Jul 1, 2009 12:00 PM

BASEMENT GETS TOP-FLOOR TREATMENT

Basement Gets Top-Floor Treatment

New York City live sound landmark Webster Hall, which has been a showcase music venue for more than 120 years, has upgraded its 300-capacity basement venue, The Studio @ Webster Hall. Kevin Mignone of KM Productions was brought in to design and install a new system, which includes three L-Acoustics ARCs per side flown in a horizontal array and powered by two LA4 amplified controllers. Four SB28 subwoofers, driven by one LA8, are positioned end-to-end behind a sturdy steel grille under the front lip of the stage. For monitoring, the venue offers five mixes, which are delivered via four coaxial 12XT wedges and a single 115XT HiQ for the drummer, all collectively powered by three additional LA4s.

Before permanently installing the new system in December, Mignone had operated an identical rig from his L-Acoustics inventory in the room for a month-and-a-half, starting with the CMJ Music Marathon in late October. “We had 50 bands play the room in those first five days, so the system definitely got a workout and proved itself to the club,” Mignone says. “Not only did it handle the rigorous schedule of a wide variety of acts, but consider this: The room is four walls of sheetrock with metal behind it. There is not even the slightest bit of acoustical treatment, and yet everything sounded crisp, clean and beautiful from the start — even before I tuned the room.

“Everyone's absolutely in love with the sound system,” Mignone continues. “Most people don't expect to walk into a small venue like this and find a setup of this caliber. As a result, The Studio has very quickly developed a reputation as a fantastic place for shows, and bands from all over the world — even fairly well-known acts — are now requesting to play the venue.”

The space also features a digital multitrack recording studio capable of capturing acts on the basement stage, as well as acts two floors up in the Grand Ballroom.

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