The new Atlantis The Royal luxury hotel in Dubai offers 17 restaurants as well as numerous common areas that are all equipped with sound reinforcement systems utilizing more than 400 discreetly placed Meyer Sound self-powered loudspeakers.
Developed by Investment Corporation of Dubai, the hotel’s audio brief was communicated to media consultant Mediatech and the firm’s principal consultant on the project, Ged King. Because the audio systems could in no way intrude on the visual aesthetics of the restaurants and most common areas, Mediatech specified four models incorporating Meyer Sound’s proprietary IntelligentDC technology, including MM-4XP and UP-4XP compact loudspeakers as well as Ashby-8C ceiling loudspeakers and MM-10 compact subwoofers. For larger ballroom spaces, the brief specified a system employing digitally steered CAL column array loudspeakers.
Meyer Sound’s partner in the region, Systech Middle East, coordinated all logistics involving the loudspeakers, working in close coordination with the overall AV and IT systems integrator for the project, GBM.
The dining areas presented the main challenge of providing an aural experience that suffuses the room with full-bodied sound that was enjoyably evocative yet never aggressively intrusive. “At Atlantis The Royal we deliver bespoke experiences to our guests,” says Richard Carter, director of Audio Visual Facilities ATR, Atlantis Dubai. “As part of these experiences, high-quality entertainment within our restaurants is paramount. The use of Meyer Sound systems to reproduce and amplify this entertainment in an even way, while using discreet loudspeakers, has proven to be a great advantage.”
The brief for audio systems was handed to Mediatech back in 2017, and the project was then delayed by the pandemic. By the time construction had proceeded to the point where loudspeakers were required, Meyer Sound had discontinued the UP-4XP and replaced it with the narrower UP-4slim. Although the technical performance was comparable, the changes in dimensions would require some construction adjustments and offer a different look where the loudspeakers were mounted in the open. To prevent any potential glitches, Meyer Sound brought the UP-4XP back out of retirement, building a custom lot for the project and finishing each with the exact RAL colors required.
“This was a bit unusual, but certainly not unprecedented,” notes Andrea Granata, Meyer Sound’s sales manager for the Middle East and Africa. “For a company of our size and global reach, we offer exceptional flexibility in adapting our manufacturing to meet specific and unusual customer needs.”
Among the many restaurant spaces, the third-floor Gastronomy, with seating for 950, presented a particular audio challenge because of its size and multiple themed areas. To provide added flexibility, the system was zoned into 15 distinct areas.
“The challenges to providing audio in Gastronomy were made easier by the coverage provided by the Meyer Sound loudspeakers, “says Carter. “And, where required, we could individually control each speaker, giving us the ability to precisely zone each area.”
A sampling of other dining areas include Dinner by Heston Blumenthal (32 MM-4XP loudspeakers and four MM-10 subwoofers) and the Peruvian-themed La Mer (21 MM-4XP plus three MM-10). Similar systems inhabit Jaleo by José Andrés and Ariana’s Persian Kitchen. Additional systems bathe the 22nd floor’s Cloud 22 and the nearby poolside cabanas with sound from, all told, 32 UP-4XP and 45 MM-4XP loudspeakers aided on the bottom end by 23 MM-10 subwoofers.
In most dining areas, the sound level varies from subtle ambient background to pleasantly present foreground. However, in the Resonance Bar by Heston, the volume can be stepped up a notch or two when the sun goes down and the resident DJ steps in working with a dozen UP-4XP loudspeakers bolstered by four MM-10 subwoofers.
For larger indoor gatherings (lectures, conferences, gala dinners, etc.), Atlantis The Royal offers a 10,000 m2 ballroom that can be divided into three separate spaces by moveable walls. Each of the three areas is equipped with a dedicated pair of CAL 32 column array loudspeakers that can be digitally steered for precise coverage. Each space also has a pair of MM-10 subwoofers to boost the low end. When the three spaces are combined into one ballroom, coverage throughout is anchored by a pair of CAL 64 loudspeakers.
“This project was not without challenges, but thanks to the diligence of our partners, all were managed skillfully and everything performed without a hitch for the opening,” concludes Granata. “At Meyer Sound, we were pleased to be part of a project that — across the board — has raised the bar for excellence in the hospitality industry.”
