Operators know that a good guest experience extends far beyond the food and beverage offerings. Every element of your venue, from the booking system to the atmosphere and even the tableware, adds up to create the guest experience. And when it comes to creating the perfect atmosphere, few things are more impactful than your music. And we’re not talking playlist – we’re talking the actual sound quality.
We spoke with David Lee of BASSBOSS® to find out why operators need to be focusing on audio as a fundamental building block of your venue, and how a great sound system can significantly boost your bottom line.
Why is it important for venues to have a great sound system?
A sound system can be so much more than just the equipment that plays the music. A phenomenal sound system actually encourages your patrons to stay longer. Powerful, deep bass has been scientifically shown to increase alcohol purchases. In addition to that, the quality of the sound becomes associated with every other part of the venue. People will return over and over again to hear their favorite music sound the best they have ever heard it.
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What are the most common sound system mistakes operators make, and how can they avoid them?
One big mistake is having systems that are too loud in the wrong areas and not loud enough in the right areas. Night clubs are social environments, and people need space in which to socialize away from the intensity of the dance floor. Bartenders also need to be able to hear the customers’ orders and to interact with the customers.
Another problem is playing the system too loud, too early and for too long. You don't want to drive people away with a powerful system, you want to draw them in, you want to enhance their experience and give them something they can't get anywhere else. A powerful sound system is like a powerful car: you don’t drive it with your foot flat on the floor all the time, but it’s a lot of fun to experience the power in bursts!
BASSBOSS® is known for your depth of sound (“low-end” sound) but what does that really mean? How does it affect the experience of the audience?
A system that is loud without depth will consciously and unconsciously be evaluated to be of less quality. Many systems can get as loud, or louder than ours, but all too often they are louder over a very narrow band. In other words, they are “One Note Wonders”. This makes all the songs sound roughly the same. When the music sounds the same all night, people get bored and go home. When the music that they love is played accurately and articulately, and they hear new detail and greater depth, they are inclined to stay longer because they're enjoying themselves and their music more. If they stay longer, they will most likely buy more drinks. And if they have a great time and build positive memories, they will return in the future.
How can bars and restaurants benefit from great sound?
Great sound associates its quality with the venue, and with every product that's provided within that venue. Great sound will make food taste better. Not literally, but it will be perceived as tasting better, and that's essentially the same thing. In a restaurant, great sound doesn’t mean loud sound. Research has indicated that one of the reasons people decry airline food is because of the background noise in the airplanes. We can only process so much information, even if it’s just to filter it out. If operators manage the level and the quality of the sound being provided to patrons, it can enhance their experience and create positive associations for every other element within the venue, leading to higher spend per head and repeat business.
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You said that people remember moments – how can a sound system help immortalize a moment?
How does a lighting person complement the music and highlight the moments? They don't turn all the lights on at maximum brightness all the time. Most light shows are capable of much more brightness than you would want on the dance floor. When there is a peak moment, the lights will be made brighter. A sound system that needs to run at or near capacity during the busy hours of the night won't have the headroom to be able to highlight special moments.
We advocate very powerful systems not so that they can be run at maximum volume all night. Quite the opposite. It should be run at a fraction of its capacity all night so that, when those magic moments appear, the system can really surprise people. Guests will remember those moments, and they will come back to create more memorable moments.
How can operators choose between a mounted system and a freestanding one?
The beauty of the systems we design is how easy it is to achieve great results in practically any environment, and we want to help you choose the equipment that’s most appropriate for your application. BASSBOSS® loudspeakers can be permanently installed or used as portable systems, and that’s largely an aesthetic choice. We offer many products that can be placed or stacked on the ground and provide stunning performance – all the venue has to do is provide the appropriate electrical circuits to run the equipment (and a set of low-voltage signal cables). While the bulk of our systems are sold as self-powered, meaning the amplification and processing are within the loudspeaker enclosure, we can separate the amplification and processing from the cabinet so that the same quality can be achieved in a venue that needs the amplification to be located in an equipment rack.
Your BASSBOSS® sound system is the beating heart of your business. It is strong, reliable and generous to sustain the life and health of your enterprise. A great sound system both fills people with passion and remains true to its commitments. If you love music, you can avoid a broken heart with a commitment to BASSBOSS. For more information, visit www.bassboss.com or stop by their booth at the Nightclub & Bar Show – happening June 28-30, 2021 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Tickets are on sale now.
For sponsorship opportunities, contact Fadi Alsayegh at [email protected], Jamie Schroeder at [email protected] or Veronica Gonnello at [email protected].
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