Designing and Installing Audio Systems for The Alchemist Group

The Alchemist experience is like no other as soon as one steps in; it’s difficult not to get immersed in the mysterious atmosphere created by the extravagant décor, excellent food selection, and drinks that expert mixologists regularly conjure to enchant their patrons. “It’s theatre served!” Paul Mitchel, Property Director for The Alchemist, explains, quickly highlighting the importance of music in delivering the theatrical experience, “Everything needs to be done at that excellent level; the food, the drinks, and obviously, the sound is part of it.”

Most of The Alchemist’s 20+ locations open their doors in the morning, allowing their customers to experience a little bit of magic throughout the day, adjusting food and drink menus accordingly. Thus, to not break the spell, the music part of the experience also has a vital role to play, posing an exciting challenge to Adlib’s Installation Manager, Richard Murphy.

“They need daytime music to be warm, background music with nice levels and coverage across the restaurants, but then in the evening, it ramps up to being at club levels. And our loudspeakers can also handle that level of audio,” he explains.

An example configuration at one of The Alchemist’s Manchester locations includes Adlib’s signature 10 x AA81 and 2 x AA12is, coupled with JBL’s ceiling line of loudspeakers such as 4 x JBL Control 45/T and Control 40CS/T. Crown XIi is used for amplification, and Symetrix Jupiter8 for processing, whereas house and visiting DJs have Pioneer equipment at their disposal.

The installed audio system ensures excellent audio quality and coverage at all levels throughout the venue, with the added benefit of not skipping a beat when the DJ takes over and transforms the restaurant into a hot spot cocktail bar at the weekend.

Before becoming their National Installer, Adlib completed audio installation projects in Liverpool, Newcastle, Oxford, and Nottingham, thus showcasing high-quality products and services to the Cheshire brand.

After many successful installations, the relationship between the two North West companies continued to grow: “It’s a real team ethos; it makes my life easier, so that’s why we continue to use them, " Paul explains. “What Adlib bring to The Alchemist Group is a level of consistency and getting the installation done on time and budget”, Richard adds.

Thanks to a great ongoing relationship, Adlib’s installation team is heavily involved in the early drawings and specification decision-making stages. This allows Richard and his team to design and install bespoke audio solutions whilst the new venue is still being built. “When we’re on-site, everything flows smoothly, and we hand over on time. The operations are happy, and they can open. There are no headaches, and that’s what I get from Adlib,” Paul concludes.