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Top Restaurant in Shanghai gets an SPL Upgrade from K-array

pure-array-technologyIn early 2012, K-array was called upon by renowned chef, Paul Pairet to update the antiquated sound system he inherited from the previous tenants when he opened the modern French eatery, Mr & Mrs Bund in Shanghai, which now sits comfortably in the world’s Top 100 Restaurants. He felt the sound reproduction did not match the excellence of the food and one could instantly feel the disparity.

K-array successfully overcame the difficult challenge of filling the 2,700-cubic meter dining room in the 19th century historic building by installing a system of Kobra KK102 and KK52 loudspeakers supported by Thunder and Rumble subwoofers powered by a Kommander amplifier. The system was responsible for smooth and ample sound during dining hours, then producing more powerful acoustics for DJ setups, parties and private events later in the evening and the owners couldn’t be happier.

In fact, when the time came to recently renovate the space, they looked to the Italian manufacturer again to upgrade their system to get more SPL for a big-time sound. Leveraging their Pure Array Technology (PAT) with true line array characteristics, K-array installed a total of 18 Python KP52 line arrays customized in white combined with eight Rumble KU210 compact subwoofers powered by three Kommander KA24 amplifiers. With no crossover and no reflex, the Pythons show a perfect phase response both in the near and in the far fields, which makes it the perfect solution to cover the long distance of the dining room uniformly.

The system is nearly invisible and blends into the architecture of the restaurant elegantly. Diners experience high fidelity sound during all phases of the evening and perfect stereo image given the crossed stereo configuration, providing a totally new experience and supporting Pairet’s vision for a contemporary establishment.

The audio is not the only Tuscan design element at the restaurant; Enomatic, an innovative system for preserving and serving wine by the glass, is also utilized to provide a high-level dining experience. Similar to K-array, technologically-advanced solutions, innovative design and produced entirely in Italy are just some of the main hallmarks of Enomatic wine serving systems, which is why the two often partner for various applications.

“The food is amazing, the wine is high-quality and the audio is impeccable,” says Marc Vincent, K-array Area Sales Manager – APAC, and frequent diner at Mr & Mrs Bund. “It’s a great pairing in every sense of the meaning.”

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