d&b sound helps smooth the flow for Guinness.
When Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse set out to introduce a first-class live music experience, they turned to entertainment consultant JBE and d&b partner Acoustik, who drew on the xS-Series and ArrayCalc to deliver a smooth and even sound across multiple spaces . . .
d&b audiotechnik loudspeaker systems have been chosen for installation in Dublin’s Guinness Storehouse, Ireland’s leading visitor attraction. Three systems, designed and installed by d&b partner Acoustik to meet a new live music concept from John Brady Events plus new installations in two other visitor zones, were meticulously planned and predicted using d&b’s ArrayCalc software, and employ d&b’s installation-specific xS-Series cabinets.
d&b’s ArrayCalc software and xS-Series loudspeakers enhance the visitor experience at Guinness Storehouse
The Venue
Ireland’s top visitor attraction, Guinness Storehouse, is celebrating its 25th anniversary as an attraction this year, having pulled in over 25 million visitors in that time.
In 2024, Guinness Storehouse was looking for innovative ways to further enhance that visitor experience. Their aim was to introduce a lively new element of culturally relevant activities. The question was, how could they add to the mix on offer, while maintaining the same high quality of experience and avoiding the creation of frustrating bottlenecks?
The answer, provided by Diageo’s regular entertainments consultancy, John Brady Events (JBE), was to create a new stop-off on the tour – a live entertainment hub that would offer a vibrant mix of traditional Irish music and dance, blended with new talent from home and beyond.
The chosen setting was the second floor’s Arrol Suite, previously reserved for private events and functions. Reimagined, this room could keep up to 400 visitors entertained for 15 minutes before moving on to the next highlight of the Guinness Storehouse experience.
Diageo gave the go-ahead, and to realise the vision, JBE turned to a long-time collaborator at the cutting edge of live sound, Acoustik.
The Challenges
A d&b audiotechnik partner, Acoustik has worked with JBE on many projects, including a lengthy collaboration with Guinness Storehouse.
“In our brief for Acoustik,” Brady explains, “we wanted the guests, no matter where they were in the room, to have an even sound quality, to help bring people in to engage more closely with the performance areas.”
This itself was a challenge. The building’s industrial roots made for a difficult acoustic environment, with wooden floor, tiled walls, plenty of glass, steel and concrete. “It’s just about the most acoustically unfriendly space you could come across,” says Brady.
There were other requirements too: JBE’s vision was to have smaller, central performance platforms rather than the traditional end- or side-on stage, to create a more immersive engagement with the audience. Also, the hardware would have to be discreet, while still providing the desired performance impact.
At the same time, Acoustik were delivering further, brand-new d&b sound systems for two other areas on the fifth floor: Arthur’s Bar, the main bar space, and Market Street, a repurposed dining area that would also serve as a venue for private and corporate events. Containing the sound within each of these areas was also vital.
The Solution
Acoustik’s Will Fitzpatrick, who designed the system along with Adam Faulkner, says, “The controlled directionality of d&b loudspeakers is absolutely key. Using the accurate predictive capabilities of d&b’s ArrayCalc software, we tried variations of different speakers in different positions, until we found the best solution.”
“Through multi-source speaker systems, we created spaces where entertainment can happen as desired, without affecting the surrounding areas.” He adds, “ArrayCalc was amazing. It simulated exactly what we actually achieved with the installation.”
For the largest space, the Arrol Suite, Acoustik chose d&b’s xS-Series: 6 x 12S speakers make up the main PA, with 4 x 10S used as delays. The low-end is provided by 4 x 18S cabinets flown in the roof, in all three spaces – “a real game changer,” notes Brady.
Fitzpatrick explains, “We’ve always used sub stacks either beside the stage or somewhere in the room, but we were never quite satisfied with the sound being even. Now that we have the subs in the air, coverage is really good everywhere. The system keeps total control over the audio throughout the room.”
The other two refit spaces, Arthur’s Bar and Market Street, are equipped with 3 x 12S-D cabinets (the ‘D’ signifying the wider dispersion model) and 3 x 12S Subs, and 2 x 10S-D cabinets and 2 x 12S Subs respectively. Amplification throughout is from d&b’s installation-specific, 4-channel 10D amplifiers. Day-to-day operation of the system is accessible to non-technical staff via an iPad with d&b’s R1 software, offering a selection of orientation presets for the Arrol Suite, as well as a welcome reduction in level at the bar areas, allowing the staff to serve customers in a less loud environment.
Conclusion
For JBE and Acoustik, this is another challenge well met. “We have huge confidence in d&b, and we couldn’t think of using anything else,” says Fitzpatrick. “When this project arose, there was only one brand which we would trust to bring the design and the brief from concept to completion.”
“It’s been immensely successful,” says Brady. “There’s a really nice, even sound in there, and that has been recognized by Guinness themselves.”
