We were brought to Ibiza by cream and 'We Love' promoter Darren Hughes. We had supplied a Funktion One system for the VIP tent at homelands, which impressed him to the extent that he invited us to Ibiza to meet Pepe Rossini and Fritz Pangratz of Space with a view to us installing a Funktion One system in the club.
As it turned out we ended up renting a system for their famous Terrace that first year. The following year we came very close to selling them a system but they decided to buy a Dynacord Alhpa system from a local company, not least to ensure they had local support. A yeart later they were back on the phone asking us to re quote! The Alpha system hadn't worked out and a rethink was needed. We realised that to give them the confidence they needed in what was then a relatively new system, we would need local representation on the island. We had a conversation with Hugo Quintanilla Cons, who had worked at Space, and asked him to come on board which he did without much hesitation. We set up an office and a warehouse and set about designing a new system for Space. Initially we started with the main room installing 12 F118s and 8 Res 9s. We also installed 2 bar systems using F88s and rear fill AX88s. The system worked out so well that we started running into people in London who were talking about the new buzz at Space. Since then we have installed an F1 system in a new room each year, The Premier Etage, The Red Box, La salon and most significantly, The new Covered Terrace. This system proved to be a triumph for us and has gained more positive feedback than anything else we've done (and that's saying somthing!). Pepe Rossini even went as far as to say it was the best sound system he had ever heard.
Never content to rest on our laurels last year we upped the anti in the main room by replacing the F218s with the new F221 to much acclam from clubbers and DJs alike. This year also sees a major upgrade to the monitor system form Blue Box standard to supersize. The new system will comprise 2 F121, 2 custom 12'' and 4 Res 2SH mid highs. One old hand we know who is going to love this is Carl Cox. Carl is a great afficianado of Funktion One and his association with Blue Box goes back to his days on Hackney Marshes in the 80s when he ran his own sound system. Dave Cole remembers taping up the wheels on his bass bins to stop them rattling! We've all come a long way since then.
As we established ourselves on the island more people became interested in what we were doing and two years ago we were approached by Manuel Lopez, manager of Privilege, and after discussions and a demo at WMC Miami he decided he had little choice but to opt for Funktion One. Privilege had had some bad experiences of other systems, and a notably disastrous season with a line array had convinced them they needed a more long term solution. This year will see a full Funktion One system installed in the main room and VIP area. They will also have a Blue Box 'standard' format DJ system.
From our initial relationship with Space we have spent the last four years establishing new relationships on the island and have expanded our operation into rentals and dry sales. By chance we had a meeting with Pioneer three years ago and they were desperate for someone to represent them on the island. I think we've probably quadrupled their sales there over the last few years.
At the end of the day more than anything else this business is about people, it's about forging relationships with like minds; where the common aim is to create the best sound system possible in the space available. We've made a lot of friends in Ibiza and we have come to love the island. It can take you to places you never imagined existed and If you are lucky you may even see the universe in the twinkling of an eye. That's the real magic of ibiza and it's the real reason people return year after year.