Nightclub & Bar Magazine - Sound Lighting Movement

Sound. Lighting. Movement.
Technology and Tact is Making Environment Improvement Easier

By Barry White

Virtually all mega-clubs today begin with an arranged marriage –– not the traditional arranged marriage that might come to mind where two unwilling partners come together, but the harmonious joining of two of the most important features in the design of a nightclub –– aesthetics and sound. By combining aesthetics and sound in this delicate dynamic, nightclub and bar owners are able to create an everlasting and ever-pleasing atmosphere.

Behind the Scenes
One of the primary club obstacles is how to keep the look of a nightclub sleek and flowing without sacrificing the sound quality that obtrusive wall and ceiling speaker cabinets often produce. John Lyons, founder of John Lyons Systems and The Avalon Clubs in New York City, Boston and Los Angeles, has done just that, however.

    “So often there was a compromise between the physical and audio designs of a nightclub. We thought, ‘Why can’t we all win?’ We’ve dedicated our time and energy to what has not been used before,” Lyons says.
   The team of John Lyons Systems has developed advanced speaker systems that are practically invisible but still retain the output of much larger systems, perpetuating a growing technological movement toward sound systems that are far less intrusive than yesterday’s systems.
    “Traditionally, speakers are mounted in wooden cabinets. However, due to building codes, metal enclosures for loud speakers are required in today’s nightclubs. The problem with the metal enclosures is the difficulty with the resonance,” Lyons says. If the large bulky cabinets are eliminated, then that problem is solved. Lyons and his team had an idea to concentrate and incorporate his smaller, louder sound system into cabinets lined strategically throughout a nightclub. To achieve the goal of an unobtrusive system, Lyons has collaborated with loudspeaker manufacturer EAW to assemble a custom sound device that accommodates the streamlined look that many dance clubs strive for.
   Lyons wanted to combine such elements as the high output of his Avalon DC1series with the compact size of his Avalon DC2 series. The result was the Avalon DCX system that was smaller, more powerful, and has been hidden in soffits and banks along dance floors and ceilings. The prototype of this system has been designed and built into the main dance floor of JET Nightclub in Las Vegas.
   “We’re trying to get more power with a cleaner and louder sound out of a smaller device. We’re on a mission with the emphasis on clubs being finished and nice,” Lyons says.
   The well-established Avalon clubs seem to be the proving ground –– on both the East Coast and West Coast –– for Lyon’s newest sound systems.
   “We use Avalon as a laboratory where we do all of our experimenting. If a product doesn’t exist, it’s where we cook it up. It’s all about physics –– that’s what we love.”

It’s in the Atmosphere

Dougie Lazer, principal of XS Lighting & Sound Inc., based in Farmingdale, N.Y., shares a few tips for operators on improving environments.

“When I wire a club, I like to wire everything clockwise,” Lazer says. “That way, if you have a problem with anything, you know where your wires go. When I go to troubleshoot things, you know where the wires are running. This I learned from years of experience working at Sound Factory (New York City). Also, if somebody else comes to the job, you can quickly guide them.”
“Keep everything clean. Try to run wires on lines, meaning along the edge of something else. Don’t let your lines droop-down or trapeze because it becomes such a mess and you can’t fix it if something goes wrong. Eventually, the lines get so tangled that you'd have to tear them all down.”
“Take down all old or unused wires because they sit there and get in the way. Lots of audiovisual installers leave the wires up there, even if they're not being used anymore.”
“This is a simple recommendation, but no one ever uses it: Use black zip-ties! There’s nothing worse than using white plastic ties on a black ceiling with black wires. When a black-light hits it, you see a thousand little dots on the ceiling and it looks horrible. Conversely, if you’re doing a white club with a white ceiling, use white zip-ties. Make everything monochromatic. I see people make that mistake all the time.”