London’s newest members club, Dorsia in South Kensington, has installed a JBL sound system as its primary sound reinforcement system. Dorsia’s managing director Nick Andreen brought in Colin Pattenden of CP Sound, who specified JBL’s Contractor Control series as part of the £2.4 million refurbishment of the former Firehouse club/restaurant. JBL was said to offer the most cost-effective solution. The 300-capacity venue comprises a members’ club, bar and restaurant set within decadently stylish surroundings over three floors. The operation is fronted by Andreen and colleague Fraser Carruthers, both of whom have eminent backgrounds in London’s premium hotel and nightclub scene, most recently at Boujis. Pattenden, who has worked for the two men previously, equipped the venue with JBL, distributed through eight zones, specifying industry-standard DJ tools and a router to access the various areas. The 50-cover restaurant on the top floor comprises separate bar and dining areas. Providing the background music in each of the rooms is a pair of white JBL Control 25s, powered by Crown XL 1000s. The ground floor disco bar, complete with DJ booth, banquette seating and an original fireplace, fronts a seating area and smoking terrace at the rear. While multiples of JBL Control 28s have been specified (along with a JBL 4893 subwoofer in the main space under the DJ booth), the al fresco smoking terrace is populated with a pair of JBL Control 25AVs, playing out background music during the daylight hours, powered by Crown XLs 1000 / 1500 amps and XTi 4000. However, it is down to the basement that the serious clubbers head. Accessed by marble stairs and a gold corridor, they enter a world of bronze mirrors, onyx bars and granite surfaces — surrounded by baroque picture frames and immersed in LED lighting. Here they dance to music generated by four JBL Control 28s and a pair of the new JBL ASB6112 subs — powered by Crown XL 1500s (in bridge mode) and a Crown XL 1000. In the adjacent room four JBL Control 29s have been deployed, with a further JBL 4893 subwoofer nestled under the DJ’s feet within the booth. This makes way for a low ceilinged area, where a further pair of Control 28s is sited. Finally, the VIP room has been equipped with a JBL Control 19 sub, set behind the seating, and four satellite speakers, powered by Crown XLs 1000. Stated Colin Pattenden: “The sound system throughout has been designed to deliver a crisp top end with a thumping bass. Having worked for the operators previously we knew what they wanted. It was challenging working in a building which had so many reflective surfaces — however, we managed to optimise the system using three dbx DriveRack PA+ DSPs.” www.soundtech.co.uk/jblwww.cpsound.co.uk
