FEATURE: CLUBS, BARS, RESTAURANTS
Club Mute in Seoul, Korea, has invested in JBL's new Marquis Dance Club Series loudspeakers
A virtuous circle
Blanket expectations of improved quality have yielded a demonstrable increase in the standard of audio systems in bars, restaurants and clubs over the past decade. But are some venues still cutting corners when it comes to integration expertise, asks David Davies?
IF YOU were seeking to track the arc of commercial audio development over the past 10 years, you would be hard- placed to find more useful indicators than bars, clubs and restaurants. Public-facing in the most intensive way possible, they have had to remain at the very forefront of technological developments in order to maintain their reputation – and their clientele. At least, that is the theory – and with more accurately directed speaker systems, evermore efficient amplifiers, and increasingly sophisticated digital signal processing reaching the market, venues have certainly had the tools at their disposal. While there remains a
sizeable percentage who are sceptical of the long-term value of investing adequately in their sound systems, the number of – in particular – bars and clubs that have consistently raised their game has been sufficient to ensure a demonstrable overall improvement in audio standards.
And ultimately, as Martin Audio research &
34 October 2013
development director Jason Baird, points out, it’s a symbiotic relationship between all parties concerned. “From manufacturers to installers, owners and customers,” he says, “the expectations will always be for improvements in sound quality, coverage and control – so it’s a virtuous circle.” Installation’s journey
through this diverse market begins with the identification of four key areas where, a consensus suggests, audio quality has definitely improved – before moving on to highlight a couple of issues that remain to be addressed.
1. HIGHER-QUALITY SPEAKERS… ACROSS THE BOARD The advent of more compact, higher-quality digital mixing consoles pitched at low price-points has been one of the defining pro-audio trends of the last half-decade. In a similar fashion, the emergence of lower-cost speakers from the likes of JBL, RCF and many others with specifications comparable to their bigger
brothers has made superior audio accessible to a far greater percentage of venues, particularly those with a smaller capacity or more niche appeal. Jon Sager is senior manager,
market development for Installed Sound at JBL Professional. “In recent years, there have been a number of lower-cost speakers that have come to market, making it an easier decision to install a new system or to upgrade an existing one,” he says. This contrasts with the previous situation where “a lot of establishments would purchase home stereo speakers and amps for their sound systems. Unfortunately, these systems didn’t hold up well as high-energy media became the norm.” The introduction, from early in the decade, of more self-powered speakers that do not require standalone amplification has been especially advantageous – particularly for space- restricted venues. Sager explains: “They don’t need an equipment room or closet to store racks of amps and
processing, which is a huge saving when you consider HVAC needs and all the other requirements to build racks and run cables.”
2. AESTHETICALLY PLEASING SOLUTIONS With venues focusing evermore firmly on aesthetics – both in terms of their distinctiveness and overall quality – it’s only logical that their owners have become increasingly exacting about the need for solutions that slip seamlessly and, as much as possible, unseen into the built environment.
Although admitting that he doesn’t “see any major revolution in terms of bar sound reinforcement recently”, Baird does identify “a continual evolutionary improvement in the performance and visual appeal of products as they come to market”. Focusing on smaller bars
and restaurants, Sager similarly draws attention to the abundance of more powerful, space-sensitive solutions “which tend to provide high fidelity, high output and are architecturally
[KEY POINTS]
Affordable quality speakers have made high-end audio more accessible to bars and restaurants
The club sector is remaining fairly vibrant for manufacturers despite negative media reports on the state of European clubbing
Some installations are not achieving their potential due to insufficient investment in design and integration expertise
‘There is still
room to improve acoustic comfort,
control, audio distribution and installation approach’
Antonio Ferrari, RCF
www.installation-international.com
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