Nashville welcomes friends in low places with top-notch Honky-Tonk music sound.
Article Title: Revolutionary Sound System at Friends In Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk in Nashville
In the heart of downtown Nashville's vibrant "Neon Neighborhood" on Lower Broadway, the newly opened Friends In Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk has made a significant stride in enhancing the live music experience. The venue boasts a state-of-the-art sound system, designed and installed by Clair Global Integration (CGI), that sets it apart from its neighbours.
The sound system, a 60,000-watt Martin Audio system, is meticulously scaled to the venue's dimensions. Flanking stage enclosures provide coverage to both the main floor and balcony, ensuring every listener, regardless of their location, enjoys balanced, high-quality sound.
At the heart of this powerful setup is the DiGiCo Quantum225 console, paired with an L-Acoustics PA. According to Warren, Friends In Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk is the only venue on Lower Broadway to feature such a combination. This setup has earned praise from guitar players who have commended the sound quality of the Quantum225 console paired with the L-Acoustics A Series system.
Gianni Gambuzza, one of the technicians, praises the Quantum225 console for its performance, stating that it never slows down even after more than 16 hours of daily use. He also admires the desk's Mustard processing tube emulators for their ability to warm up vocals and tone down the harsh mids of an electric guitar.
To provide even and consistent coverage to both levels, 14 coaxial X8 loudspeakers are installed as balcony underfills, each powered by one of the 16 channels of an LA7.16i amplified controller. The rooftop bar, known as The Oasis, has a left-right sound system comprising an A10i Focus over an A10i Wide and one KS21i sub on either side.
Two KS21i subs are mounted behind the A15i hangs, and four KS28 subs are in custom-constructed cavities below the VIP areas. The nearby bar area is covered by eight X8 speakers with SB10i subs. The A Series speakers used in the venue deliver great sound with a lot more punch than expected from their size.
The console is configured to run up to a dozen stage wedges, but typically gets used to supply six stereo IEM mixes for performers. The DiGiCo Quantum225 console is utilized by freelance AV technicians at the mix position, located at the back of the bar, near stage left. It is set up with 48 stage inputs to accommodate the four-to-six member bands that perform there.
Nate Warren, another technician, highlights the desk's talkback system as a major benefit, particularly for troubleshooting issues more efficiently. The setup reflects a bold reinvention of a Nashville legend space, combining historic significance with modern technology, ensuring the bar's function as a live music venue where sound quality is crucial for artist performance and audience experience.
[1] Further technical details about speaker placement or acoustic treatments for the two-level coverage were not provided in the available sources. However, the choice of a high-wattage, professional-grade Martin Audio system strongly suggests the venue prioritizes a scalable, powerful, and acoustically balanced system to maintain consistent sound fidelity in multiple areas of the bar.
- The Friends In Low Places Bar & Honky-Tonk in Nashville, with its 60,000-watt Martin Audio system, has prioritized entertainment and music, ensuring a balanced, high-quality sound experience for all listeners across its two levels.
- The venue's state-of-the-art sound system, featuring a DiGiCo Quantum225 console and L-Acoustics A Series system, not only delivers exceptional music features but also stands out as a unique entertainment offering compared to other venues on Lower Broadway.
