What speakers for restaurant/bar use?

[Deathwish238]

I need to find speakers to use to go in a restaurant/bar. I was thinking $50 per speaker should be good enough to find decent sounding speakers. Any recommendations? I was thinking some JBLs as they are a common sight in restaurants and have a sound that appeals to most everyone. Perhaps Athena? I'm not quite sure.

As of now I believe I will be using a Yamaha RX-V2600 receiver if anyone has any comments about it at all.

Thanks in advance.

 

[markw]

How big is the bar? Is it separate from the restaurant?

How many speakers are you planning to employ? You might be better served with multiple smaller speakers.

Remember, these environments are not the same as home use. People near the speakers nmay get blasted out while diners further away might hear nothing.

While loud music in a bar might be doable, assuming the clientele is up for it (and if they are drunk they generally don't mind) but most people come to a restaurant to eat and converse as the main thrust of their visit, not to be entertained by listening to music. The music should enhance the dining experience, not dominate it.

 

[Deathwish238]

ahh sorry I should have been more specific. We're looking at around 20 small speakers all cieling mounted. Definately don't want huge speakers!

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

For that many speakers, check out the Bic DV62si. You can get a pair just over $120 shipped, and they put out excellent bass for their small size - which is especially important if they'll be mounted near the ceiling. You won't come near the bass with inwalls, especially at that price.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JPDI/ref=sr_11_1/104-6421034-2769519?_encoding=UTF8

 

[Deathwish238]

cool thanks for the info...haven't heard of them but people seem to like them from reviews

 

[jaxvon]

I wouldn't use the RX-V2600 for your speakers. It's too much processor for your needs. You need impedance matching volume control and a few amps. Add a decent stereo receiver, CD changer, and Satellite Radio receiver and you're set. As for the ceiling speakers, check out the offerings from Sonance as well as the In-Ceiling offerings from BIC (M-SR6).

http://www.bicamerica.com/IN WALL PAGE~.htm

http://sonance.com/

In fact, Sonance sells everything that you'd need to set up your restaurant for sound besides a source.

 

[markw]

for that many speakers...

... I think you would be better off forgoing the consumer electronics and looking into commercial sound products. Systems that use that many speakers usually use a "70 volt" system for driving multiple speakers.

You really won't be playing at high levels so the standards you apply for home audio are not quite the same in this situation.

 

[Deathwish238]

Whole situation

Okay well here's the whole situation:

I need to be able to control the volume level to three zones independently. Two of the zones need to be able to play from the same source at once. The speakers aren't going in the ceiling rather they're being mounted to pillars and walls through out the restaurant and bar. I don't know what brands to look at

I don't have a concrete price range...I'm just trying to see how much it'll run me. I'm thinking no more than $2k for the receiver and $100-$150 per pair of speakers. I will need about 20 speakers...probably a bit less. This is a restaurant and during the weekend the sports bar gets quite loud. The third zone is the patio area where live music plays about once every one to two weeks...but they usually have their own speakers so that's not too big of a concern.

 

[zumbo]

Check this out: http://audiophileliquidator.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=1&products_id=170&osCsid=28e7b232a2bdc643a46b8da8900ab476

 

[Deathwish238]

Check this out: http://audiophileliquidator.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=1&products_id=170&osCsid=28e7b232a2bdc643a46b8da8900ab476

lol I was looking at the model above it. Check my first post.

 

[zumbo]

lol I was looking at the model above it. Check my first post.

That is a 2500 for $699

Look again: http://audiophileliquidator.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=1&products_id=170&osCsid=28e7b232a2bdc643a46b8da8900ab476

 

[Deathwish238]

That is a 2500 for $699

I can't tell if it has 3 zones? Also someone recommended I look at commercial equipment and was lost in that respect

 

[zumbo]

I can't tell if it has 3 zones?

It does. Page 78. Here is the manual: http://www.yamaha.com/yec/customer/manuals/PDFs/RX_V2500.pdf

 

[Deathwish238]

It seems like the biggest difference between the 2500 and 2600 is that the 2600 has HDMI upconversion...which I won't need.

btw, does the MB Quart logo for your avatar have any significance or are you just a fan?

 

[zumbo]

btw, does the MB Quart logo for your avatar have any significance or are you just a fan?

http://photobucket.com/albums/f174/zumbo02/?sc=5

 

[Deathwish238]

http://photobucket.com/albums/f174/zumbo02/?sc=5

nice nice. How old is it? Did you get it before MBQuart was bought by RF?

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

That is a 2500 for $699

Look again: http://audiophileliquidator.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=1&products_id=170&osCsid=28e7b232a2bdc643a46b8da8900ab476

http://www.ubid.com/actn/opn/getpage.asp?AuctionId=10591333

30 day warranty - but you've got $220 to repair it should something happen. Authorized reseller for Yamaha (one of the few online). Great, great receiver.

Zumbo, cool characterature - very pretty wife (or girlfriend???)
Thanks for the pics - nice system BTW. 1st I've seen it.

 

[zumbo]

http://www.ubid.com/actn/opn/getpage.asp?AuctionId=10591333

30 day warranty - but you've got $220 to repair it should something happen. Authorized reseller for Yamaha (one of the few online). Great, great receiver.

Ouch! Whatakillerprice!

Zumbo, cool characterature - very pretty wife (or girlfriend???)
Thanks for the pics - nice system BTW. 1st I've seen it.

Thanks. That would be the wife. I am a very lucky guy.

 

[Deathwish238]

I would rather buy it new. Money isn't that much of an issue.

 

[johndoe]

I don't have the knowledge nor experience of most people in this forum, but I was once at a restaurant where they had this tweaked amp or receiver that took the frequencies that interfere with most human voices to a very low level. The effect was quite nice, the music was playing somewhat louder than in the typical restaurant, with the difference that you could actually hear and understand what everybody at the table was saying. I don't have any information on the product I just mentioned, but since some of you guys seem to be pros at this I figured you might be interested. My apologies if this is the most obvious thing.