d&b adds a touch of gold for The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar.
When London’s exclusive Savoy Hotel came to upgrade the sound in one of its most popular leisure destinations, the Beaufort Bar, d&b audiotechnik provided a custom 24 carat gold leaf finish, combining a unique accent of luxury with the signature sound quality that lifts this stylish space . . .
Setting the Scene
With its glamorous, opulent art deco aesthetic, the Beaufort Bar in the historic Savoy Hotel is one of the top destinations on London’s late-night bar scene. Renowned for its quality cocktails, vintage wines and rare spirits, and with top DJs providing the entertainment, the Beaufort Bar has become a favourite draw for private hire clients looking for a special, high-end nightspot to entertain guests.
Those expectations of exclusivity extend to the entertainment available, both for the bar’s nightly schedule and its exclusive, private events – and for that the quality of the sound system was key. “We explained that it needed a serious upgrade, because if entertainment isn’t supported by professional audio, then the whole package is flawed,” explains Nicky Caulfield, founder of The Savoy’s entertainment partner, Molto Music Group (MMG).
With this top-end rider-friendliness in mind, MMG highlighted the issues with the venue’s existing sound system and proposed a major upgrade. Caulfield, with a background as a musician in touring theatre, was aware of d&b audiotechnik as a brand, and after speaking with theatrical sound designers contacted d&b’s UK office to discuss the needs of the room.
Setting Objectives
After visiting the site, d&b’s system specialists began drawing up initial plans for a specification that would meet the desired quality.
d&b worked closely with MMG on the design, which would have to provide even coverage, with enough range and level to do justice to the music being played, as well as to create that feeling of luxury and comfort that is expected of such a space.
What’s more, as part of the installation, the hardware would have to be mounted on the ornate woodwork, and to fit in with the room’s distinctive jet-black and gold décor. Initially, the plan was to keep to the loudspeakers’ standard black finish – but Caulfield, with knowledge of d&b’s Custom Solutions Department, had an interesting new idea to make a stand-out statement in this high-end space.
He says, “I jokingly remarked about having gold loudspeakers. d&b confirmed that it was possible, and the plan took shape from there.”
The Solution
Working with d&b’s Custom Solutions team, each of the four d&b 8S loudspeakers installed in the corners of the room were customised with a 24-carat gold leaf finish.
As Marvin Denk, Production Manager Loudspeakers at d&b audiotechnik, explains, “This particular customer request for a gold leaf finish is a great example of how the d&b Custom solutions team can tailor a product to the specific aesthetic requirement, no matter how particular or unique.”
He adds, “We pride ourselves on always looking into fulfilling any customisation requests. We’re not limited by a pre-defined range of options and instead will explore how to make a brief happen.”
The four, gold leaf-finished 8S’ are supplemented by four Bi8 subwoofers, again one in each corner, with two E6 loudspeakers serving as DJ monitors. The entire system is powered by a pair of 5D amplifiers. “It seems like a lot of speakers for a small room,” says Caulfield, “but because there is now a much more even distribution of sound, the speakers don’t need to be driven hard to get the required energy and ambiance.”
He continues, “At MMG, we have built a lot of trust with our partners, and we are doing our utmost to ensure that a client’s technological offerings match the level of entertainment that they host, and d&b have really helped amplify this.”
Caulfield says that the Beaufort Bar’s new audio installation has raised awareness among staff of what is possible with audio. “It’s been eye-opening,” he says. “Using this project as a starting point, we hope to encourage other venues to invest in professional audio solutions that will last them a very long time.”
