First permanent MLA install at Marquee Nightclub
Published: ASIA
AUSTRALIA: The first permanent installation of Martin Audio’s Multi-cellular Loudspeaker Array (MLA) has taken place at the Marquee Nightclub in Sydney, Australia. Reported to be ‘the largest nightclub investment ever undertaken in Australia’, the MLA system was supplied by Technical Audio Group (TAG).
TAG was invited to tender for the project by AVS and Rentals Sydney on behalf of their client The Strategic Group – owner and operator of TAO and Marquee in the US. ‘One main advantage of our experience was that we could assume total responsibility, deliver a turnkey solution and provide long term 24/7 support,’ said TAG’s director of engineering, Anthony Russo.
Electro-acoustics engineers Glenn Leembruggen of Acoustic Directions and David Gilfillan were approached to form the commissioning and alignment team for the project, with TAG acting as the dealer and Paul Moss from S&VC handling installation and mechanical aspects. In conjunction with Matthew Kline from Australian Venue Services, Marquee Nightclub brought in Adam Ward, its US operations expert, for equipment review and final commissioning.
The club comprises 13 zones over two main rooms, and as such, the client specified that even coverage and control were of paramount importance – as was the requirement for delivering high SPLs and clarity. Aecom Sydney undertook the internal acoustic treatment for the project given the high SPLs generated.
Challenges presented themselves in the form of unusually low ceiling heights in some areas of the venue, in addition to a plethora of existing hydraulic and electrical services, and the added constraints created due to a stretched Barrisol false ceiling over the dance floors.
The main dancefloor speaker system installed comprises six MLA enclosures and six MLX sub bass units, with 18 specially modified VHF bullet arrays ensuring it reaches 32KHz.
‘As MLA is unlike any other loudspeaker manufactured, its set up requires a venue optimisation program to be loaded specific to the task, and it is exclusively venue based,’ explained Mr Russo. ‘The amazing ability to listen for hours on end with no fatigue is truly unique.’
In addition to the main dancefloor, TAG also tackled several other small, segregated areas of the venue. The audio installed in these sections includes 20 Martin Audio W8LM line array elements with VHF bullet arrays and five WS218X subs.
Meanwhile, three bar areas are catered for by a total of 76 Martin Audio OmniLine micro line arrays with specially suspended banks of AQ212 subs. The music also plays in the toilets in the venue, for which a Martin Audio 6.8T and sub ceiling speaker system have been installed. Lastly, monitoring is catered for with a number of Martin Audio AQ215 subs, Blackline F12+ and LE 2100 monitors.
‘Marquee Nightclub at The Star Sydney has just installed by far the most advanced, cutting edge sound system in the world,’ Mr Russo asserts. ‘We are delighted to have been the company responsible for specifying and for being part of the team. The most exciting aspect is reading countless reviews of events and seeing comments relating to the sound system.’