Ghost Notes, a new bar and music venue in the heart of South East London’s trendy Peckham, hosts an array of music each week, ranging from live bands and DJs, through to spoken word and speeches.
To cope with this diverse array of events and the building’s challenging acoustics, SSE Audio has installed an L‑Acoustics X Series system, providing Ghost Notes with a high-quality solution that also delivers on brand recognition, thus meeting the demands of visiting artists and engineers.
Ghost Notes, which shares its space with sister business vegetarian and vegan restaurant Wildflowers, is located within the Peckham Levels, a thriving multi-use business space with a host of facilities for local creatives and professionals. The Levels is a converted multi-storey carpark and the venue is situated within a wide, low-ceilinged, concrete room.
“Providing a system that can deliver a high-quality audio reproduction across a wide range of events can be challenging in itself,” says L‑Acoustics application engineer Jeff Woodford, who worked with SSE on the project. “But the width of the room, the low ceiling height, and all-round highly reflective surfaces posed an additional challenge for the audio design.”
SSE Audio opted for an FOH system that comprises a pair of L‑Acoustics X12, chosen for their short throw and ellipsoid directivity to minimise reflections, with the venue financing the new installation using SSE Audio’s Contract Rental model, rather than an outright purchase. This has a number of advantages for Ghost Notes, including the option to adapt the equipment as required without spending a lot of money on support to resolve technical issues, which forms a part of all contract rentals, improving cash flow with an agreement designed to have a substantially lower monthly cost than buying on a lease.
The X12 are flown from the ceiling in a left-right configuration suspended via channel fixed to the underside of the ceiling slab. Drop rods lower the cabinets to direct sound under the ceiling beams. A further two X12, used as infills or stage monitors, are supplemented by two ground-stacked SB18 on either side of the stage. An additional two X12 provide dedicated DJ or stage monitors. Eight ceiling-mounted X8 cabinets, using the same channel and drop rod configuration, provide delay and infills.
The system is powered by five L‑Acoustics LA4X which were programmed on-site via the LA Network Manager control software. The system also includes a digital mixing console and a digital networked audio processor for routing and controlling audio from remote panels around the room.
“Multi-use capability was a major factor in SSE’s specification of L-Acoustics for the venue and X Series is a perfect solution,” says SSE Sales Director Alex Penn. “The venue’s manager, Russell Porter, says the system is excellent for live bands as well as DJs, and he’s delighted with just how suitable the sound system is for the varied programmes Ghost Notes hosts.”
