Cleverly located in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Tarpon River Brewing is probably the most local-friendly pub you’ll ever find. It’s also incredibly dog-friendly; patrons can bring their furry friends into the exterior portion of the brewery as they mingle and share drinks. But they needed an integrated audio system and had an issue on how to do it within their 1920s-style large space venue.

Tarpon River Brewing Company + SoundTube

Tarpon’s team wanted to add integrated audio to the 11,000+ square foot venue for a while, but the layout of the old, converted warehouse didn’t quite lend itself to typical audio system installations. Inside the large 1920s warehouse, Tarpon had built a 1,000 square foot pub and restaurant. Tasting for site-brewed spirits and beers was hosted outside the pub, and Tarpon wanted both ‘venues’ to be integrated into the same audio system. They reached out to Eric Manev of PiElectronix in Pompano Beach for the solution.

Building Layout Issues

Due to large amounts of floor space, two separate spaces, and the large brewing machines located in the venue, this project posed a huge design challenge. Coverage for each area quickly became a question for the client’s budget to answer.

Budget Limitations

Since Tarpon River Brewing Company had such a generous indoor space, coupled with the fact that there were two inner buildings to be wired and fitted for speakers, it was apparent that many audio systems available weren’t going to be their best option. Tarpon was looking for a solution that met their budget and didn’t compromise on quality.

List of Needs

In addition to the budgetary and unusual installation requirements, the Tarpon River Brewing team wanted to integrate a system that was unnoticeable – no logos and little-to-no visible wiring. This is a pretty typical ask of a quality sound system; audio should be heard and not seen. According to Manev, “distributed sound adds to the cozy environment where people can mingle and share a conversation without being overpowered by the sound system.”

SoundTube Installation

PIElectronix discovered SoundTube and MSE Audio through a local sales representative in Fort Lauderdale. After reviewing options and going through the design needs, it was apparent that the best speakers for Tarpon River Brewing were the quality, affordable SoundTube EZ series speakers. These speakers deliver exceptional performance and met the budget requirements. With this product, the auditory environment wouldn’t feel forced, and the customers would enjoy the superb intelligibility for background and foreground music.

Design Hurdles

Installation was straightforward and there were no significant challenges; however, the design-level planning was a bit difficult. Due to a large amount of space in the outer portion of the venue, speakers had to be placed strategically for maximum coverage without the loss of sound quality. Once the layout was solidified and plans were made up, the installation was fairly simple, and only complicated by the creative wire runs through surfaces so that the cables would not be visible from the customers’ perspectives.

Product Usage

For Tarpon River Brewing’s project, the following equipment was used:

 

8 SoundTube SM82-EZ-II (main bar and private dining room)

2 SoundTube SM82-EZ-II-WX (outdoors at the main entrance)

4 SoundTube SM52-EZ-BK (main dining area and additional bar seating)

4 SoundTube RS62-EZ (open ceiling areas)

2 SoundTube CM62-EZ-II (front retail area)

 

SoundTube’s WX speakers were chosen for the outdoors area due to their outstanding weather performance – harsh Florida conditions are no joke!

 

For system control and additional input, the client installed the following:

1 Ashly ne8250.70 8ch 70v Amplifier

1 dbx ZonePro 1261 DSP

1 RTI XP3 Control system processor with iPad License

1 Audio Technica ATW-1302, 2.4GHz Handheld Wireless Microphone System.

Revisiting Tarpon River Brewing Company

Tarpon River Brewing’s unified SoundTube sound system was installed in early 2018. Two years later, the bartenders and other employees that help run Tarpon River Brewing’s speak highly of the speakers and their quality when Eric Manev from PIElectronix returns for a visit. According to Manev, “It seems the installation was so successful that the sound is just part of the venue and is not even thought about until we ask.”

 

This is a huge success from a quality standpoint; the design for the SoundTube speakers are so low-profile that they simply melt into the background of the venue. Manev continued, “The lack of logos on the speakers paired with their clean appearance helps avoid judgment from patrons that base opinions solely on brand names allowing them to just enjoy great sound.”

 

Clearly, the SoundTube EZ speaker lineup was a perfect match for both Tarpon River Brewing Company’s unique design needs as well as the budget they had to work with. Everyone at this venue has been able to finally enjoy a unified, non-invasive background music for entertainment, drinks, and great company.