Mercure Blackburn Dunkenhalgh Hotel and Spa in Blackburn has two function rooms, one fairly small and one very large. The largest is called the Pendle Suite and upon first seeing this room my immediate concern was how to distribute sound and indeed how much power I would need to fill such a large room with decent volume. Good distribution of the audio and creating a fantastic sound plays is an essential part to the success of any event and being adaptable played a key roll in this particular room. My heart would have sank if I simply had one pair of average speakers for this room, it’s always a worry when trying to push a PA system beyond it’s capability and only filling one side of the room with sound can have such a negative effect on the atmosphere, or even being heard clearly when making important announcements. To resolve the issue, I used wireless technology to send an audio signal to 2 x 18inch Bass bins and mid-range top speakers placed towards the back of the room, and 2 FBT line array speakers which I placed on the stage. The wireless system allowed me to adjust the volume on the speakers at the back of the room independently to get that perfect balance. Using numerous speakers spread out around the room enables a crystal clear sound with good head room for serious volume if required, but this configuration also retains the ability for people to have conversations comfortably without being overpowered by the music. If you are reading this and considering hiring a DJ or a band, I would highly recommend speaking to them about their sound system and if possible, using a similar configuration to what I used. However, I did notice the venue has it’s own PA system installed, and although I never asked the venue, it might be well worth asking if the use of their system in an option for your DJ or band if you have not booked me. The in-house system lacks bass bins, but it does have numerous midrange speakers throughout the room and it sounds pretty good too. Whether you are another DJ, band or a client who has booked the Pendle Suite, I hope this little write-up has helped in the planning of your event/gig. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.