A good audio/visual system enhances the guest experience at many restaurants. High-end establishments pipe in classical or jazz music to enhance the upscale ambiance. Other venues use upbeat pop music to boost a lively vibe. Sports bars rely on excellent A/V technology to make their venue more enticing than home living rooms.
A/V specialist Tim Pickett, founder and president, Encompass AV, says for best results it’s crucial to tailor a sound system to each space. First comes an evaluation of the acoustic environment. Before construction begins, Pickett assesses the acoustic qualities of a space by analyzing digital project documents with building and modeling software. The analysis focuses on the materials of surfaces within the room.
Hard, reflective surfaces cause sound to bounce around. As sound waves from a variety of inputs jumble together, it can create an unintelligible din. Softer materials with absorptive acoustic properties counteract this effect.
If modeling indicates an abundance of hard material yielding a poor acoustic environment, there is usually enough time to make adjustments, Pickett says. “If you have a poor-sounding room, first see if you can fix the room,” he says. Adding sound-dampening material to a ceiling, for instance, can work wonders.
“Once you take acoustics into account, then you can talk about good A/V design,” Pickett says. The design aim is to be able to hear music or TV broadcasts from every seat while still being able to have conversations at a normal volume.
A sound system design can reduce noise even in a room with bad acoustic qualities. In most cases, a system with many smaller speakers is optimal in a restaurant setting. “You don’t have to turn up the volume as loud and there is less reflectivity,” Pickett says. The result is less mixing of sound waves from different speakers, providing a pleasing experience for the ears.
More speakers cost more, but the extra expense produces a distinct upgrade in sound quality, Pickett says. “The most difficult thing for clients to understand is the difference in quality between a $40,000 system and a $250,000 system,” he says. A poor-quality system that is too loud or produces distorted sound can drive guests away.
Paying for better-quality components also improves reliability. Higher-end amplifiers are less likely to fail in a crowded, hot room.
The approach to video deployment has changed in recent years. The cost of high-quality video screens has plummeted in the last twenty years, Pickett notes, and that has changed how bars and sports pubs have outfitted their rooms. Instead of 50-plus smaller screens, many venues opt for fewer screens but larger monitors overall. It’s even possible to custom order screens to get the right size to fit a space. Some venues have installed huge screens of up to 200 inches in diameter.
It’s better to settle on an A/V system scheme during the design phase of a project, Pickett says. Making changes later can require revamping the electrical system and millwork, which adds cost. Designers typically opt to hide A/V components including amplifiers, controllers, and speakers with millwork.
At all phases of a project, good communication between the owner, designer, and the A/V consultant is vital for achieving a top-notch system, Pickett says. “It’s really important to understand what ownership wants, to have direct conversations with the owner,” he says. “It can get convoluted if you go second-hand through an electrical contractor.”