The sky is now the limit for glass-fronted Raise Tokyo
The sky is now the limit for glass-fronted Raise Tokyo
Set amongst a backdrop of the district of Ginza in Tokyo – the Japanese city that never seems to sleep – is Raise Tokyo. Located on the sixth floor of glass-fronted Tokyu Plaza skyscraper, Raise is owned by Japanese venue operator Lounge Operation and offers a VIP nightclub experience for locals, celebrities and tourists alike.
The stylised design brief for the 800 capacity, 740m2 venue is evident throughout, and the chrome Void speakers, which could pass off as design features themselves, add to the futuristic style of the venue.
“The high-end audio installation in Raise is the first time we have specified Void Acoustics for a Lounge Operation venue – but the GM is a Void fan and was keen to see the brand deployed throughout the club, not only because of the audio excellence, but because of the design aesthetic of all Void products”, explained Tocci Satoru, director of eastaudio inc. and Tokyo Sound System Laboratory – the long-term exclusive distributor for Void Acoustics in Japan.
Despite the constraints of limited space and various other unique challenges, Satoru is confident that his team have delivered a well-balanced audio-scape. Bespoke chrome coloured Tri Motion and Airten V3 adorn the dancefloor, supported by a number of Venu V2 and Stasys 118 subwoofers, which are deployed throughout the venue to promote clarity. The ArcM 12 acts as a DJ monitor whilst the amplification is supported with the Bias D1, Bias Q1 and Bias Q2. The system also includes the first Japanese installation of the Arcline 218 subwoofer and is completed with Cirrus 6.1 ceiling speakers. Satoru explained: “We aimed to create an even sound space by eliminating blind spots, and we made meticulous adjustments to reduce cancellation.”
A Venu 215 V2 subwoofer has been installed behind the DJ podium, more specifically in the Royal VIP area, to provide a more significant “experience” where bass is concerned. But one of the biggest challenges for the team was unexpected and unique to the club. Within the venue there were no interior walls from which to hang fixtures, and so the entire sound system needed to be strategically mounted using bespoke structures. “The inability to hang speakers was a major constraint to the sound plan,” explained Satoru.
“The glass is polyhedral and has no parallel surfaces, so there are no standing waves from reflections,” he continued. “Acoustically, the room is not as bad as one might expect. The ceiling, however, has a height of 27m and the glass is shaped to tilt inwards as it goes up, so the sound pressure of the bass is not reduced even on the upper floors. To reduce noise spill, we improved the absorption to minimise the transmission of the sub on the floor and used a Forward Directivity Isolator (F.D.I) system. F.D.I suppresses resonance by surrounding the array with a unique structure to prevent sound leakage, whilst at the same time improving the impulse response and directivity. This results in a tighter bass and a more natural sound.”
The result is said to be impactful and out-of-the-ordinary. “Of course, as well as the beautiful aesthetics of the speakers, the sound quality is outstanding,” commented Satoru.
Due to the pandemic, Void was forced to advise eastaudio remotely, which presented its own set of challenges. “Having no option to travel to Japan, our advice and input was mostly over email and WhatsApp. We had to ensure we were giving as much support to the team at eastaudio as we could in order to fulfil the project. Being thorough in our responses and advice and with a keen attention to detail was key,” explained Sean Iskhander, APAC sales manager for Void, who is based in Singapore.
All things considered; Satoru is pleased with the outcome of the project. “It is a luxurious club, and the sound quality is equally luxurious and of an extremely high definition. And this has most certainly been acknowledged by many of the club goers who have been lucky enough to get their hands on a highly sought-after ticket to Raise.”
Mr Taro Fujita, general manager for Raise Tokyo is thrilled with the results. “Raise is a club located in an exclusive neighbourhood where Tokyo’s best VIPs and celebrities gather. We are pleased that the sound quality and aesthetics of Void’s speakers complements the high-end club perfectly. A Void sound system can accommodate the wide variety of music genres and the wide range of music played by the famous DJs who are playing at our club.”