MANCHESTER, United Kingdom – February 2024 – Manchester’s vibrant Spinningfields district is home to the city’s most popular museums, bars, restaurants, and shops. This cultural centre recently welcomed a new dining destination with the opening of Sexy Fish, a name already synonymous with culinary glamour in London and Miami. The restaurant comprises a main dining room, a late-night bar, and a semi-private dining space known as ‘The Tropical Reef Room’, which can accommodate 30 guests. Sexy Fish Manchester features sculptures by Damien Hirst, fish-shaped lamps designed by Frank Gehry, and a pink onyx bar where guests can enjoy a comprehensive selection of champagne. Its liveliness is further mirrored by its line-up of events, including dinner parties where the restaurant becomes a world-class entertainment venue, hosting an impressive range of international performers and DJs.
Owned by British entrepreneur Richard Caring of Caprice Holdings, Sexy Fish has long been a fixture in the global high-end dining scene with restaurants in London and Miami, and now Manchester. Spearheaded by Danny Kissane, Group Technical Manager at The Birley Clubs, the collaboration between Sexy Fish and L-Acoustics was a natural progression facilitated by L-Acoustics Certified Provider Integrator Marquee AV. The Shepperton-based AV company already had a solid foundation of successful collaboration with Caprice Holdings, including L-Acoustics installations at luxury Greek-inspired restaurant Bacchanalia.
Considering the L-shaped venue, with its 7-metre-high ceilings, and luxurious materials such as the Verde Esmerelda stone floor, and a series of bespoke glass columns created by master Venetian glassmakers on the island of Murano, it was essential to design a sound system capable of providing comprehensive but targeted coverage in the highly reflective space. The Marquee AV team used L-Acoustics 3D audio mapping software Soundvision to navigate the complexities of the venue’s acoustics and find strategic positions from which the speakers would provide comprehensive coverage, particularly in the bar area where placement options were limited. “Our goal was to keep acoustic energy lower down in the venue to minimise reflections, and L-Acoustics was the ideal choice for delivering a premium sound experience in the unique and reflective space that is Sexy Fish,” comments Stacey Tough, Project Director at Marquee AV.
Marquee AV selected a mix of L-Acoustics A Series and X Series. The space features fifteen L-Acoustics A10i Wide loudspeakers with Panflex for adjustable horizontal dispersion, as well as ten compact X8 coaxial speakers for clear and powerful sound dotted throughout. Low-end extension is provided by seven L-Acoustics SB10i subwoofers, two SB15m subwoofers, and two KS21i subwoofers. One LA12X, three LA4X, and two LA2Xi amplified controllers power the entire system.
“The L-Acoustics sound system played a pivotal role in enhancing the variety of dinner events and parties hosted, contributing to the enveloping audio experience that complements the visual and culinary delights of Sexy Fish. We chose L-Acoustics because of their reputation for exceptional soundscapes in high-end hospitality spaces and their products’ unmatched versatility. The result is a seamless integration of the L-Acoustics sound system, delivering impeccable sound quality. While the venue is still in its early stages, initial feedback from the launch party and subsequent events has been overwhelmingly positive, signalling the success of the L-Acoustics installation,” concludes Tough.
About L-Acoustics
L-Acoustics is renowned for developing innovative sound systems and technologies that elevate the listening experience. Founded in France in 1984, L-Acoustics currently employs 800 team members worldwide, with headquarters in Paris, London, Los Angeles, and Singapore. Recognized for pioneering the line source array, L-Acoustics continues to shape the future of sound with solutions such as L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound
technology offering multi-dimensional audio. In recognition of introducing ground-breaking creative technologies, L-Acoustics was named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2020 and 2023.
L-Acoustics sound systems can be heard around the globe in venues like the Hollywood Bowl and the Philharmonie de Paris, at the world’s top-grossing festivals such as Coachella and Tomorrowland, and on tour with world-class artists such as Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Foo Fighters, and Jacky Cheung.
About Marquee AV:
Marquee AV is a company that specialises in providing bespoke audio-visual solutions for events and venues. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Marquee AV has a reputation for excellence and innovation. Marquee AV offers a range of services, including design, installation, hire, sales, and maintenance of AV equipment. Marquee AV works with a variety of clients, such as corporate, education, entertainment, and hospitality sectors. Marquee AV is based in Shepperton, Surrey, and operates across the UK and Europe.
