The newly named Club Couture has been equipped with a comprehensive Harman Pro solution. Recently acquired by Walsall club owner Graham Pinches, the venue had variously traded as an outlet of the Zanzibar, Coliseum and Fatty Arbuckles chains prior to a period of closure and its recent rejuvenation.
‘Classic’ club sound, lighting and a twin-scene concept were among the priorities of Couture Leisure’s general manager, Scott Miles, who was advised on the system selection by Sound Technology’s Dave Bradshaw.
“What we have tried to do is recreate a bygone generation of what nightclubs used to be about – with separate light jockey and a sound system that would make people go ‘wow’ when they walked down that ramp into the club without the sound shaking the place to death,” said Miles.
The original JBL recommendation came from Batmink’s sales executive, Shaun Robertshaw, who ultimately supplied four JBL AM6340/95s to be flown over each corner of the dancefloor, with four ASB6128s, coupled in pairs, in front of the DJ podium at floor level. Further JBL SRX712Ms and an SRX718S sub were provided for DJ usage, while at the far end a pair of JBL AC2212/95s have been recessed into the newly-extended stage apron. Twelve JBL Control 25s provide infill around the main club periphery and in the Games Arcade.
The installation and commissioning – which was carried out by Gary McDougall of Audiolite in conjunction with Core Design’s Nick Muir – also entailed the specification of 14 Crown amplifiers (12 XTis and two XLS-802s) and a single Soundweb London BLU-160 for external processing and routing.
The sound spec, said Miles, “achieves exactly what we set out to [do].”
