A brand new LINA sound reinforcement system was the order of the day for City Winery New York when it recently opened its doors for ticketed live music after a year-plus hiatus, with the venue’s CEO and founder, Michael Dorf, hailing its performance as “magic”.
With a new flagship location inside the redeveloped Pier 57 on the Hudson River, City Winery New York - as with seven other City Winery locations - relies exclusively on Meyer Sound systems for sound reinforcement. However, its New York location is the first to incorporate LINA line array loudspeakers.
“I have confidence in my own ears, but more confidence in the ears of musicians who have played here — and they have been ecstatic,” says Dorf. “The combination of the room acoustic and the LINA system is magic. Steve Earle said during his acoustic set that the sound in the room was the best he had heard in any venue. And when Willie Nile came with his four-piece classic rock band the room and the system handled it beautifully. Willie even said that the bar had been raised for sound in New York and claimed that this was the city’s ‘new temple of rock.’”
The new system features twin arrays of eight LINA loudspeakers, with sides, front center and stage corner areas and balcony VIP areas covered respectively by UPQ-1P, UPJ-1P loudspeakers and UPJunior loudspeakers. Bass projects through a center cardioid array of three 900-LFC low-frequency control elements, supplemented by four 750‑LFC elements (one over each array, two under the stage).
Meanwhile, two GALAXY 816 Network Platforms provide system drive and optimization, with artist foldback handled by 10 MJF-210 stage monitors.
Marc Colletti, the City Winery national production and technical director, delivered an assortment of culinary analogies in describing the new Meyer Sound system.
“Think of the artists on stage as beef,” he implores. “Everyone loves beef and everyone makes a reservation at the best restaurant in eager anticipation to bring their significant other out for a night on the town to sink their teeth into the beef. The sound engineer is the chef. Beef is the star of the show, but with the chef’s masterful preparation and grill execution, the beef shines on the plate (stage) and the dinner goers delight as their taste buds dance and their dinner expectations are surpassed.
“For a master chef to prepare prime beef, they need the right tools,” he continues. “A grill that can blaze hot but has tremendous dynamic control while always allowing the chef to use it as an extension of their creative vision, rather than the chef running for the fire extinguisher! Exit the kitchen analogies and enter the Meyer LINA at City Winery NYC!”
