For any British music aficionado ‘Denmark Street’ conjures up images of the music management and publishing companies of the 1950s, as well as the music shops and recording studios which filled the street in the 1960s and 1970s.
Located in this historic part of London’s West End, the new and independent brand ‘Chateau Denmark’ consists of 55 rooms and apartments set across 16 buildings and signifies a deep-rooted homage to musical roots, and it is here that you will find some unique Void Acoustics systems.
Synonymous with the British music scene from these significant decades, Chateau Denmark is an example of collaboration at its best. Every detail has been meticulously considered from soft furnishings to bespoke fixtures and fittings. Professional audio company Void Acoustics features strongly in the line-up of designers and brands, chosen for the synchronicity of the design philosophies.
The high-end Void Acoustics specification at Chateau Denmark was driven by the team, who have enjoyed the Void Acoustics ‘sound’ at countless public and private venues. Through a close collaboration with residential and commercial systems integrator Butler Harwell, Void Acoustics’ design and technical team worked with precision and commitment to deliver the best audio installation for the property.
“It has been a phenomenal project to work on” said Callum Bowran, Applications & Support Manager for Void Acoustics. “The history of Denmark Street validates Chateau Denmark as a music-focussed place of the highest order for its high-end clientele. The brief was clear – to provide exceptional individual audio systems to go into the “session rooms” and apartments. It was a brief like no other including bespoke systems in the bedrooms, as well as separate systems integrated into the bathrooms of each space.”
“We have been working with Butler Harwell for over two years specifying, designing, and deploying the systems. Working in buildings over 100 years old presented us with some additional challenges,” continues Callum. “Simply put, the building spaces and Void are diametrically opposite – very quirky old structures meet futuristic and state-of-the-art kit! But this made it an even more interesting project, which we all embraced.”
“I had not previously worked with Void Acoustics,” confirms Tom Butler, MD of Butler Harwell, the AV integrators for the project. “But with the Chateau Denmark team influencing the deployment of Void Acoustics, we were excited to embrace the unique hybrid aspect of the project.”
“We had to ensure that the Void Acoustics products being installed could live up to the neighbourhood’s notoriety within the music industry. We had to be precise and exacting with every element of the technical integration,” adds Tom. “Void understood this in the brief, along with the technical challenges we were faced with.”
Key Void products featured in the guest apartments include the Air Motion and Airten V3 from Void’s flagship Air Series. Both products are celebrated in the audio industry for their unorthodox design and exceptionally balanced sound. Alongside this, the Sub Vantage subwoofer has also been deployed for low-frequency coverage and the systems are all powered by the user-friendly Bias amplifiers.
Sculpted Cyclone 10, Cyclone 55, and Air 8 loudspeakers can be found in several apartments, easily distinguished by Void’s fibreglass enclosures. The lower ends of the frequency spectrum are provided by the active Venu 210i V2 and passive Venu 208. Joining the Void Acoustics product range this year was the Venu 208, recommended for the project based on its extremely compact nature and high-power output. All products except the powered Venu 210i V2 are run through Bias amplifiers, ensuring quality and maximising the performance of the systems thanks to the range of optimised custom presets.
The designers opted for Air 8 loudspeakers in several rooms, where alternative products were also in consideration. However, the fibreglass speakers were selected especially based on their aesthetic appearance, and their bold stylistic impact in installations. The Air 8 was also adopted for its impressive 119 dB (cont.) output and optimised dispersion pattern.
With each bathroom specification, Void’s IP-55 rated Cyclone series loudspeakers presented a robust and long-lasting solution that perfectly aligned with the brief. Technical considerations for the bathroom included the length of the floorplan, which was tackled by the Cyclone 55’s wide dispersion pattern, reducing the need for additional loudspeakers. In addition, the presence of humidity and likelihood of temperature fluctuation was a challenge best combated with the weather-protected Cyclone series, equipped with an IP-55 rating and offering much greater acoustic fidelity over traditional ceiling speakers.
The rooms of Chateau Denmark embrace a less traditional format with quirky floorplans embraced throughout – leaving insufficient space for a traditionally sized amplifier rack. Enter the bespoke, one-off design of the Bias T1 amplifier module, a custom-made 4-channel amplifier solution with audio DSP control. Designed to ensure optimal performance from the system whilst accommodating the limited space available in the apartments.
A collaboration with interior designer Taylor Howes to install the Venu 210i V2 subwoofer for the Air 8 speakers resulted in them being built into the sofas in each apartment. “Another space-saving exercise which we were thrilled that Void Acoustics were prepared to accommodate,” comments Tom. The Venu 210i V2 was utilised in several rooms for its built-in amplifier and DSP, which dramatically reduces the need for additional equipment and amplifier racks, alongside allowing the system to be controlled remotely, in a nature that is user-friendly.
“The choice of the speaker models we have installed in Chateau Denmark may raise eyebrows,” smiles Callum. “It’s a killer place with a stunning looking result where the attention to detail is exceptional. We anticipate this will be the first of many collaborations with Butler Harwell.”
And the reaction so far? “I would say overwhelming surprise mixed with some bewilderment” smiles Tom. “But” he concludes, “there is no doubt in my opinion, it is the best sounding Chateau in the world!”
The collaboration with Chateau Denmark has positioned Void Acoustics firmly as a key player when it comes to professional audio for luxury hospitality places. This is demonstrated by their recent installation in the Parisian hotel, Hotel Dame des Arts, which opens in the autumn.
