MALTA – Known for being one of Malta’s most popular nightlife hubs, the Paceville area of St. Julians comes alive after dark. And at the centre of the action for many years has been the Nordic Bar, a destination nightclub / sports bar, with a preference for exotic cocktails and superior sound.
Over two decades, Martin Audio partner Futuretech has twice updated its previous sound system installations with more contemporary iterations. However, this latest upgrade is probably the most significant as it features the British manufacturer’s brand new BlacklineQ series.
Futuretech MD Stefan Farrugia was at the front of the pack when it came to unveiling this reimagining of Blackline — a vastly improved version of this iconic series, with its all-new column speakers and a suite of subwoofers.
At the Nordic Bar, the speakers are distributed through five different zones. Aside from the kudos of being BlacklineQ’s first specifier, Farrugia believes the series offers excellent value for money and high quality. “It demonstrateda huge upgrade in quality and headroom, delivering good power without any fatigue,” he said. The system is also equally adept at handling lower-level background music during the day as it is with high-octane DJ-produced music after dark.
In the DJ area (Zone 1) Futuretech have mounted a pair each of Q12 and Q118 subs, with a pair of Q12 DJ monitors (in Zone 2). Four Q12 and pair of Q218 subs provide the sound on the main dancefloor (Zone 3), a further pair of Q10 are found in the Lounge Area (Zone 4), and finally a pair of Q10 provide playback out on the Terrace (Zone 5).
Futuretech also installed a new cable infrastructure and an updated lighting package, and overcame numerous challenges, including a low ceiling, and difficult room set-ups.
Nevertheless the client, Alan Mizzi, is delighted with the fit-out. “The new Martin Audio BlacklineQ system sounds great — without needing to overstretch it — and our clientele are really enjoying the quality of the sound,” he said.
UAE – AV integrators, Exacting Diseno Technical Services, once again found the Martin Audio loudspeaker portfolio to be perfect for their needs, when asked to specify a sound system for Dubai’s new luxurious French brasserie, La Colline, situated at the Al Habtoor Polo Resort.
The Martin Audio partner was awarded the contract, based on recommendation, after having successfully delivered other projects for the clients previously.
The operation required mainly superior background music reproduction to be delivered, and Exacting Diseno instinctively turned to Martin Audio’s CDD6 as they have in the past. By deploying coaxial differential dispersion technology, they knew this would also be ideal for occasions when live music or more strident DJ playback was required.
The integrators based the system design around two indoor zones with three areas outdoors with separate subwoofer volume control. The fit-out comprised three CDD6 and an SX210 subwoofer in the Bar area, and four CDD6 and pair or SX110 in the separate main zone. Outside sees a further 11 CDD6 deployed, along with four SX112. All CDDs were wall-mounted, and the subs concealed under the seating.
Exacting Diseno founder Lou Agha said the choice of CDD6 this time had been based around “size, sound quality and colour options.” He had persuaded the client to adopt white versions, which he said had been the correct decision, bearing in mind the overall interior aesthetic.
The installation was supported by Martin Audio’s territorial distributor, PRO LAB.
Commenting on the installation, the client said, “The concept was developed by a passionate team led by Alain El Tawil, blending French culinary tradition with a relaxed, elegant atmosphere.We were extremely impressed by the sound quality.”
Photos by Steven Woodburn.
Thanks to
Distributor: PRO LAB Installation Partner: Exacting Diseno Technical Services
THAILAND – Since opening for business in late 2023, Emsphere seemingly has it all. Between the Gourmet market in the lower levels to the prominent EM Live and Tribe venues on the rooftop, leading retailers have made it their home in between. Adding diversity to this rich mix on level four, Cubic is marketing itself as Bangkok’s best and only social and high-performance club. The installed Martin Audio loudspeaker system demonstrates why Cubic is no gymnasium.
“At Cubic, we evolve limits, break boundaries and build a fitness community that thrives on sweat, results and fun,” explained managing director Omaar Makia, adding that the Emsphere site is the third addition to the Cubic network in Bangkok. “The concept of Cubic breaks away from that of a normal gym where individuals train by themselves. Here, we host activities with others or with a personal trainer. We want our members to spend more time here, by socialising, working, recovering, taking in nutrition and having physiotherapy.”
“At Cubic, we evolve limits, break boundaries and build a fitness community that thrives on sweat, results and fun,” explained managing director Omaar Makia, adding that the Emsphere site is the third addition to the Cubic network in Bangkok. “The concept of Cubic breaks away from that of a normal gym where individuals train by themselves. Here, we host activities with others or with a personal trainer. We want our members to spend more time here, by socialising, working, recovering, taking in nutrition and having physiotherapy.”
From the entrance to the training rooms where groups practice Pilates, participate in cycling classes or simply relax in the café, audio is a central theme. Suitably impressed by a demonstration provided by Hamilton Thai consultant Ryan Oldcorn, Cubic’s management requested for a high-powered Martin Audio speaker system to provide the right ambience. “Specifying the right audio system is vital as it sets the right vibe for our members,” continued Makia.
Cubic co-owner Ommar Makia and Hamilton Thai owner Ryan Oldcorn
“Together with the LED lighting, audio is a crucial aspect of the entire experience and helps to differentiate it. The high-power handling capabilities, even dispersion, intelligibility and full range definition characteristics were extremely impressive.”
A Pioneer XDJ-RR Rekordbox DJ booth is the focal point of the social area beyond reception. Here, Cubic’s scene is set with an old retro speaker backdrop surround enveloping two white-finished Martin Audio X15 Blackline speaker enclosures. A Martin Audio SX118 Blackline single 18-inch subwoofer located under the DJ booth enhances Cubic’s social credentials onto a par with Tribe.
Providing members with ample SPLs, the fitness zones beyond the social area are equipped with Martin Audio CDD8s, CDD12s and Adorn speakers. DSP presets stored in the Symetrix Composer software were programmed by supplier Fuzion Far East, with applications engineer Ben Walters assisting in the design and execution of the project. “We design and install many fitness centres here in Thailand,” he commented. “Although Cubic is highly unique, the reflective acoustic surfaces such as mirrors, glass and hard floors are as difficult to tame as a gymnasium. We managed to cure this by ensuring the speakers are focusing their energies on the workout areas away from the hard surfaces.”
A further challenge was encountered when the instructors wearing Shure SVX4 wireless systems experienced feedback from the Martin Audio speakers. “This was solved by adding a smaller, but separate Martin Audio Adorn loudspeaker system, as the PTs receive their audio signal from a different source,” explained Walters. “Now, the Shure SVX4 wireless system works perfectly without interference or feedback.”
Photos by Steven Woodburn.
Thanks to
Distributor: Fuzion Far East Installation Partner: Fuzion Far East
AUS – A major makeover of a popular Sydney-based 80s retro venue in the city’s Central Business District has resulted in a completely reimagined multi-concept venue, called The Bristol.
Owned and operated by burgeoning leisure hospitality company, Oscars Group, the historic former Bristol Arms Hotel trades on five storeys, each with its own theme, including restaurants, bars, a nightclub, rooftop and event spaces, after being closed for the previous four years.
Retaining much of its nightclub roots, the potent Calypso nightclub — its ceiling adorned with 300 mirrorballs — has been equipped with Martin Audio’s CDD coaxial differential dispersion series. In fact, CDDs provide the audio playback solution from the ground up, with more than 60 enclosures right across the series visible throughout — purpose mounted in their dedicated yoke assemblies and maximised for wide dispersion.
Anthony Russo, technical director of Technical Audio Group (TAG), Martin Audio’s Australian distributor, worked alongside system integrators Pro Sound and Lighting (Wollongong) to deliver this Martin Audio deployment, on the express wishes of the client (for whom TAG had previously supplied the brand at previous operations).
WITH THE NEW MARTIN AUDIO SYSTEM, GUESTS WILL ENJOY A RICHER, MORE IMMERSIVE SOUND EXPERIENCE
CDD makes its biggest statement in Calypso, equipped with soft furnishing, and with a carpet extending across the dancefloor, giving it a classy New York club feel. The main room features six CDD15 distributed around the dancefloor in an immersive configuration, with a pair of SX118s under the booth and further pair for delay.
“CDD’s wide dispersion really lent itself to the low ceiling, and its throw onto the dancefloor,” continues Russo. “Being coaxial it is a true point source, whether on or off axis, with great time alignment.” Each booth seating is also served by its own CDD10, while a separate annexe can either function as a separate breakout room, equipped with CDD10 and SX212 subwoofers, or as an annexe to the main room.
Such is the cachet that the venue has acquired in little time, that it has already hosted an appearance by Groove Armada who played a DJ set in the Calypso lounge.
Elsewhere, up in the Rooftop, where the popular Sunday sessions overlook the harbour, the doors are opened up and DJs play out under the stars through weatherised CDD10-WRs. The muscularity of the CDD enclosures can also be felt in the main Bristol Sports Bar, where patrons congregate in front of a giant 11-metre screen, while the other spaces include Ela Ela, a Greek restaurant on the ground floor, and Midtown Bar & Lounge piano bar and cocktail lounge.
Commenting on the system, Claude Spinelli, General Manager of Pro Sound and Lighting, “We have completed a brand-new Martin Audio speaker installation which brings world class sound to one of the region’s favourite venues. This upgrade delivers crystal clear vocals, warm, full low-end and even coverage across the entire room — perfect audio for DJs, bands, functions and weekend parties.
“With the new Martin Audio system, guests will enjoy a richer, more immersive sound experience — no dead spots, no harsh highs, just beautiful balanced audio everywhere you stand.
“Installed byPro Sound and Lighting, this setup is built for reliability, power, and premium performance, making the Bristol event-ready for any night of the week.”
Photos by Steven Woodburn.
Thanks to
Distributor: Technical Audio Group (TAG) Installation Partner: Pro Sound and Lighting
UK – For their second Dead Wax project with Laine Pub Company – this time in Norwich – Penguin Media Solutions spun Optimal Audio into the mix, supporting a Martin Audio system that hits the perfect groove for vinyl devotees and indie-music fans, extending effortlessly into every corner of the venue.
With patrons eager to see the venue reopen, Penguin’s Technical Project Manager Dylan Thompson worked closely with Laine designer Rob Hall, were tasked with restoring the magic. The brief was clear: “avoid a black box in each corner” and instead embrace quirky, mission-critical solutions that matched Dead Wax’s personality and its creative crowd.
On the ground floor bar, Thompson built the foundation of the system around warmth and musicality, specifying Optimal Audio Sub10s to deliver full-bodied low-frequency support that complements the venue’s vinyl-focused aesthetic.
Across the remainder of the venue, Optimal Audio Cuboid 3TX loudspeakers extend the experience into every nook – covering toilets, stairwells and the outdoor smoking area with consistent, comfortable sound. IP-rated kits ensure the system performs reliably in exposed locations, while amplification from Linea Research provides clean, stable power throughout.
Opening night confirmed the impact, with queues forming down the street. “It is different from Brighton though still very music-centric and really fits what Norwich is about, with an arts college next door,” says Thompson. “I thoroughly enjoyed working on this … and it was great to work with a client that allowed us to flirt with it!”
Rob Hall echoes the sentiment: “What the system has done is elevate the whole venue and given a flexibility that was not there before. It does lots of things at the same time in a warm and layered way. You can feel the quality at low volume, but at the same time the impact of the venue is epic. It delivers the flexibility and multipurpose solution we wanted.”
With Optimal Audio delivering clarity, warmth and simplicity in a symbiotic solution with Martin Audio and Linea Research across the space, Dead Wax Norwich is ready for a new generation of music lovers – spinning, playing and performing exactly as the venue deserves.
UK – In a constant drive to keep its long-standing, multi-faceted resorts at the cutting edge of all round entertainment, Butlin’s recently commissioned advance sound system upgrades at their facilities in Skegness and Bognor Regis.
Since Butlin’s entertainment mix now extends far beyond its origins as a ‘holiday camp’ destination — today ranging from Big Weekenders to Conferences and Events — Head of Technical Entertainment, Andrew Sugg, recognised that its development should be matched with professional, best-in-class audio. And so he turned to his regular contractor, Robin Shephard-Blandy of Illuminate Design for advice. The outcome was an advanced, and scalable Martin Audio Wavefront Precision WPC line array in each of its 1200-plus capacity Centre Stage venues.
Butlin’s are no strangers to the British loudspeaker brand. “We’ve been using Martin Audio systems for probably 20-plus years,” says Sugg. Certainly the old sound system at Centre Stage in Skegness — one of four integrated high-octane venues within the holiday complexes — was showing its age. “Both upgrades were long overdue,” he adds. “Robin has worked with us over the years and understands our business and its requirements.”
This can vary from family entertainment, through to Big Weekenders, featuring DJs and bands, while onstage interviews and year-round family entertainment also require high grade speech intelligibility. “So the actual scale of what a system needs to deliver is multi-faceted.”
Conversations took place with different brand vendors before Martin Audio’s Technical Sales Support, Nigel Meddemmen, undertook site visits to Skegness and Bognor Regis and created design options via visualisation models in Martin Audio’s DISPLAY 3 software. Andrew Sugg had recognised the value that Martin Audio could bring through their support and development opportunities for Butlin’s team.
SEEING A NAME LIKE ‘MARTIN AUDIO’ ON THE TECH SPECS HELPS CEMENT THE FACT WE ARE A PROFESSIONAL VENUE.
But the implementation would require far from a cookie cutter approach since structurally the Centre Stages at the respective venues couldn’t have been more different. “The one in Skegness is high, with a balcony, while the one in Bognor Regis is in a fairly low-ceilinged, very wide venue.”
The designs are based respectively on four- and five-box WPC hangs, with four of Martin Audio’s shorter throw TORUS T1215 in a centre cluster. Multiples of CDD15 provide left/right outfills, while CDD10s are detailed for delay duties, and five CDD12s provide balcony coverage in Skegness.
Subwoofers comprise eight stacks of two SXC118 in a cardioid array, run off Martin Audio iKON iK42 multi-channel amplifiers, while iK81s drive the remainder of the rig. “The enhanced coverage and controllability of the Skegness design was such an improvement on the previous setup that it was also deployed at Bognor Regis to deliver a much smoother sub deployment across the room.”
Meddemmen’s Martin Audio tech support colleagues, Paul Connaughton and Marc Paynter, took over at the later stages, assisting with system engineering and commissioning. ‘Hard Avoid’ was applied to the rear of the venue at Skegness, where it abuts onto the Skyline Pavilion, while at Bognor Regis, Centre Stage is housed in a building directly above Reds, another Butlin’s venue — and so that also required some sound isolation. The installation has been set up as analogue but can flip via a managed network switch to Dante digital as needed.
“The fact that Martin Audio were able to validate the system and put their seal of approval on it gave reassurance not only to Andrew’s guys but also visiting acts and engineers that the system has been set up correctly,” says Shephard-Blandy.
Andrew Sugg takes it further. “Although we don’t need to be rider compliant for day-to-day business, when we go into Big Weekenders, seeing a name like ‘Martin Audio’ on the tech specs helps cement the fact we are a professional venue. We now see this very much as an ongoing relationship.”
As for Illuminate Design they managed to deliver both venues, which were commissioned close apart, without either going dark. “The fact that we stayed fully operational is a testament to how smoothly the transition from the old systems to the new went,” acknowledges Andrew Sugg.
Summing up, he says, “What Martin Audio and Illuminate Design have achieved is superb. Artists coming through are extremely happy, putting us at the professional end of audio … something you wouldn’t necessarily expect at Butlin’s.”
“In fact we are now looking at future projects which will certainly involve Martin Audio and Illuminate Design again.”
AUS – The Caterpillar Club, Sydney’s latest underground music venue, boasts one of the world’s largest vinyl collections.
Drawing inspiration from the 70s, and the vibrant clubs of New York, bands also play five nights a week, and according to general manager, Emma Franceschini “any time there’s not a band on there’s a DJ spinning vinyl.” This includes the secret Bamboo Room Tiki bar where DJs can also be found at the weekend.
Tasked with turning the vision of operators Stefan & Anton Forte (from Swillhouse Group) into reality, was renowned sound engineer Anthony Russo from Technical Audio Group (TAG). And he instinctively turned to Martin Audio’s premium CDD loudspeaker system to meet all eventualities.
IT’S THE PREMIUM SOLUTION FOR A LOT OF TOP VENUES AROUND AUSTRALIA
As he emphasises, this needed to be a statement of uncompromising quality “where every seat needs to be the best seat.” His design, therefore, was built to handle everything from the warm sound of vinyl to the crisp clarity of digital recordings through to the huge demands of the club’s live acts.
There is little Anthony Russo doesn’t know about the characteristics of Martin Audio’s coaxial differential dispersion technology, having specified CDD many times. “It’s the premium solution for a lot of top venues around Australia,” he acknowledges. “In every room [at the Caterpillar] you’ll see CDD8s and 6s and concealed SX110 subs in the ceiling and under the banquette seating right through to the FOH system which is a powerful CDD12 system—with a delay system, complete with LE100 foldback wedges.”
In total, he has equipped the venue with over 60 speakers, 30 amplifier channels, and a staggering 40k watts of available amplifier power, ensuring that each patron is treated to unprecedented even coverage over eight zones.Even the Bamboo Room indulges patrons with a powerful Martin Audio system that would be more at home on a large dance floor.
To ensure the detail of vinyl can be heard with absolute hi-fi clarity, while enabling easy conversation to take place at the tables, the large complement of speakers delivers a range from lounge low-volume chill levels to a live performance experience of a concert without needing to be overdriven.
Explaining the rationale, he says, “It is also designed to provide consistent coverage of the whole room while permitting everyone to have what I call a ‘headphone experience’. There’s always a speaker nearby, not too loud, just at the right level. It’s something people haven’t been used to, a real HiFi experience in a live venue environment and that’s why we’re infinitely proud.”
This focus on precision extends to cutting-edge digital audio processing, networking, mixing and amplification, while to do justice to the vast vinyl library, Caterpillar invested in a handmade Australian custom-made rotary DJ console from Condesa.
The final confirmation comes from Emma Franceschini: “The thing about the Martin Audio system is you have that extra clarity in the room. And since we’re a vinyl bar, and you want to be able to hear the nuances, a world class sound system like Martin Audio lets you do that.”
Photo credit: Jason Varney
Thanks to
Distribution Partner: Technical Audio Group (TAG) Installation Partner: Technical Audio Group (TAG)
US – Under his company ear NETWORKS, NYC-based Kurt Schlossberg has been specifying exclusively Martin Audio sound systems in Time Out Markets around the world for a number of years.
But recently he undertook his first project for Chilean-born restaurateur Juan Santa Cruz, as Obvio joined the operator’s other upmarket establishments, including two in Central London’s trendy Mayfair and Notting Hill areas.
His latest modern supper club and cocktail bar — named Obvio — is right on his own Manhattan doorstep, and again it is an exclusive Martin Audio house, taking advantage of the CDD series’ unique coaxial differential dispersion technology.
MARTIN AUDIO IS THE ONLY HIGH-END BRAND I USE
“Juan only does super exclusive places, and over Zoom he told me about this little jewel box that he was creating in New York,” said Schlossberg. “He wanted the most discreet high performing system that could be colour matched, and which could double as triple A background as well as triple A foreground. I said there’s really only one product I would put in there!”
Once again the installer recommended CDD as he has for many venues since first discovering them on a visit to the ISE Show in Amsterdam, soon after the series was launched in 2015. “I walked into the [Martin Audio] demo room,” he said, “and I was immediately blown away. Although I have the pick of the litter when it comes to commercial audio, Martin Audio is the only high-end brand I use — it is literally the best of the best of what it is and is my ‘go to’ for all critical path foreground music.”
Explaining further, he said, “When you can take CDD6 and CDD8 and mix them with the punchy subs they are matched to, you get an experience that makes you prouder in a commercial environment than you would be in your own listening room. And that’s something I’ve not been able to replicate from any other manufacturer.”
And Kurt Schlossberg should know, with four decades in audio (analogue-into-digital), architecture, planning and playlist curating under his belt — skills that were brought to bear at Obvio. “Because a lot of the walls and panelling are rounded it has a very cocoon like feeling and so I worked closely with the architects … and felt good to be part of the architectural process again.”
Matching the speakers to the lighter tone of the wall paneling, four CDD6s are wall-mounted towards the front of the building, with eight CDD8 at the front, where punchier sound is focused over the dance area. Softer background music during the daytime trading is followed by a substantial hike in SPL after dark, when DJs take to the Pioneer CDJs. This is enhanced by a single SXC115 “which lives above the amoebic shape over the bar, and completely out of sight,” as he puts it.
The quality of the sound system has generally received favourable reviews. “In fact it’s proven to be quite a hit,” Kurt Schlossberg exclaims in conclusion.
US – The most famous roots festival on the Northwest Pacific Coast, Pickathon 2025 celebrated its 25th anniversary by adopting a premium Martin Audio Wavefront Precision system for its main Paddock Stage — set on the picturesque Pendarvis Farm, in the Happy Valley district of Portland, Oregon.
When word reached Martin Audio’s Simon Honywill from long-time friend Graeme Harrison that festival chief, ZaleSchoenborn, was looking to upgrade the main stage sound, a meeting was soon brokered with local AVL rental house Cascade Sound, who immediately invested in 20 WPC and 10 SXC118 cardioid subs, along with THS, FP12 and XE wedges. As their VP Engineering and System Designer, Sean Rathbun — who was project lead at Pickathon — points out, “While this was our second year at the event, we have staff that have been supporting it for a number of years.”
Simon Honywill, meanwhile, set to work on the design. Describing the site as “wooded and scenic”, he said, “It’s a very cool and crafted festival, and the aesthetic changes every year. Sustainability is a core value here and pretty much everything gets re-purposed in some way. This festival is deeply connected to the lifestyle of Portland”.At the heart of this year’s scenic expanse was a series of rhythmic timber cylinders, forming a dynamic backdrop to the Paddock Stage highlighted with some excellent lighting.
However, in recent years, housing has been developed close to the site, and with no apparent noise control or monitoring, complaints started to appear. Honywill, with the aid of Martin Audio Product & Application Support Manager, Joe Lima, knew that Martin Audio’s advanced control could mitigate this, and the deployment of cardioid subs would create the necessary rear rejection.
THE MARTIN AUDIO PA WORKED WONDERFULLY FOR THIS FESTIVAL
“We measured the SPL at the boundary, and it tied in with what DISPLAY [software] had predicted, with 35dB reduction at the boundary,” continued Honywill. On the stage itself, the site topography dictated that the left and right stage wings should be optimised differently. Hangs of nine WPC per side were complemented by 10 SXC115 in a broadside formation across the front — a set-up which was also expected to meet the aesthetic.
“We had to explain why, from an audio perspective, it was good to have the PA on show … and agreeing that such a great sounding PA should not be compromised, they went with it,” he said. And it certainly paid dividends. In addition, the Martin Audio speaker complement included eight FlexPoint FP12, (for frontfill and outfill), two THS with two SXC115 for sidefill and a combination of XE300/XE500 for artist reference monitoring. The set-up was driven from iKON iK42 DSP amplifiers in 1-box resolution.
Described as “a summer camp for the soul” and “an immersive, nature-based music festival” this four-day honky-tonk — spread over nine stages with 55 different acts — was another resounding success which again brought the nearby city of Portland to life.
It was an enjoyable excursion for Simon Honywill, and one where he got to also work with the talented house engineers, Anya Gearhart at FOH and Mai Lon Brosseau on monitors.
Summing up, Sean Rathbun added, “The Martin Audio PA worked wonderfully for this festival — the rear rejection, the articulation of the high end and the overall clarity of the PA were exceptional.
“The engineers I spoke to enjoyed mixing on the system; Joe Lima spent time with each engineer to ensure their experiences were seamless and the system performed phenomenally well.”
As the latest addition to the Martin Audio network, Rathbun promises, “I am now planning to replace an ageing fleet of speakers and amplifiers with the current generation of Martin Audio equipment.”
Photos by Jason Redmond/Julia Varga/Miri Stebivka/Norman Eder.
Thanks to
Distributor: Martin Audio Rental Partner: Cascade Sound
UK – In a live spatial audio first, a performance of the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra was authentically spatialised using an object-based TiMax mix across a Martin Audio left/right main system, typical of a conventional festival PA setup. Such was the impressive feat, the concert has now been shortlisted in the UKFestivalAwards 2025.
The landmark moment took place at London’s BST Hyde Park Festival (BST), where Solotech UK supplied the Martin Audio optimised line array system. Sound designer and FOH mix engineer, Sonosphere’s Phil Wright, realised the sonic feat by replacing the usual console matrix mixer function with a TiMax SoundHub delay-matrix spatial processor. Working within the constraints of a typical stereo hang system – plus standard front-fills and delays – Wright redefined the possibilities of spatial audio in a live outdoor setting.
“Usually, only a small percentage of the audience falls within the stereo corridor at any gig,” Wright explained. “We wanted to expand that experience – not artificially with more hangs – but with the powerful capabilities of TiMax across a standard festival PA.”
TiMax product and software manager, Dan Higgott, created a spatial rendering of the stage layout in the studio using TiMax, which was transferred to the TiMax SoundHub at BST’s FOH via the new TiMax Scaling Surfaces feature, and scaled up to replicate the actual stage.
WE KNEW TIMAX WOULD PRODUCE THIS LEVEL OF CLARITY AND REALISM.
TiMax received each orchestral microphone or microphone group separately as its own object, and directly fed the various main, fill, sub and delay sections of the PA from its matrix outputs. Allowing each input object to be positioned with both time and level-based control, TiMax recreated a highly accurate sonic map of the performance not just at the mix position, but across a much wider audience area.
“There was very little in the way of level-based panning in the mains,” noted Wright. “But by working with delay-based spatial cues, the imaging remained clear and authentic – even from well outside the usual sweet spot. It was more than we’d hoped for.”
One standout feature of the setup was the imaging of the chorus. With over 100 inputs, grouped where necessary but mostly preserved as individual sources, TiMax enabled the kind of spatial separation and clarity not usually achievable in stereo festival mixes. “The PA just disappeared,” Wright added. “We had full depth, full width – and the choir sat exactly where it should, without smearing or spill.”
The spatialised setup also brought unexpected precision to the mixing process. “You lose the masking that stereo introduces,” Wright explained. “It’s like going from standard definition to high-def – suddenly, every detail matters. Even between three flutes, I had to EQ each separately to reflect their different tonal characteristics.”
Instead of collapsing into mono or skewing to one side, even extreme placements, such as a drum kit far stage-right, maintained integrity within the spatial soundstage. According to Wright, “Once we’d heard it in place, anything we’d done to ‘cheat’ the placement stood out. So, we put everything back where it actually was and it just worked.”
Dan Higgott affirmed, “We knew TiMax would produce this level of clarity and realism. The event proves that true orchestral spatialisation can be brought to festival settings without requiring specialised multi-hang or surround systems – and without compromising fidelity.
“It’s not about gimmicks,” said Wright. “It’s about hearing a full orchestra as it really exists on stage. And now, we can do that even on a left/right PA.”
Thanks to
Distributor: Martin Audio Rental Partner: Solotech UK
