Budget AV Solution For London Hotel
Read how brothers Jack and Elliott Smith have found success with AV installations across the leisure sector.
Identify Your Market
We’re directors of Sound Stage Lighting Live (SSL Live), based in the north west of England but with a nationwide reach. We started the business in 2017, mainly doing event production, but now focus more on sound and lighting for clients across gyms, bars, hotels and night clubs.
Listen to Your Clients
Over the past year, we’ve installed background sound systems in properties in Dublin and London for Point A Hotels. They’re a pocket-friendly hotel group so ask for a budget-ish AV solution. Our answer is a basic mixer with easy-to-install ceiling speakers dotted around the reception, public bathrooms and communal breakfast and bar areas.
Choose Tried And True Brands
Responding to a similar brief for a third hotel in London’s Docklands, we mixed and matched three brands: Cloud’s basic mic/line mixer with two RSL-6B wall plate controls, 12 Thin Edge 2-Way Ceiling Speakers from Biamp with built-in loudspeakers, and the budget-friendly Studiomaster HX4-600 Digital Power Amplifier.
We particularly love Biamp. With some ceiling speakers, you’re messing about trying to place the grill in and it’s a bit of a nightmare. Biamp ceiling speakers, though, are brilliant because they’ve got a thin-edge and magnetic grille which really nails the installation process. There’s potential to improve the sound quality but they’re discreet so fit their purpose well for hotel receptions and bathrooms. They’ve not failed us yet.
Order From a Dependable Supplier
We regularly use Leisuretec as they're a great one-stop supplier. We keep coming back to them because they’re reliable on delivery and we enjoy the relationship we have with them. If we place an order by 12 noon we receive it the next day whereas if we were to buy product direct from a manufacturer it would be late nine times out of ten. When we ring Leisuretec, they always answer the phone, too, which is massive for us. It sounds ridiculous and basic but very few companies actually do that.
Embrace the Challenges
For this install, the hotel wanted the reliability of a big brand but at a budget price, which did inform our direction. This was a very basic two-zone system, so Cloud suited the spec even though there are more digital solutions now coming into the market. As it was a new build, it was also important that the aesthetic was neat – Biamp speakers have no rim so they look good and you can spray the grills quite easily if the decorators want to paint. They just work really well for this type of application. The result is a clean aesthetic that suits a contemporary London hotel.
About Leisuretec
Established in 1990, we are Trade Distributors of Professional and Commercial Audio, Lighting, Video, Special Effects and Ancillary. Through our AV Hire Production, AV Installation and Re-seller customers we address the live entertainment, leisure, commercial, residential and retail markets throughout the UK.
We support our trade customers with immense stock holding across a vast choice of products, knowledgeable technical support, competitive trade pricing, speedy delivery and attentive after-sales support.