Opening a Pub and want to use klipsch. What are your thoughts?

[Paducah Home Theater]

... People first and foremost go to a pub to talk with their friends, so you don't want to drown them out, or have some tables that are much worse than others. That's why I like this other approach, basically lots of smaller speakers, geographically dispersed. The volume will be much more uniform doing this.

 

O.K., now I'm changing my opinion regarding the speakers themselves; MetropolisLakeOutfitters' point is well taken.

I got a lecture/lesson on that one time from a custom guitar builder friend of mine who has set up commercial installs like this and was helping us get started. I was in some bar bands and when you do that and don't have an in-house or even dedicated sound guy taking care of things, it's easy to get carried away and turn your amps up to 11 like you're a superstar and everybody is there to listen to you play. Well, they're not. His words was almost identical to what I wrote. Even during a loud event you don't want to be too intrusive, you're not playing a concert, you're giving the girls something to dance to. Nobody likes losing their voice while trying to talk to their friends.

Anyway, another install the OP may want to study.

http://www.klipsch.com/blog/klipsch-install-stories-sun-king-fishers-tap-room-small-batch-brewery/

Edited August 12, 2015 by MetropolisLakeOutfitters

[jacksonbart]

I think you're better off if you serve booze

[DrWho]

The CA-800T was designed for this application:

http://www.klipsch.com/ca-800t-outdoor-speaker

There are subs to supplement the low-end if you need it. If you use the 8ohm bypass, then you can treat them like normal speakers.

When I worked as an installer many years ago, we installed the JBL Control series in rooms like this. At the end of the day, you want the speakers to be as big as possible, and then have enough so that you get the same volume everywhere.

Also, take advantage of ceiling-wall corners...it'll help support the bass frequencies which can often be lacking with smaller speakers.

[Bubo]

My two cents

 

1. People absorb a lot of sound

 

2. Stereo that sounds good given the shape, variable loading and distances would be a tough one.

 

3. Maintaining a uniform quality sound at reasonable to low volumes to allow conversation

 

I would purchase 4 excellent condition Heresy 2s or 3s, but they have to be the same models for voicing.

 

Mount them on the long wall, and space the first one at least 5 feet off the corner so it doesn't boom compared to the others.

 

Run the speakers in mono, hi fi isn't going to happen in the space with the wall mounts

 

Obtain slant risers from Crites and mount them to angle the speakers downward, find a way to fasten the speakers to the wall, perhaps a very sturdy picture hanging loop on the rear and wire it to the wall with picture wire. Once satisfied drive some screws through the bottom of the shelf into the slant riser.

 

Mount the black foam studio type noise damping panels on the ceilings, maybe even some in the corners, it will make the bar more pleasant even for ordinary conversations without the music on.  Pretty sure Guitar Center sells these.

 

On the wall opposite the speakers, you can make your own sound damping panels with wood frames and high density foam, 1 inch thick seems to be the norm. You can also purchase commercial panels. I would look around for some county looking fabric to cover the foam and panels with. You may have to back the foam with something for it to be glued to .......quarter inch plywood would work.

 

An alternative to panels is thick rugs hung on the walls, perhaps county looking or the good quality fake Persians they sell at the big box stores.  Put it over you mouth and try yelling through it.

 

Books and heavy curtains are great, but perhaps not in a bar.

 

Find yourself a decent amp or receiver that can power two pairs of speakers in mono. I like Yamaha and there is lots of gear out there. An MX-800 Yammy amp would be the best audio most of your customers will ever hear. Make sure it's well vented perhaps a fan on top. Good Yamaha used pre-amp to match it. Spend a few hundred to have a tech go through the gear before you put it into service, Deltronics in Woodridge is just off of the highway 355.

 

If you want to dive to Chicago I can show you my gear, actually Naperville.

 

Once you have things up and running, you can afford a used pair of LaScalas to leave up on your stage and spin your own records one or two nights a week, the best stereo most of your customers will ever hear. Get a 30-40 Watt Class A tube amp to drive them. Emotiva makes a nice phono pre amp for very little money.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Bubo

[Bubo]

Tile floor will make the acoustics difficult at best.

 

Can you get some really hard pine 2x10 planks, have the lumber yard plane them or do it on site, and screw them to the floor using wooden pegs to cover the holes, old school as in 1600s but highly effective. Once down, it can be stained then use a penetrating urethane, it will be hard as nails.

[colterphoto1]

I"m fairly nearby. One of the keys to background music in an eating establishment is getting the speakers positioned so that they're not loud as hell in one area and cant' be heard in other areas. This is why multiple speakers are usually used but with careful positioning you can probably do some good in that very lively room (with the brick, no sound will be soaked up).  

 

Music in such a venue as 'background noise' helps establish a mood and grants the diners some sense of intimacy as nearby diners can't hear their conversations, so there is very much a psychological and marketing aspect to providing music in such a venue. 

[colterphoto1]

Doc is right, the CA 800T is a transformer-based loudspeaker made for such installations. One issue you get into with multiple standard loudspeakers is the enormous lengths of wiring eating up precious amplifier power, plus the impedance of the multiple speakers drops to the point to where receivers/amps can't handle the load (they put out more and more power into the easier loads until they burn up- that gets expensive). There is a matching subwoofer available. I can help or contact Trey at Klipsch they can usually help design a system that's right for your venue and budget.