When the Stage closed its doors for good in December of 2012, the new owners were determined to create an establishment worthy of the hallowed space. The new Stagecoach Tavern offers an upscale environment while retaining the building's classic charm.
"There had been very little work done to the place over the years, and it was showing signs of its long legacy," says John Paturno of Rego Park, NY-based Starview Audio. "The owners wanted to retain the layout, footprint, and character of the original space. They rebuilt the winter garden and restored all the original woodwork, and it looks really good."
But as Paturno observes, the building's character brings with it a number of acoustical challenges. "The winter garden creates a very acoustically reflective overhang in the front, and the woodwork creates a few little acoustical pockets," he says. "There's a dining area further back, and a bar area with a higher ceiling."
Starview installed a system based around Renkus-Heinz TRX and CFX Series compact loudspeakers, including two zones of eight ultra-compact CFX41 coaxial four-inch systems lining the glassed in front room. The area is divided into two zones, with the zone adjacent to the bar running slightly louder than the more intimate dining area. "The CFX41 is a nice, compact design that delivers excellent coverage with a very short throw," says Paturno. "It's perfect for this application, because it doesn't excite the winter garden's glass surfaces."
Four TRX61 two-way systems are mounted over the bar area, creating its own zone for patrons. "They have several TV screens installed, and they're able to split the room into different zones and show multiple sporting events at the same time," says Paturno. "The TRX61 offers an exceptionally small footprint with tight pattern control, which enables them to run the bar area at a much higher energy level than the adjacent dining space." A Symetrix Solus 8 handles signal processing, with Powersoft amplification driving the system.
Initial reviews for the Stagecoach Tavern have been nothing short of stellar, and the sound system has delivered the perfect ambience. Paturno concludes, "whether people are there for a quiet dinner, a lunch meeting, or to watch a game at the bar, the Renkus-Heinz system provides the perfect coverage for every part of this classic establishment."