Category: Optimal Audio

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Optimal Audio

BEAR Coffee Opts for the Optimal Audio Perks

Just as espresso becomes a martini, BEAR café bar spaces transition effortlessly from day into night and the brand has opted for Optimal Audio commercial audio systems installed into all its latest venues to guarantee the seamless shift.

BEAR has five stores from Uttoxeter to Wimborne and atmosphere tops the menu in each. With the help of nationwide audio installation partner, York-based Rock-Tech AV, BEAR evaluated several commercial audio systems before aligning with Optimal Audio.

Craig Bunting, one half of BEAR’s founding partners, explains the appeal. “Primarily, our requirements were for a system that could handle multiple zones and provide excellent sound quality. What we achieved with Optimal is a warm, inviting sound that complements the BEAR atmosphere and so many features suit our needs.

“Simple control for the in-store teams to manage was essential and WebApp was a game-changer for us. Not only is audio control easy to manage from the bar area, but team members can walk through the space balancing the sound levels in real time to ensure consistent quality across zones.”

Whilst each BEAR store has its own individual layout and design, the most recent store in Wimborne, Dorset, followed the brand’s loose template and features four distinctly zoned areas. The main guest area occupies the ground floor and serves coffee, brunch and cocktails. Here, four Optimal Audio Cuboid 5s are discretely wall-mounted to deliver the house audio, supplied through audio streaming service, Startle Music.

Behind the bar, an Optimal Audio ZonePad 4 wall controller is positioned within easy reach to provide effortless control across all the zones. Located by the ZonePad is an input panel ready for DJs or live bands to simply take over the audio for the evening sessions.

The private event space upstairs has a similar separate input panel to ensure it is readily available for use across a wide variety of functions, from seminars, to live bands or DJs, or simply to benefit from the house audio system. This space features a further two of the full-range Cuboid 5s which supply high-quality audio to support any event.

The venue’s final two zones lead off the main ground floor area, and the front lobby area with no dedicated audio reinforcement, benefits from the musical overspill to create an inviting atmosphere. Outside, the open-air seating area benefits from two sets of paired Cuboid 5s. This area operates as its own audio zone so that as the evening draws to a close the volume adjusts to a neighbourhood-friendly level.

Rock-Tech AV’s Kieran Scotchbrook was impressed with the ease of installation offered by Optimal Audio. He states, “Speed and ease of installation are critical during the shopfits where timing is everything. We thoroughly planned the system’s installation, and it didn’t let us down, so we were able to install, wire and commission the system quickly without delaying any of the other trades.”

Craig concludes, “Optimal Audio offered the flexibility, sound quality and modern technology we needed all within our budget. Optimal Audio struck the perfect balance in sound quality and ease of use, especially with its amp technology and user-friendly control systems, which feel far more modern and intuitive than legacy systems.”

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Optimal Audio

Optimal Audio feeds the Mediterranean theme at Da’s Lupo restaurant

The mediterranean flavours of Cologne’s Da Lupo restaurant – one of five owned by the restauranteur, Gabriel Zanchetti – were reflected in its requirements when a new audio system was sought out. The restaurant opted for the Optimal Audio ecosystem that AV specialists, Starpoint recommended to suit their palate.

Spread across two floors, Da’s Lupo’s restaurant features a large dining room divided into two areas with a separate bar. A function room with dancefloor occupies the lower floor.

For Da’s Lupo, music is an integral part of the dining experience and the restaurant needed an audio system that met three criteria. The first of these was that the system was customisable for each of the three distinct areas of the restaurant, so that the music fitted the flavour of the day and time; the second was that the system was simple and intuitive so that operation followed the same fluidity of the restaurant processes and that even untrained staff were able to simply and effectively control the volume levels in the different areas.

The third requirement was for an audio system that delivered exceptional sound quality both upstairs in the main restaurant and downstairs in the function room space, where there was a need for significantly higher volume levels to cater to events.

Starpoint specified and installed an Optimal Audio system comprised four each of the full range Cuboid 5 and Cuboid 6 loudspeakers in the restaurant area, powered by two 2 x 350W Amp 100 amplifiers.

In the basement event space four full range Cuboid 8 loudspeakers, supported by a single, passive Sub 15, contribute to a club-like atmosphere with sound levels to match. Two 2 x 1,350W Amp 300 amplifiers drive the system.

The venue staff control the Zone 8 via the ZonePad 4 wall controller so that volume levels can be managed in every zone of the restaurant including the event hall in the basement.

The intuitive Zone 8 and ZonePad 4 combination has been a revelation of simplicity for the restaurant. Da’s Lupo’s Service Manager, Inga Schmitz, confirmed, “Since our music system has been upgraded with Optimal Audio, we have had no problems with the operation and, for example, the different volumes in our various areas.”

She explained, “Counter staff often have a certain amount of mistrust when it comes to operating a conventional audio system. The ZonePad 4 removes this barrier to entry. It’s intuitive to use and can even be controlled remotely using the WebApp.”

As well as adding simple intuitive control, the Optimal Audio system has set a new standard in sound quality for the restaurant. Easily accessible settings in Optimal Audio’s WebApp were configured to enable clear and high quality sound that fills the space even at low volumes creating a more comfortable ambient level for staff and guests.

Starpoint’s Sönke Klan, explained, “The customer approached us with the wish to modernise the sound system and install a simple control system adapted to the needs of the restaurant. We were able to realise these requirements perfectly with the products from Optimal Audio.”

He continued, “while the main advantage of the new music system at Da’s Lupo is the simple, intuitive operation of the ZonePad 4, which includes the individual volume settings for the different areas in the restaurant, the new system also offers all-round discreet but full sound.”

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Optimal Audio

Optimal Audio Party Series Transforms Hangzhou XJ Music BBQ into an Immersive Audio Experience

In the vibrant city of Hangzhou, XJ Electronic Music Bar has quickly become a popular nightlife destination for young people, thanks to its unique electronic music culture and immersive experience.

Optimal Audio, a leader in the audio field, is renowned for its dedication to sound quality and advanced audio technology. With the installation of Optimal Audio’s Party series professional sound system at Hangzhou’s XJ Electronic Music Bar, a new music and dining experience has been born.

Serving as the main output in the system, two Party15 main speakers deliver powerful output and precise audio tuning, ensuring every beat is full of energy and every melody is clear, bringing the live electronic party atmosphere directly into the bar. To provide more uniform coverage, the bar is also equipped with four Party12 auxiliary speakers, ensuring every subtle note dances in the air. The excellent surround sound effect makes customers feel enveloped by music, immersing them in a comprehensive musical world. The soul of electronic music lies in the impact of low frequencies, and the SUB15 subwoofers perfectly meet this demand. These two subwoofers not only seamlessly connect the frequency response range of the main and auxiliary speakers but also make the audience feel an adrenaline rush with every bass “resonance.”

The collaboration between Optimal Audio and XJ Electronic Music Bar has not only brought customers an ultimate music experience but also set a new benchmark for the electronic music bar industry. In the future entertainment market, as consumers’ demand for high-quality entertainment experiences continues to increase, XJ Electronic Music Bar will continue to leverage Optimal Audio’s professional technical support to innovate and upgrade.

Optimal Audio’s support for Hangzhou’s XJ Electronic Music Bar has not only provided music enthusiasts with their own carnival space but also brought new insights to the entire entertainment industry: professional audio equipment and innovative scene design are key to creating immersive entertainment experiences.

The Party series speakers are designed to provide excellent sound, emphasizing warmth, clarity, and smooth response, supporting the vocal presence needed to enhance the karaoke experience. Each stylishly designed Party enclosure offers impressive bass and midrange, with clarity in vocal and high-frequency projection crucial for discerning karaoke performers.

For some KTV rooms where space or constraints do not support subwoofers, the Party series speakers use rear ports to couple their low-frequency output to walls or ceilings, producing enhanced bass output that can be felt without additional subwoofers.

Optimal Audio’s Amp series is the perfect amplifier partner for the Party series, providing hours of high sound pressure levels, while internal crossover network technology protects low and high-frequency drivers, ensuring a reliable and uninterrupted karaoke experience.

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New range additions speak volumes about Optimal Audio Eco-system

Optimal Audio is commercial audio done differently. Delivering quality audio with high levels of functionality for every venue, Optimal Audio’s ecosystem is intuitively packed and designed to be immediately accessible and as simple to use as any smart device.

Talk 8 is an eight-zone paging system that adds reliable and precise paging to the Optimal Audio ecosystem. Offering the flexibility demanded from an efficient and high-quality commercial sound system, Talk 8 provides crystal clarity for spoken messages and so much more.

The paging system features 4GB of memory and the stored content can be assigned to any of the six instant message playback buttons. Alternatively, it can be scheduled via Optimal Audio’s WebApp for automatic playback as part of a time-of-day routine. There’s an optional pre-announcement chime and, as part of its simple to use interface, Talk 8 features a backlit TALK button with latching and non-latching options.

Users can independently page individual, or multiple zones simultaneously. The intuitive layout enables users to select, and also define, zone groups for customised communication. WebApp enables simplistic configuration for the scheduling of message routines, or for the control of paging priorities to suit any venue’s unique requirements.

As with the all the modular elements available, Talk 8 integrates effortlessly with the Optimal Audio eco-system, including support for up to two digital paging stations working in tandem with Zone controllers.

Talk 8 is supplied with a secure-fitting dynamic gooseneck microphone, Mic 1, for professional audio delivery and seamless operation within any commercial venue. The unit’s robust, weighted design with standardised mounting options, integrates simply with a variety of mounts and brackets. Power is delivered via a locking RJ45 connector from the Zone controller paging port, and USB-C connectivity is included for firmware updates and loading audio files.

Optimal Audio’s ecosystem will also benefit from a significant addition to its controller range, with ZonePad 8, a dedicated, venue control solution.

Delivered as a touch-screen solution, ZonePad 8 is an elegant wall-mounted, source and zone control panel that is simple to configure and easy to use. ZonePad 8 can be supplemented with ZonePad 1 or ZonePad 4 units, or simply teamed with WebApp to provide users with clear and simple access to the essential controls for an Optimal Audio system.

New to the Sub range is Sub 18, a powerful, high-performance, passive, 18” subwoofer designed for applications that call for increased impact and low frequency performance across the Optimal Audio loudspeaker range.

Sub 18 features a plywood bass-reflex cabinet loaded with an 18” (460mm) driver that maximises performance for a peak SPL of 136dB. With its sleek and compact design, Sub 18 takes up minimal space and can be used on the ground or flown using integral M8 inserts.

Join us on Stand 7A300 to see Sub 18 and explore the functionality and convenience of both Talk 8 and ZonePad 8.

Talk 8: https://optimal-audio.co.uk/products/controllers/talk/talk-8/

ZonePad 8: https://optimal-audio.co.uk/products/controllers/zonepad/zonepad-8/

Sub 18: https://optimal-audio.co.uk/products/loudspeakers/sub/sub-18/

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Optimal Audio to unveil eight-zone paging system at ISE

Optimal Audio will be showcasing a new eight-zone paging system at ISE 2025.

The Talk 8 commercial sound system features 4GB of memory and stored content can be assigned to any of the six instant message playback buttons or scheduled via Optimal Audio’s WebApp for automatic playback.

Users can independently page individual or multiple zones simultaneously, with an intuitive layout offering the facility to select or define zone groups for customised communication.

The system features an optional pre-announcement chime and a backlit TALK button with latching and non-latching options.

Talk 8 is supplied with a the Mic 1 gooseneck microphone for professional audio delivery and seamless operation within any commercial venue.

Power is delivered via a locking RJ45 connector from the Zone controller paging port, and USB-C connectivity is included for firmware updates and loading audio files.

Venue control solution
Optimal Audio has also expanded its ecosystem with the introduction of the ZonePad 8 touchscreen venue control solution.

The wall-mounted panel offers easy access to the essential controls for an Optimal Audio system, or can be supplemented with ZonePad 1 or ZonePad 4 units.

Compact subwoofer
The company will also be demonstrating the Sub 18 in Barcelona, which has been designed for applications that require increased impact and low-frequency performance.

The subwoofer features a plywood bass-reflex cabinet loaded with an 18” driver that maximises performance for a peak SPL of 136dB. The compact loudspeaker can be used on the ground or flown using integral M8 inserts.

Optimal Audio will be on Stand 7A300 at ISE 2025, which takes place on 4-27 February.

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MotoGP™ [Moto2™& Moto3™] team MT Helmets MSI rides the hospitality limits with Optimal Audio

MT Helmets MSI, 2024 Moto2™ team championship winners, wanted its new dual-truck hospitality suite to hold pole position in the MotoGP™ paddock, so approached Audio-Technica, who recommended Optimal Audio and its commercial audio ecosystem. Audio-Technica have close links to the MotoGP™ production, working side-by-side with the media company behind the series, Dorna Sports, to develop & deliver both trackside and on-board microphone technologies for race-day audio capture, and were pleased to be asked to help the MT Helmets MSI team with a solution.

The racing team’s requirement was for a high-quality audio system that would operate across the two-truck demountable build but remain simple to set up and use for the team’s crew and non-technical hospitality suite staff. To link the audio system across the trucks, Audio-Technica created custom-designed weather-proof connection boxes. Mounted beneath each truck for safe transit, the connection points are easily accessible on arrival at a circuit for a quick connection via two custom speakON/XLR/EtherCON weatherproof multicore cables.  

Logan Helps, Audio-Technica Brand Development Manager, said, “Optimal Audio met all the client’s needs for a simple to use and simple to set up system, with punchy, high-quality audio. It was a really good opportunity to put the kit through its paces – and this was despite the complexity of connecting audio cables across two trucks different venues nearly every other weekend.”

Race day hospitality must meet the changing needs of racers, sponsors, visitors and staff from morning to night. During the day, the event space is a relaxing area with a central covered terrace, to eat and watch the race action and playback on the suite’s big screens. Once the racing is over the space transforms for the evening into a dancefloor area with a DJ – where those all-important podium positions are celebrated.

Designed as either a three-zone, two-truck set up or as a single truck set up with one internal zone and one external zone, the primary truck housed the catering equipment and the main power inputs. Optimal Audio’s Zone 8P was positioned here to run the zoned loudspeakers and microphones. Truck one featured a ZonePad 4 from where the staff could simply control all three of the zones in the two-truck set up. A ZonePad 1 in truck two enabled convenient control of the single space.

The main audio system for the hospitality suite is comprised of eight Optimal Audio Cuboid 6 loudspeakers, four per truck hung in stereo pairs positioned at each end and directed into the space. These ABS-cased loudspeakers provide background music during the day, clear and high-quality race action and serve as an exceptional entertainment system for the evening. Positioned by the DJ area, a further two Optimal Audio Cuboid 8s on stands and an Optimal Audio Sub 10 provide extra support for the terrace area.

Helps added, “Optimal Audio had everything the client needed at a great price point. The ZonePads made control really straightforward. The integration of the microphones into the Zone 8P was very cool, and even used by some riders for karaoke, and the ability to pre-programme the system ahead the installation made for a very swift set up. It was also a great opportunity to use Optimal Audio’s routines, and we set up WebApp on the phones of both the team owner and the hospitality manager so the right mode is immediately available at the touch of a button.

Manu Durán of M-Sport, a team sponsor and one of the owners of the hospitality unit, claimed, “The Optimal Audio sound system and installation by Audio-Technica has been a big step forward in the evolution of our hospitality, helping us to make our guests’ experience at the circuit unforgettable.

“The audio system has given us a lot of versatility. Whether we want to control one of the trucks or both, the control panel makes it very simple to control the audio system.  We can even have music on one and use the microphone for a presentation on the other. Even with loud music when it was necessary to celebrate one of the team’s victories this season! The sound quality of the speakers has been spectacular in all circumstances and the performance has been excellent in all the uses we have given it.”

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Gallery Bouldering reaches the summit with Optimal Audio

UK: Recently opened in Oxford, leisure venue Gallery Bouldering was determined its audio system would not be a mountain to climb and so turned to Optimal Audio’s commercial audio ecosystem to meet its various needs from morning into night.

Gallery Bouldering offers a peak experience for its customers, including a 100m expanse of bouldering wall and a dedicated gym space. There’s also a café which chalks the venue as a prime event space. Favouring background music during the day, of differing intensities by zone, there was a requirement for the audio to support the big screen action during major sporting events.

Optimal Audio’s UK distributor, Audio Technica, designed and installed a system to be in tune with the space, whatever the day held. On some days, the four zones of Gallery Bouldering: the wall, the gym, the café and the reception area would all function as distinct areas with their own vibe and background music to suit, during the flow of the day. At other times, the system supports a whole venue event with all areas working together.

Controlling the full venue system is an Optimal Audio Zone 8 audio controller with DSP and Optimal Audio’s simple and intuitive cross-platform WebApp. From here the venue staff access or set up presets and routines or make one-off changes across any or all of the zones. By automating the audio with automatic daily routines and standard presets, the staff in the busy venue have one less thing to think about.

Through the activity zones of the bouldering wall and the gym, Optimal Audio Up 6 two-way ceiling speakers provide warm and high-quality audio without taking any of the valuable wall space. In these zones a total of four Optimal Audio 5-inch, two-way, Cuboid 5 full-range loudspeakers are wall-mounted to provide support for the eighteen units from the Up range.

Providing the extra energy for big sporting events, two Optimal Audio Cuboid 8 two-way, full-range 8-inch loudspeakers are positioned either side of the – usually tucked away – projection screen. The full system is powered by a total of three amplifiers two of which are the 4 x 250W SmartAmp30 and one 4 x 125W SmartAmp20, both featuring DSP to add extra speed and simplicity to the installation.

Gallery owner, Jamie Wakeham, is pleased with the final installation. He said, “I am delighted with the sound quality of the Optimal Audio system. I’m hard to impress and this is genuinely good.  The 100V line speakers have good sparkle and clarity, and the Cuboid 8s add the right amount of heft without ever getting in the way.

“It was straightforward to hide all the speakers too – they fit neatly at the top of the

climbing wall structure, and the larger speakers are tucked behind it.  I’m very happy with the overall appearance as well as audio quality.”

The ability to zone the audio in Gallery Bouldering was useful as the venue is used in a different way by each customer, particularly during the day. For those climbing the bouldering wall and the exercising in the gym, the tempo of audio output is energetic, pushing customers to reach their goals. In the café however, the pace is more relaxed to create a pleasant dwell space more suited to the needs of the customer in that space.

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Optimal Audio launches WebApp 1.4 – the latest update for its commercial audio ecosystem

Optimal Audio has announced that WebApp 1.4, the latest update for the ‘secret sauce’ of its ecosystem, is available to download. The new features in the update will further enhance the powerful simplicity of its approach.

Optimal Audio’s mission is to simplify commercial audio with its ecosystem of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers – with Zone and WebApp central to that strategy.  

The new features available in WebApp include presets for Optimal Audio’s Sub 6 loudspeaker. The Sub series is comprised of three subwoofers engineered for punchy low end to support the Up and Cuboid series. Sub 6 is an ultra-compact, passive 6-inch subwoofer that joined the wider series earlier this year to meet a requirement for high quality low end in a compact form factor.

In addition, the update includes presets for sister brand, Martin Audio, and their ever popular ADORN commercial series of speakers. Presets for ceiling and pendant speaker models ACS-40TS, ACS-55TS, ACS-55T, ACP-55T complete the availability of ADORN series within WebApp, and join  smaller CDD on-wall loudspeakers for easy system design options for installers.

Following the download of the new software version, users and integrators will also be able to see ZonePad firmware updates in the WebApp status bar.

WebApp is available to download now and for further information about WebApp 1.4, visit: https://optimal-audio.co.uk/support/software/

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It’s Freshers’ Week as Optimal Audio Academy opens its virtual doors

On its quest for ‘Commercial Audio, Done Differently’, Optimal Audio has flung open the virtual doors to its training academy. Open 24/7, the Optimal Audio Academy has certification-based courses conveniently available to the world and any time that suits.

Simple to navigate, the Optimal Audio Academy complements the ethos of the brand and provides modular courses to help system integrators and installers to understand how to best maximise the portfolio and most importantly WebApp.

Comprised of a streamlined product offering that works seamlessly together, the Optimal Audio ecosystem is particularly suited to multi-zoned commercial installations, such as retail and hospitality venues. WebApp, the ‘secret sauce’ of the ecosystem, makes short work of customisable installation parameters and provides an intuitive interface for the end user that’s as straightforward as any smart home appliance. Set up is already as simple as possible but the courses at Optimal Audio Academy unlock the power of intuitive system set up and control for fast and functional installations.

Built as a modular course, there are currently three levels of training available. These offer all the support installers need to design and install the Optimal Audio ecosystem. Level one gives an introduction to the building blocks of the brand, its products and applications.

Those looking for a deeper dive can quickly move onto course level two where further insight into the Zone series and WebApp will open the doors to more polished and efficient installations. This course will improve deliverability in small to medium-sized multi-zone installations.

Level three of the course, which is still in the works and will be hosted at the online study facility in the future, promises to elevate installers to Optimal Audio Aficionado. A simple online test at the end of each course level will afford certification to all those who pass with scores above 75%.

Optimal Academy provides the extra ingredient needed to spice up installations at the design stage as well as on site. Just one of the benefits is that installers are taken through a few standard-sized installations so that everything flows as expected for a swift and trouble-free installation. The courses also prompt those extra ideas – the ‘nice to haves’ that customers might not realise will help their business.

Optimal Audio adds powerful yet simplistic performance to small to medium commercial audio installations. Optimal Audio Academy supports installers, providing them with a toolkit at their fingertips to confidently design, install and activate simplistic yet sophisticated Optimal Audio commercial audio systems at the speed of sound.

Optimal Audio Academy

If you have any questions or want to know more about the trainings please contact us at info@generationav.net

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North Gong hotel chooses Optimal Audio

AUSTRALIA: The North Wollongong Hotel has upgraded its ageing audio system to an Optimal Audio solution, designed and installed by Data Dan. Popularly known as the North Gong Hotel, the New South Wales venue features a bar, bistro, beer garden and an upstairs function area for private events. The venue regularly hosts live music, DJ sets, televised sport and pool tables.

“Having good audio is crucial in creating atmosphere – it’s the basis of people having a good time,” said Josh Hill, the venue’s manager. “The old system was installed in 2003 and we had a lot of dropout points and quiet areas where music would fluctuate in level, so key to our upgrade criteria was to obtain full coverage without pushing the music too hard – we’re in a residential area and we don’t want to impact our neighbours.”

Dan Chapman of Data Dan, with support from Scott Angove of Audio Brands Australia, provided Optimal Audio’s Cuboid 8 loudspeakers for the indoor spaces. In the bistro and bar areas of the North Gong, the loudspeakers were positioned fairly close together to run at a lower level for background music but still provide complete coverage in every area. Featuring an 8-inch driver, the Cuboid 8s will also be used for late night lively events where a punchy low-end is needed.

The function room’s stage area benefits from a pair of Cuboid 12s and a single Optimal Audio Sub 15 subwoofer for the low-frequency response required for live music performances and DJ sets. The onstage system was augmented with a complement of Cuboid 8s distributed down the length of the room for even coverage.

“This is a big hotel with a large capacity which can get very loud,” noted Angove. “It quickly became apparent that the Cuboid Series from Optimal Audio would be the best option, particularly the Cuboid 8. It fitted perfectly in the bistro and bar areas, as well as supplementing the larger Cuboid 12s in the function room to great effect.”

Hill noted his satisfaction with the new system: “Since installing Optimal Audio we’ve seen that the dropout zones are not there anymore – the quality of sound is really good without pushing it too hard. The coverage means that we now see people inside the venue dancing at their tables. It’s not just in one space where people can enjoy themselves like that – it’s everywhere throughout the venue.”

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