Soleil Sound System: The DIY Rig Powering Blackout Frequency V3

A closer look at the system behind June 7

For Blackout Frequency’s V3 on June 7, we wanted the sound system to be a major part of the event. Drum and bass is a genre that depends heavily on low-end control, clean transients, fast percussion and proper sub extension. When the system is not built for that kind of pressure, the music loses detail quickly. The kicks blur, the bass becomes muddy, and the energy of the track does not translate properly in the room.

That is why we are bringing in Soleil Sound System.

Soleil is a DIY-built, bass-focused sound system run by Jack and Jacob, two people who came into the project through dancefloors, festivals and a long-running interest in audio. The rig has a natural wood finish, gold grills and cabinets designed around low-frequency performance. Visually, it stands apart from the usual black-box PA setup. Technically, it has been built with bass music in mind.

Ahead of V3, we spoke with Jack from Soleil about how the system started, why they chose the DIY route, what makes the cabinet design different, and why the system works well for drum and bass.

How Soleil started

Soleil began through Jack and Jacob’s shared interest in sound, speakers and festival culture.

“We met each other on dance floors at music festivals in Queensland,” Jack says. “Jacob, who’s one half of Soleil, he owned a sound system at that time, which was like a pro-audio Void stack rig, which still exists today, but it’s in other hands.”

That earlier system helped shape the direction they would later take. Jacob already had experience owning and operating speakers, while Jack had been thinking about moving into the same world for a few years.

“Jacob’s always wanted to own and operate speakers, and I’d wanted to go down that pathway for a few years as well,” Jack says.

When the two eventually spoke seriously about building a system, they realised they were both imagining something very similar. The same kind of cabinets, the same build approach, the same sonic direction and the same overall values.

“When I eventually told Jacob that this is what I’m thinking about, Jacob basically was like, ‘I’m thinking about the exact same cabinets and the exact same thing, so would you potentially do it together?’”

That alignment made the project possible. A sound system is a serious commitment: financially, physically and practically. It requires storage, transport, setup time, tuning, maintenance and a crew willing to deal with the long hours behind each event.

“We just wanted to have the same cabinet, the same build, the same ethos, the same passion,” Jack says, “and also, very importantly, we could match each other financially and emotionally too.”

That became the foundation of Soleil.

Why they went DIY

Jack and Jacob looked at different options before committing to a DIY build. They considered pro-audio systems, got quotes, compared different speakers and worked out what would give them the best result for the budget and scale they had in mind.

“I guess Jake and I were always open to any form of audio,” Jack says. “I started getting quotes for pro-audio stuff and all sorts of different speakers.”

The DIY route gave them more control over the final system. It also allowed them to get more cabinets for the money they were putting in, while building something specific to the kind of music and spaces they cared about.

“At the end of the day, the best economical route that we could go down, with getting the most amount of cabinets for what we wanted, was going down the DIY route,” Jack says. “And also, there’s a bit of fun to it. There’s a lot of learning.”

That learning is a major part of owning a DIY rig. You are forced to understand the system beyond surface level. Cabinet design, finish, transport, tuning, crossover points, power handling, room response and placement all become part of the process.

Soleil worked with a builder to help construct the cabinets.

“We’ve got a builder as well to help build all the cabinets,” Jack says, referring to Nexus Audio or Nexus Sound Systems. “From there, we got our cabinets together, started staining them, varnishing them.”

The finish became a major part of Soleil’s identity. Instead of painting the cabinets black, they kept the natural wood visible and added gold grills.

“It’s a beautiful-looking system that we just decided not to paint and go for a natural wood finish,” Jack says, “and a golden grill to give it that sun look that we’ve named it after.”

That decision gives Soleil a recognisable look. The system feels hand-built and intentional. It is immediately identifiable on a dancefloor, which matters in sound system culture, where the rig often becomes part of the identity of the night.

“When looking at our cabinets,” Jack says, “they know exactly who we are and what we’re doing.”

Cabinet design and low-frequency tuning

The most important part of Soleil is the way the cabinets are designed.

Jack describes the rig as a full Para Flex Audio system, with cabinets built around a low fundamental tuning. The system is designed to reach down toward the 30 Hz range, which sits deep in the sub-bass region.

“What makes us unique is having a full Para Flex Audio rig with cabinets that are specifically designed around quite a low fundamental tuning,” Jack says, “so getting right down to that 30 hertz range, where it gets to an unaudible level, but the feeling’s all there.”

For bass music, that low-frequency extension matters. Sub-bass is generally felt as much as it is heard, especially once you get into the lower ranges. Around 30 Hz, the energy becomes very physical. In a room, that kind of extension can create a stronger sense of pressure and movement, provided the system is tuned properly.

For drum and bass, the sub range is central to the music. The relationship between kick drums, basslines and fast percussion needs a system that can reproduce low frequencies without losing definition. A rig that reaches low but lacks control can turn the room muddy. A rig with low-end extension and proper tuning can give the music weight while keeping the drums sharp.

Jack explains the target sound in simple terms.

“You’re getting things in the lower,” he says, “and then hopefully some punchy kicks and some crispy tops.”

That balance is important. Drum and bass needs depth, but it also needs attack. The kick has to hit cleanly. The snare and hats need to remain clear. The top end has to cut without becoming harsh. The sub needs enough space to move without overpowering the whole mix.

Soleil has been designed around that balance.

“There’s not one size fits all with good speakers,” Jack says. “But it sounds good with DnB and Bass music. You’ve got those kind of kicks driving hard with the really low bass capability.”

That is the reason the system makes sense for Blackout Frequency. V3 is built around drum and bass, and the system has been chosen because it can carry the low-end content properly. It gives DJs room to play music that relies on sub movement, detailed drums and pressure across the full frequency range.

Sound system culture and community

Soleil comes from the wider tradition of sound system culture, where the rig, the crew and the crowd all matter. The speakers are one part of it, but the culture around them is just as important.

For Jack, the appeal came through audio and community at the same time.

“What drew us into sound system culture was the love of audio and also community,” he says. “It’s such a nice environment where you can all connect with different human beings, but you’re all there for the same reasons, which is art, music.”

That community side is important because running a system requires more than owning equipment. It requires people who help load, carry, set up, pack down, promote, organise and support the nights where the system is used.'

Jack says one of his favourite memories with Soleil was at The Dot, where they had a crew takeover.

“One of my favourite memories myself was probably at The Dot, when we had a crew takeover,” he says. “It’s nice to see all the crew that volunteer and help and are in it because they support what we’re doing. And we want to show the love back to all our awesome community and friends and people who are volunteers.”

That event stood out because people stayed with the Soleil stage even while King of the Rollers were playing elsewhere.

“It was nice knowing that the laneway was still super busy even though we had King of the Rollers playing on the other stage,” Jack says. “It felt like people had just realised that they liked the sound of the alley and Soleil, and they just stuck with us, which was awesome.”

That kind of moment shows how a system builds trust with a crowd. People start recognising the sound, the look and the crew behind it. Over time, the system becomes connected to certain kinds of nights and certain standards of sound.

The work behind the rig

A sound system like Soleil requires a lot of work outside the public-facing part of an event. The cabinets have to be transported, stacked, connected, tuned, monitored, packed down and stored again. The day often starts long before doors open and finishes long after the crowd leaves.

“Some people don’t really realise that it is a lot of hard work,” Jack says. “But when you do something because you love it and it’s a passion, the work doesn’t feel as hard, even though you’re there from the very beginning to the very, very end of the night.”

That includes loading trucks, moving cabinets, setting up the system, then reversing the whole process after the event.

“Then packing it all down, putting it back into storage or dropping all the trucks or transport home,” Jack says. “You’re there from the very beginning to the very end.”

For Soleil, the event is the end result, but the build and tuning process is where most of the learning happens.

“Obviously, the parties or the events is the end goal of why we all do it,” Jack says, “but the build process, the tuning, the constant learning and development of trying to get the sound sounding good, that’s what makes it all important and at the end of the day, what makes it all sick.”

That mindset is important for DIY sound. A system is never completely finished. Every room responds differently. Placement changes the low end. Crowd size affects absorption. The type of music changes how the rig feels. Each event gives the crew more information.

“It’s been a lot of learning, a lot of study,” Jack says, “and there will always be more to come.”

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Why Soleil and Blackout Frequency fit

Blackout Frequency has always focused on drum and bass, community and event quality. For V3, we wanted a system that matched that direction. Soleil fits because the rig has been built for bass music, and because the crew behind it shares a similar approach to underground events.

Jack sees the connection in the way Blackout approaches parties.

“It seemed like a group of people who liked doing events and that are very conscious and really put an effort into community and quality,” he says.

That shared focus is the reason this collaboration makes sense. The sound system is a technical choice, but it is also a cultural one. Soleil brings a rig designed for low-end pressure and clarity, backed by a crew that values the community around the music.

“That’s what we’re all about,” Jack says. “That’s some of our shared ethoses that we’re probably not willing to compromise on. It’s all about community and quality of the music.”

For June 7, the aim is simple: give drum and bass the right system, the right room and the right crew behind it.

Soleil brings the technical foundation: Para Flex Audio cabinets, low fundamental tuning, 30 Hz extension, punchy kicks, clean tops and a sound designed around bass music. Blackout brings the selectors, crowd and community that have shaped the last year of events.

“I think that we’re a match made in heaven,” Jack says. “I’m just keen to get down there and get amongst it.”

V3 marks one year of Blackout Frequency. Bringing Soleil in for this event is part of making that milestone sound right. On June 7, the system will be there to do what it was built for: carry the music properly, give the low end space, and let the crowd feel the full weight of the night.

As Jack puts it:

“See you on the 7th of June. Let’s go.”