AUSTRALIA: The North Wollongong Hotel has upgraded its ageing audio system to an Optimal Audio solution, designed and installed by Data Dan. Popularly known as the North Gong Hotel, the New South Wales venue features a bar, bistro, beer garden and an upstairs function area for private events. The venue regularly hosts live music, DJ sets, televised sport and pool tables.
“Having good audio is crucial in creating atmosphere – it’s the basis of people having a good time,” said Josh Hill, the venue’s manager. “The old system was installed in 2003 and we had a lot of dropout points and quiet areas where music would fluctuate in level, so key to our upgrade criteria was to obtain full coverage without pushing the music too hard – we’re in a residential area and we don’t want to impact our neighbours.”
Dan Chapman of Data Dan, with support from Scott Angove of Audio Brands Australia, provided Optimal Audio’s Cuboid 8 loudspeakers for the indoor spaces. In the bistro and bar areas of the North Gong, the loudspeakers were positioned fairly close together to run at a lower level for background music but still provide complete coverage in every area. Featuring an 8-inch driver, the Cuboid 8s will also be used for late night lively events where a punchy low-end is needed.
The function room’s stage area benefits from a pair of Cuboid 12s and a single Optimal Audio Sub 15 subwoofer for the low-frequency response required for live music performances and DJ sets. The onstage system was augmented with a complement of Cuboid 8s distributed down the length of the room for even coverage.
“This is a big hotel with a large capacity which can get very loud,” noted Angove. “It quickly became apparent that the Cuboid Series from Optimal Audio would be the best option, particularly the Cuboid 8. It fitted perfectly in the bistro and bar areas, as well as supplementing the larger Cuboid 12s in the function room to great effect.”
Hill noted his satisfaction with the new system: “Since installing Optimal Audio we’ve seen that the dropout zones are not there anymore – the quality of sound is really good without pushing it too hard. The coverage means that we now see people inside the venue dancing at their tables. It’s not just in one space where people can enjoy themselves like that – it’s everywhere throughout the venue.”
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