Alcons gives Penthouze lounge the VIP treatment
Published: ASIA
INDIA: Alcons Audio recently supplied VR12 and VR8 ribbon speaker systems to the new Penthouze lounge bar in Pune. The split-level venue occupies two floors of a high-rise building in Koregaon Park and features India’s longest bar, measuring 45m.
Alcons, which opened an Indian division in Bangalore in 2012, supplied systems for three separate spaces: the indoor and outdoor sitting areas and a VVIP lounge on the 14th floor.
The main zone, a 20 by 10m indoor area with an elevated DJ console, has been installed with eight VR12s featuring Alcons’ RBN601 pro-ribbon driver, and two BF302s with 15-inch woofers. A BQ211 and BF151 sub complete the system, with the latter inverted midway across the length of the room. ‘The arrangement of the speakers is to create high energy in every spot,’ explained sound consultant Milind Raorane, who recommended the Alcons system to the club owners and handled the installation. All speakers have been suspended on steel rope, allowing time alignment to be maximised.
Meanwhile, the outside lounge terrace has been installed with four VR8 speakers with three BF151 subs, while the VVIP lounge located above the indoor club space has four VR8s. No subs were installed in the latter section, keeping the sound to a conversational level for its high profile customers.
‘The most strategic choice of speaker for us was the 21-inch BQ211 sub in the main zone,’ said Mr Raorane. ‘These quietly augment the deep infra bass – below 60Hz – down to 25Hz, which is essential for genres like hip-hop, trance and dub step.
‘Outside, the VR8s, with their stealth size, disappear into the terrace and deliver superb high SPLs together with the subs,’ he continued. ‘Practically every spot on the terrace will get feet tapping, as per the initial brief from the owners.’
With this installation Mr Raorane feels the myth of ribbon-based speakers being unable to sustain club sound has been shattered. ‘Alcons assured us that we could implement a sound radiator which has zero listening fatigue at high SPLs,’ he said. ‘This converts into the pleasure the club visitors have, enjoying their drinking and dancing for many hours. As a result, the owners are happy as people have started scrambling to gain entry. I have also personally mingled with the guests to gauge their feedback, and the sound gets the best score – after the ambiance,’ he added.
‘Looks were as important as sound,’ explained the venue’s director Kunal Mhaske. ‘We wanted great sound that would reach the entire area, covered uniformly. At the same time, we were looking for something that our architects could work with without compromising the décor.
‘We contacted Alcons, who came and held a demo held at the premises, and that did the trick. We got the sound we wanted in a compact unit. We didn’t want a big, ugly system that would take a lot of space and spoil the look of the venue. With Alcons, we got great sound quality and volume from a small unit. It was the perfect match for us!’