Image of the Touring Company Store interior.
SoHo, NY, NY – November 2010… The Touring Company Store is a new retail concept and, being located in the SoHo area of Manhattan, it couldn’t be a better fit for its surroundings. On paper, it’s a retail store selling indie designers products in addition to some conventional fare in an environment that looks and feels like the backstage of a concert area. This is, however, more than just a retail operation. The store is also an advocate of independent designers, musicians, artists, filmmakers, and all other forms of independent self expression. With a desire for top notch sound and wanting the appearance of a concert loudspeaker setup, store management recently selected a sound reinforcement system from Valencia, Spain-based D.A.S. Audio.
Luis Lojo, an independent sound engineer and system designer based in the New York area, was contracted to design and install the store’s new loudspeaker setup. After reviewing products from a variety of manufacturers, Lojo and the Touring Company Store management ultimately selected a system drawn primarily from D.A.S. Audio’s Variant catalog. The new sound reinforcement system consists of six Variant 25A powered, 2-way, mid-high line array elements, two Variant 18A powered subwoofers, and ten D.A.S. Audio CL-6TB 2-way, passive, full range ceiling loudspeakers that are powered by a D.A.S. Audio CSA-600T power amplifier. The loudspeaker system is used for both live performance and background music/paging applications.
Lojo discussed the project and the considerations that ultimately resulted in the selection of the D.A.S. Audio equipment. “The Touring Company Store has a unique atmosphere that really feels like you’re back stage at a concert,� Lojo reports. “For this reason, management wanted the sound system to resemble the line array setups that are frequently used in big concert settings. The retail space, itself, is rather long and narrow—roughly 70 feet long by 30 feet wide—with a stage along the length of the room, but not quite situated in the middle. I knew that a large line array system would be overkill and too cost prohibitive, but upon examining the D.A.S. Variant system, I felt this would be the perfect fit. Being a line array system, the Variant loudspeakers had the right look and the fact that the equipment is designed specifically for permanent installations made it ideal.�
Due to the long and narrow nature of the space itself and the off-center location of the stage, Lojo opted for a monaural configuration that, from the stage, positioned the Variant 25A’s in a 3 by 2 by 1 configuration. “There are three Variant 25A’s facing the entrance—and these cover the longest area of the store,� Lojo explained. “I then positioned another two Variant 25A’s facing the opposite direction into the shorter segment of the space while the remaining Variant 25A faces straight out toward the opposing wall. The two D.A.S. Audio Variant 18A subwoofers are suspended from the trussing at the stage. This arrangement provided the best overall coverage throughout the room.� The ten CL-6TB ceiling loudspeakers are used in the store’s downstairs area.
Lojo was very impressed with the Variant system’s design, build quality, and accompanying hardware. “The D.A.S. Variant loudspeakers are a terrific package,� he said. “Everything has a high quality look and feel to it and the sound quality is excellent—considerably bigger sounding than I initially expected. I was also very impressed with the included hardware, which made the installation come together quickly. The fact that, with the exception of the ceiling speakers downstairs, this is a powered system was also a big plus. It made the installation easier, it eliminates the space requirements of having to house external power amps, and the sum total of the package ends up being easier for the store’s staff to manage.�
The Touring Company Store’s new D.A.S. Audio sound system was installed and placed into service during September. Since that time, Lojo says his client couldn’t be happier. “I’ve received numerous compliments on this installation,� Lojo says. “The system has the versatility to handle live music performance in addition to background music and paging and its appearance is exactly what management had in mind. Combined with the fact that the equipment is easy to operate, the new D.A.S. system has been a big success and the client reports being very happy—and that’s what it’s all about.�
For additional information about the services of Luis Lojo, visit him online at www.luislojo.com.
About D.A.S. Audio
Headquartered in Valencia, Spain, D.A.S. Audio is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of loudspeaker systems, power amplification, signal processing, and related components. For better than thirty years, D.A.S. Audio products have been found on tour with the world’s greatest performing artists and installed in many of the most prestigious facilities. For additional information about the company, visit them online at www.dasaudio.com.
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