Ibiza Rocks in Spain recently replaced its aging sound reinforcement system headed by a range of JBL Professional loudspeakers to deliver upgraded audio for its guests while minimizing disturbances to local residents.
Originally conceived as a live music night at Manumission, Ibiza Rocks evolved to include both live bands and DJs as headliners, and in 2008, the venue transitioned into a hotel with a poolside stage and a full schedule of events throughout the season. The recent upgrade includes a new stage position in addition to the sound system upgrade.
“We had a circular stage for a long time and a peripheral system going round the venue,” explains Stuart Harris, event and production manager, Ibiza Rocks. “It proved difficult for many reasons, and that’s when we started looking at what kind of stage are we going to use, where is the stage going to be, and what kind of PA are we going to use. We’re very happy with the new JBL system and all the artists are very happy with the sound. We’ve gained 5 to 6 dB within the venue with the JBL setup and we’re not upsetting our neighbors, which is huge for us.”
“We were all very sensitive to the neighbors near the venue, so we saw an opportunity to not only accommodate what the venue required, but also limit any disruption to the area,” adds Carlos Nager, senior application engineer, HARMAN Professional. “We designed the system with that in mind to achieve a very good SPL and coverage inside the performance area while trying to avoid spilling a lot of noise outside of the venue.”
The venue is now served by main left-right arrays of six VTX A8 line array elements, with two hangs of VTX A6 compact line arrays for out fill. Supporting the main system, four AC28 loudspeakers serve as the delay fills for the balcony, and the same number of CBT 1000 column loudspeakers cover areas further away from the stage to ensure an even sound field. Additional AC28 cabinets provide the punchy and powerful sound requested for the VIP areas located on the side stages.
“One of the good things about the VTX A8 series is the definition and clarity that you get from it,” says Chris Wood, head of sound at Ibiza Rocks. “If you have more definition and clarity, there’s no excuse to just reach for the volume to make up for stuff that isn’t really there. That really helps with keeping what is perceived loudness down and keeping the clarity up and everyone happy as well. We’ve moved in a really good direction for Ibiza Rocks. I think this will be a very good system for the venue for many years. I couldn’t be happier.”
To bolster the low end, a dozen JBL VTX B15G subwoofers are deployed in cardioid mode to deliver balanced bass response across the performance area while minimizing spill behind the subs.
“This season at Ibiza Rocks, the new JBL sound system has absolutely killed it for me,” says Joel Corry, DJ and producer. “Every side of the venue, every space in the venue, you can hear the music so loud and clearly and you can feel the bass. I love playing on it, and the party goes off each and every week.”
“The sound this year was incredible,” adds Shosh, DJ and producer. “JBL brought their A-game. You know that the equipment and the audio setup are professional, it’s tight and it’s there to back the performance.”
