UKSV Calls Upon WL to Expand EM Acoustics Inventory

UKSV’s Senior Operations Manager Nick Dean.

Hampshire-based UKSV has been in business for more than 30 years and originally specialised in general AV support of local hotels and businesses. Over the last 15 years or so the business emphasis has evolved from more of a production company into a creative communications agency solution. UKSV now has separate departments covering many different activities, such as communications, and digital media, while still majoring on live events. To offer clients the best technical support possible, the company recently decided to expand its audio inventory by investing in a range of EM Acoustic speakers. As an approved supplier of EM Acoustic products, they approached White Light to make the purchase.

UKSV’s Senior Operations Manager Nick Dean comments: “We have some major blue chip clients for whom we provide bespoke production services, and we take a lot of pride in using only the best equipment. However, as the company grew over the last few years, I began to feel that, from an operations point of view, our sound solution was probably our weakest link.” UKSV had been hiring speaker systems from WL in order to meet demand. However, due to their volume of work, this was far from the ideal situation.

Nick states: “We searched the market very thoroughly for 18 months or so looking specifically for loudspeaker systems that we could purchase. One of our freelance sound engineers and strategic partners, Gary Dixon, suggested that we look at EM Acoustics as he had been particularly impressed with the clarity of the HALO-C system.”

The company approached WL in order to initially demo the equipment. Leo Humphrey, WL’s Hire and Sales Co-Ordinator, comments: “Nick contacted us saying he wanted to hire an EMS system on a particular job in order to test the equipment and see how well it adapted within an events space. He immediately came back and told us how successful it went and that he wanted to use it on another show to ensure it could be utilised in a range of environments. After it performed above and beyond their expectations once again, they put together a specification list and asked us to quote on it.”

The equipment arrives at UKSV’s headquarters.

As a result, just before Christmas last year, UKSV took delivery of an EMS system from White Light which was designed to cater for their customers’ needs in a very flexible way, both now and with a view to the future. The speaker system is made up of six EMS-121X 12-inch two-way full range models and four EMS-115 single 15-inch quasi-bandpass subwoofers for the majority of front of house duties, plus six EMS-81X compact 8-inch two-way full range and six EMS-51 ultra-compact two-way speakers which are used mainly as fills depending on the event requirements. Everything is powered by three DQ10 switchmode four-channel advanced system amplifiers with full DSP onboard. WL even supplied custom panels complete with the UKSV logo.

Nick comments: “We knew we had a big event coming up in Dublin in January, so we opted for a system that would do everything we needed straight away, as opposed to a smaller system that we would need to add to on a dry hire basis. We wanted it to be as flexible as possible, and to work in different environments from venues such as the Heathrow Sofitel Terminal 5 to much smaller rooms, but with the same level of quality throughout”.

The equipment has already been used on a range of events.

The system supplied by WL would ensure that all of the company’s various events would receive the coverage they required. Nick states: “For some large shows, like Grosvenor House which is around 1,100 seats, we may be supplementing a house rig or doing the whole thing ourselves without needing to sub-hire anything in. Another job where we’ll use the whole system is at the Hilton in Park Lane, where we usually work on a conference during the day, followed by a turn-around for an awards show and gala dinner in the evening. At the other end of the scale we may be doing intimate events for as few as 50 people. For these, we’ve found that a pair of EMS-81 or EMS-121X plus some fills are more than enough for good coverage and clarity of speech, and if there is music playback we’ll also put some EMS-115 subs in. The speaker system we have now gives us a lot of flexibility to be able to do break-out workshop environments as well”.

Leo adds: “With UKSV, we have been able to provide a solution for their various requirements over the past year or so. From initialling hiring out the EM Speakers to helping oversee their eventual purchase of an EM System, we have been able to work closely with them and EM Acoustics to offer the exact equipment UKSV need to fulfil their varying client’s needs”.

Nick adds: “We are delighted with the guidance and professionalism from WL regarding our recent purchase. They were extremely helpful during every stage and made the entire process run very smooth. What’s also great is, while we now have our own system, we know that if we need to sub-hire in extra EM Acoustics equipment then we can always approach WL to do so”.

Photos courtesy of UKSV.