A new bar and restaurant has opened in the city of Delft, the Netherlands, featuring a Pioneer Pro Audio sound system.

Bierfabriek Delft, which combines laid-back drinking and dining, plus DJs until late at the weekend, needed a versatile, unified solution that could create the right atmosphere in its three zones, as well as high-quality, comfortable sound at all volumes.

The venue’s reflective surfaces made creating a natural sound a challenge, and meant the room EQ settings had to be tailored not just to the time of day, but the acoustics of the zones. Pioneer Pro Audio teamed up with Bierfabriek’s installation partner Discovery Sound & Vision to specify a sound system and EQ settings to overcome these issues and deliver the desired sound in each area.

“The idea is that you can have a good meal in a laid-back atmosphere and then stay to talk or party until late; the sound system is central to creating the different energies as the night goes on,” explained the venue’s co-owner Ronald Bolhuis.

Andrea Possa, Bierfabriek Delft’s other co-owner, added: “The sound is amazing. Unlike other places, we can cater for people who want to talk and relax, and people who want to dance and party. With the Pioneer system, we can deliver the highest-quality sound in both environments – so everyone’s happy."

Pioneer Pro Audio manager Alex Barrand worked closely with Discovery to build a new sound system from the ground up. Based on his recommendations, the crew installed six Pioneer XY-81 eight-inch two-way speakers and an XY-215S quasi-bandpass subwoofer with twin 15-inch drivers in the main room, plus a further 14 XY-81 speakers throughout. To suit Bierfabriek’s design scheme, all speakers were in classic black.

“We selected the eight-inch speakers for their clean sound and because they are compact yet powerful enough to handle the louder volumes when DJs play," said Discovery’s sales manager Piet Berkhout. "Plus the rotatable, 60 x 90 degree constant directivity horn meant we could mount the speakers horizontally and deliver a wide, even dispersion.”

The system is powered by Powersoft amplifiers – two K2s and two M30s – with built-in DSP. Barrand used RTA software to load three pre-sets that let Bierfabriek control the sound for daytime, early evening and DJ modes.

“The RTA software is unique as it lets us tailor the room EQ and also set limiter levels for each zone. So, as the volume is pushed up throughout the night, the output is matched to the area’s needs: quieter in the lounge and more powerful in the bar, but always with a clean, warm sound,” commented Pioneer Pro Audio’s Barrand.

Possa concluded: “Pioneer and Discovery provided a great service from the beginning. We knew we were working with quality and felt safe. Now we have the proof: a clear, energetic sound; happy guests; and a connection with Pioneer DJ equipment that means all the DJs want to play here. It’s a beautiful system.”

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