John Lyons’s latest Hollywood venture,
, is a tribute to the glamour of a bygone era. Best described as a classic club with a contemporary twist, Bardot evokes the mood and feeling of Old Hollywood while catering to the intelligent music lovers of today. The club sits on the second floor of the Avalon building at the corner of Hollywood and Vine, a spot that first opened in 1927.
“Bardot was designed with a throwback to the classic Hollywood vibe,”? says Lyons. “Bardot is a place where people can socialize and be entertained. A large part of the environment is the stream of eclectic entertainment, which is unique and different from traditional nightclubs.”?
Bardot’s distinctive environment is also one of the first installation sites for the new
from
. Prophile was developed and engineered with input from Lyons’s vast experience operating venues like Avalon Hollywood, Martini Park, and other East Coast ventures via Lyons Group in Boston. “The product started with an idea and a blank slate,”? says Lyons, referring to his idea-sharing with Fulcrum’s veteran engineers. “The market was missing a club loudspeaker that can offer the depth and clarity of sound like near-field monitors in a home studio. I wanted dance club speakers that could replicate a studio experience at dance club levels.”?
Bardot’s eclectic music lineup and ever-changing format was the perfect challenge for Fulcrum’s new loudspeaker line. Each night of the week brand managers Jason Scoppa and Alexi Yulish craft an homage to a different musical genre that showcase up-and-coming artists in a setting meant to evoke a special time or place in Hollywood’s history. Bardot showcases live music with very little traditional techno or clubland music. Therefore, the loudspeakers needed to provide sound clarity, intelligibility, and versatility to accommodate the varying performers – from jazz and rock to dance music or big band.
Prophile embodies Lyons’s ideas in a sleek and elegant package that satisfies the aesthetic requirements of high profile nightclubs like Bardot. “Bardot is an example of how the prevalent architectural style of nightclubs has changed. Nightclubs are no longer large, blank spaces with theatrical lighting. Prophile is a performance loudspeaker that works well in today’s highly styled, highly visual clubs,”? says David Gunness, chief technical officer for Fulcrum Acoustic, who developed the Prophile series based on Lyons’s feedback. “Nightclubs have invested in design and architecture; therefore, the loudspeakers need to look like they belong there without compromising performance.”?
The environment at Bardot includes intimate spaces such as the Upper Lounge, where Prophile XLS loudspeakers are installed. Guests sit nestle in banquettes to enjoy a drink or a meal while listening to the entertainment. The flat-front Prophile XLS loudspeakers are recessed into the soffits, providing even sound coverage and clarity without the clutter.
The Prophile XLS is a full-range coaxial horn that provides 90×45 degrees coverage in a low profile, horizontal form factor, perfect for spaces with low ceilings and limited space for sound equipment. The XLS features twin neodymium 12-inch horn drivers, specially designed with Fulcrum’s innovative ventilated horn technology, and Fulcrum’s Temporal Equalization (TQ) signal processing technology. “The XLS has exceptionally high output for its size,”? says Gunness. “This means that Bardot will not run out of headroom, even on the loudest, most raucous night.”?
Fulcrum Acoustic Prophile SS18 subwoofers are also installed under the DJ platform to provide low frequency coverage in a compact enclosure. The high output 30”? x 21”? x 42”? subs hide neatly out of the way while complementing the Prophile XLS loudspeakers installed overhead.
Prophile’s discrete installation techniques also fit Bardot’s vibe of a personal and intimate experience. The club does not advertise nor send blast emails out to a collected list; invitations are either personally hand-delivered or spread by word-of-mouth. “We wanted performers as part of the audience – an intimate and impromptu kind of feel where the line between customers and performers is a blurry one,”? says Lyons. “The sound source isn’t localized because the band plays all over the room. They can set up wherever it feels right. Bardot’s sound system is designed with versatility for impromptu performances. There is not one listening spot in the room that is painful or distorted.”?
Bardot’s growing fan base is a diverse group of people. Its inclusionary attitude and high quality musical presentations have drawn music lovers from all corners of Los Angeles including celebrities as assorted as Ryan Gosling, Joaquin Pheonix, Gina Gershon, Josh Groban, and Mick Jagger.
About Fulcrum Acoustic
Founded in 2008, Fulcrum Acoustic seeks to advance the state-of-the-art for the professional sound reinforcement market. Fulcrum develops new methods that improve the performance of audio equipment by combining advanced signal processing techniques, never previously used in audio, with solid electro-acoustical design principles.
With Fulcrum, company founders David Gunness, Stephen Siegel, and Chris Alfiero continue to build on decades of combined professional expertise. Together, the principals have effected change and innovation for a variety of professional sound companies, including Electro-Voice (EV) and Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW). Through the course of many products and projects, they developed a shared vision for advanced DSP algorithms to achieve results not possible through electro-mechanical solutions alone.
