With a recent client list including the likes of Pet Shop Boys, Queens of the Stone Age, The Editors, The Hoosiers, Ladyhawke, John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Ray Davis, Noah and the Whale, Jocelyn Brown and Kasabian, London’s The Joint is a popular rehearsal and song writing complex for high profile acts who need the combination of high quality sound and a relaxed, creative atmosphere. Having just opened five more performance spaces, two of which feature Turbosound audio systems, the facility is set to become even more popular.
The Joint was established in 1994, moving to its current premises six years ago, with excellent audio always being at the heart of its ethic.
“There are a lot of purpose-built studios in the recording industry, but in the rehearsal industry there’s a tendency to have big industrial aircraft hanger-style buildings with a bit of acoustic treatment. While the smaller spaces are just houses converted into rooms with cardboard boxes on walls,” says The Joint’s joint managing director Katya Follett.
“Our aim has always been to have rehearsal rooms with really good quality sound, an approach which I believe is unique. And, having opened the five new studios, we’ve now effectively doubled in size.”
The Joint’s main new space is its flagship Sound Stage, a large room which features a main PA system comprising Turbosound TXD-252 dual 15″ active/passive loudspeakers, TXD-118 18” subs, TXD-15M 15” wedge monitors and a TXD-151 15” drum fill.
Red Plus, a smaller room adjacent to Sound Stage, features a main system comprising TXD-151 and TXD-115 speakers, with further TXD-15M wedge monitors and TXD-151 drum fills.
“We are positioning ourselves as one of the best rehearsal studios in London. We can’t do that in terms of size because we don’t have rooms as large as the aircraft hanger-style facilities, but what we do have is the highest quality sound,” continues Katya.
“That’s why we used Turbosound, because we wanted to have both great sound quality and a good name associated with the rooms. We knew that the Turbosound name would make people realise that the spaces were very well equipped.”
Because of Turbosound’s extensive range of high quality products, choosing exactly the right loudspeakers for the new rooms took time, but it was well worth the effort in order to get exactly the right result.
“We bought all the equipment specifically with the individual rooms in mind, so we had to take time to find the right combination of equipment,” says Katya.
In addition Green Room, one of The Joint’s existing spaces, has also seen a significant audio upgrade, again using Turbosound equipment.
“As part of the process of developing the new studios, we looked at how we were going to fit the specifications of our existing rooms within the overall range of our studios,” says Katya.
“We decided to improve the Green room, which had been our best studio until we opened the new facilities, by upgrading from a four way monitor system to six way. Because Turbosound monitors are compact but powerful, we were able to upgrade the specification, but not lose any space. We also improved the PA with further Turbosound loudspeakers and power amps, which brings it into line with the facilities of the new spaces.”
The popularity of the new audio systems at The Joint was instantly proved, with all three new rooms fully booked for the first three nights after opening and one enjoying a ‘lock out’ block booking for two and a half weeks within its first month of use.
“We’re doing well despite the current climate. Bookings are healthy and clients really appreciate the audio quality that we’re striving for. We’re very proud of the new facilities,” Katya concludes.
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