they are really well protected against the harsh seaside elements.”

Five Lab.gruppen IPD 1200 amplifiers and five Lab.gruppen IPD 2400 amplifiers power the entire system. Housed in a space saving 1U rack height, both IPD models feature on-board DSP in the form of the software-controlled Speaker Protect Limiter, while the factory presets for the VS 5.2 speakers are quickly accessible from Lab.gruppen’s included LoadLibrary. “We needed barely two hours to tune the system,” added Dixon, “such is the simplicity of Lab.gruppen’s IntelliDrive Controller software interface.”

“In my view the VX 5.2 is really the only product that would work as well in this environment. Their low profile is physically suited to the low ceilings, and the wide 120° by 90° dispersion covers the snugs nicely. With the Dual Concentric devices the sound quality is very natural, and really sounds the same wherever you are in the venue,” Dixon concluded. “Pound for pound, Tannoy and Lab.gruppen is far and away the best combination of consistent audio, quality construction and intelligent system monitoring for this project.”

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http://www.tannoy.com