One of London’s most famous dance venues has been fitted out with a Martin Audio system, courtesy of Bedford-based Creative Technologies.

The former Legends — in Mayfair’s Old Burlington Street — has been acquired by Mark Fuller’s Embassy Restaurants Ltd, following the sale of his previous venues, Sugar Reef and Red Cube to Chorion plc.

Fuller — with partner Garry Hollihead and operations director, Gina Campbell-Clough — has renamed the venue The Embassy — in deference to the famous venue that flourished in nearby Old Bond Street in the early 1980’s, where he also worked.

Creative Technologies’ relationship with Fuller extends back to his days when he ran Little Havana. The company also installed Sugar Reef, but according to managing director, Rob Ferguson, this is their most sophisticated fit-out yet, as the combination of Martin Audio components and Soundweb networking will provide a level of local control in each
sound zone.

Powered by QSC amplification, the system has been designed to allow for expansion should the venue wish to bring in live acts, but for the most part music will be played back from a Rolec hard disk machines, as well as by the DJs — working Technics SL-1210 decks, mixed via the now obligatory Allen & Heath Xone 6:2 — and a five-play Denon CD player.

This is fed for the most part to Martin Audio loudspeakers — eight EM15’s, ten EM26’s and four Blackline F15’s, as well as some pre-existing other-branded subs, in which Creative Technologies have replaced the drivers.

These feature in the dance area basement where a Blackline F15 is flown in each of the four corners, working in tandem with some floor-mounted EM26’s.

The EM15’s can be found on the mezzanine vantage point, and in the ground floor restaurant along with some JBL Control 26 ceiling speakers.

The ceiling lighting features Pulsar’s LED eyeball fixtures, the ChromaLights. Thirty of these were specified by Chris Shead of World Lighting With Technical Solutions. A Pulsar Masterpiece Replay 216 controls all the lighting, including 40 Martin Pro Minimac profiles, via two outstations, offering 24-button operation.

Commented Rob Ferguson: “We chose Martin Audio for a combination of factors — strong third-party recommendation, the brand’s reputation and its versatility.

“It’s the first time we’ve worked with these products and it’s definitely not the last, as Blackline was a dream to rig.

“But the key in the end was the system’s versatility, which enabled us to get the graduation right between the upper restaurant and lower dance floors.”