Since 1857, Burlington House, Mayfair has been home to the Royal Society of Chemistry, the oldest chemistry society in the world. Founded in 1841 by an esteemed group of 77 scientists – including doctors, academics, manufacturers and entrepreneurs, their mission was to advance excellence in the chemical sciences. Some 175 years on, this aim remains just as valid, and takes place on what would have been an unrecognisable scale back then, with 54,000 members across the world, an internationally-renowned not-for-profit publishing and knowledge business, and a worldwide reputation as an influential ambassador for the chemical sciences.

Also, in this enviable location, is the historic Library that not only houses a world-class collection of scientific journals but is also, since 2010, a leading event venue in London and regularly host of prestigious events including conferences, seminars and symposia, promotional events, award ceremonies and private functions.

One of the keys to the attractiveness of the Library as a venue is the quality of its integrated audio-visual facilities. The RSC facilities team, led by Grant Verrell, felt that there was an opportunity earlier this year (2020) to take advantage of the latest technological advancements to further develop its offering, and consulted with the London-based Torpedo Factory Group (TFG) who had previously installed the existing AV system. There was a need to overhaul the system to provide better coverage, improve intelligibility and facilitate global connectivity for live streaming of Q&As and product launches, for example.

Key to this project, and an essential requirement, was that all the equipment could be thoughtfully integrated into a building with Grade II listed status. Another important factor was simple ‘ease-of-use’ and being able to control most functions from a mobile device such as a tablet instead of going back and forth to the control room.

Dave Franklin, Sales Manager at TFG picks up the thread, “We have a longstanding, excellent relationship with our colleagues at Audiologic, and knew that to achieve the best outcome for our clients it would be absolutely crucial for us to work with experts who have genuine experience around the very latest innovative technology for sound.”

Audiologic’s response was to highly recommend the Q-SYS™ Core 110f processor providing a fully integrated audio, video, and control solution to suit a variety of requirements. In addition, an I/O-8 Flex Channel Expander from QSC added a multitude of expansion capabilities and further flexibility to the whole system.

Dave continues, “QSC is a deservedly renowned world-class manufacturer of professional standard components and their products meet the needs of our clients. Here at Torpedo Factory Group, we specialise in technical excellence and attention to detail, which is why it is so important for us to work with QSC’s systems for complete reliability and the very latest technological innovation. Our customers are always very pleased with the outcomes achieved by installing QSC products.”

Ben Spurgeon, Senior Application Engineer at Audiologic, explains why this project was such a success in the RSC’s historic Library, “The pairing between the QSC and K-Array systems were exactly what the client needed. A powerful audio processor alongside K-Array’s sleek and impressive performance allows the RSC to get the most out of their experience, whilst keeping the aesthetics subtle.”

Grant Verrell, RSC Facilities Manager was hugely enthusiastic, “Sound quality is second to none … and we’re especially pleased with the convenience of being able to operate the system remotely with an iPad – before we would be back and forth to the control room to check and rectify any issues and adjustments. It’s a real step forward.”

audiologic.co.uk