With a high-profile celebrity clientelle the Barry’s Bootcamp boutique fitness franchise continues to expand its presence in the UK, the latest – and flagship – operation being in Soho.
Established in California in 1998, Barry’s (as it is now known) offers high-intensity interval cross training, revolving around two red-lit studios. A series of trainers, using carefully curated playlists, pump out high volume, high BPM dance-orientated music through Martin Audio sound systems as classes build up a sweat over an intense 50-minute session, focusing respectively on treadmill and strength training.
When sound specialist Callum Toms of Luna Sound & Lighting came onboard following a recommendation, he found Barry’s to already be familiar with Martin Audio via a previous installer. Toms, himself, was equally conversant, having worked with Martin Audio installation ranges at his previous company. But for the new basement operation underneath the famous Hamleys store, he went a step further and specified a large complement of Martin Audio Blackline series loudspeakers.
‘We first replaced an old sound system with Blackline X8 at Barry’s Central on the Euston Road, which was the first to open in London [in 2013],’ Toms says, tracing the background. ‘Then we were offered St Paul’s and now Soho. Blackline seems to be made of steel, it’s just so durable. It comes at a price that’s hard to beat and it looks attractive.’
He says the operators are known to run the system at 98dB. ‘We have provided a large complement of speakers to create plenty of headroom, as we would prefer the system to run at 60 per cent rather than flat out.’
This approach also guarantees consistent coverage and ensures every class-goer has the same experience. In fact the larger of the two studios is equipped with no fewer than 18 Blackline X10, underpinned with three SX112 subwoofers – all ceiling mounted on yoke brackets – while a further SX212 sub is floor mounted. The Lift studio adopts a similar concept but features eight Blackline X8 and a pair of SX112s pumping out music overhead.
Elsewhere, on the entrance stairwell are six Adorn A55, with a further two in the corridor leading to the two changing rooms, each housing a further four A55s. Finally Toms turned to Martin Audio’s CDD series for the main reception area, where six CDD6 are in use. All the Martin Audio equipment was supplied by Leisuretec.
Maintaining the tempo, high-energy dance music is routed to the various ancillary areas via a BSS Soundweb Blu-100 from a Mac.
In terms of the technical infrastructure, all the trainers have to do is press their tablet or MacBook Pro into the plug-in point provided, and don their Sennheiser headset mics to get the sessions underway.
Just as they have avoided any compromise on sound, the franchisees have also been careful to dampen the studios to avoid reverberation and slapback. The ceilings are covered in foam and the walls are edged with soundproof board where not lined with mirrors.
‘Many layers of bespoke programming allowed us to maximise the gain level before getting any feedback,’ Toms says. ‘The music is loud, fast and high quality, which is one of the core values of Barry’s.’
