All posts by : Optimal Audio Group Ltd

In multi-purpose venues, such as hotels or event spaces, good sound system design plays a crucial role. It not only enhances the ambiance but also facilitates clear communication, whether it’s music, speeches, or announcements. At Optimal Audio, we recognise the significance of designing products that provide installers the flexibility to meet the unique needs of any venue, ensuring that every sound is delivered with precision and clarity.

Keep it simple

When designing a sound system for a multi-purpose venue, ease of use is paramount. Optimal Audio’s WebApp, hosted on a webserver within Zone, provides a user-friendly interface that allow anyone, regardless of technical expertise, to operate the sound system effortlessly. It can be accessed from any device with a web browser and empowers users to control music playback, adjust volume levels, and manage different audio zones with simplicity. By mirroring the familiarity of smartphones and tablets, our web-based control solution provides an intuitive experience for users, reducing the learning curve and giving venue staff a sound system that is easy to use.

Keep your staff focused on the job in hand

One of the standout features of Zone’s WebApp is its powerful routines functionality. Routines serve as a convenient way to store and recall specific settings for regularly occurring events. Whether it’s source selection or volume level, routines play a vital role in ensuring a multi-purpose venue can adapt quickly.

Matt Rowe, Optimal Audio Head Engineer comments:

“We’ve witnessed venues and installers leveraging routines to cater to different event types. For instance, in a multi-purpose venue that offers space rentals for various functions, there may be occasional requests for sports events. By creating a dedicated routine that automatically selects the HDMI source and plays the sound from the TV, staff members can effortlessly fulfil such requests. All they need to do is navigate to the routines section and simply click on a configured routine”.

Great sound quality without breaking the bank

The design of a commercial audio sound system is often accompanied by budget considerations. Optimal Audio’s product offering is cost-effective without compromising audio quality. Our IP54 rated products, such as the Cuboid 3 and 5, demonstrate how smaller speakers can produce remarkable sound, while larger speakers in the Cuboid range offer exceptional performance at competitive prices. Our simplified offering of carefully selected products helps venues achieve outstanding results without breaking the bank.

Let’s summarise

Designing sound systems for multi-purpose venues is a complex task that goes beyond selecting amplifiers and speakers. Optimal Audio specialises in creating products that are flexible and excel in variety of multi-purpose applications. With a focus on cost-effectiveness and user-friendliness, our commercial audio eco-system helps create seamless experiences for any multi-purpose venue, without the control headaches of conventional commercial audio systems.

Take WebApp for a spin

For the first time, our WebApp is available as an offline tool for you to get more familiar with its power and functionality. Download our Desktop Demo for PC and Mac and see for yourself how WebApp is revolutionising commercial audio.

Award-winning UK manufacturer Optimal Audio enjoyed a very successful introduction to the USA market at this year’s InfoComm in Orlando.

In addition to welcoming a large number of visitors to its own dedicated stand at the show, Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, also enjoyed visibility on the platform of its newly-appointed USA distributor Allied ProTech. The California-based company reported strong interest in Optimal Audio’s emphasis on high quality commercial audio delivered through a simple to operate, easy to install package.

Bradley Watson, International Sales Director at Optimal Audio reflects on the upbeat mood at the show:

“There was a real buzz around both stands which supported Allied ProTech’s confidence that the Optimal Audio approach is perfectly tailored to meet the demands of its partners across the US market. It was clear from our conversations with visitors to InfoComm that a system which simplifies commercial audio, without compromising audio quality, is highly desirable. With a comprehensive distribution network in place, and the full range of products in stock and ready to ship, the Optimal Audio revolution can begin immediately!”

Allied ProTech’s founder Rik Kirby adds:

“It was a real pleasure to introduce the brand to our reps and customers from all over the States. We have reps in place for every region, all of whom agree that Optimal Audio appears destined for great success. The market is crying out for easy to install systems that avoid the complexities that are so often an obstacle to intuitive operation – in a nutshell that’s exactly what Optimal Audio offers.”

British brand Optimal Audio is part of Focusrite plc, one of the largest audio manufacturers in Europe, and benefits from years of engineering experience, global reach and support. It manufactures a one-stop solution of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

Based in Orange County, California, and founded by industry veteran Rik Kirby, Allied ProTech is a leading Pro Audio and AV technology distributor working to simplify the challenge of bringing international brands to the US market. By operating as an extension of the brand itself, Allied ProTech is able to provide bespoke support and service to meet the unique requirements of its individual partners.

Rik Kirby identifies Optimal Audio as a great fit:

“Optimal Audio is a brand born from great heritage, and their focus on ease of use and installation meets a need we’re seeing from our partners across the US market. We’re excited to be working with them, and we’re looking forward to introducing the Optimal Audio range to our reps and customers at the upcoming InfoComm trade show in Orlando.”

Dom Harter, Managing Director of Optimal Audio sees a great opportunity:

“I’ve known Rik for quite some time and value his deep knowledge of the way the US market works. He’s held senior management positions with a number of international audio manufacturers where he’s been responsible for sales, marketing, operations and production, so it’s safe to say that he fully understands every aspect of bringing a brand to market. We look forward to working closely with Allied ProTech to establish Optimal Audio as a leading player in the US commercial audio market.”

Award-winning UK manufacturer Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of AVCOM as its exclusive distributor in Columbia.

Optimal Audio, part of the Focusrite Group, manufactures a one-stop solution of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.

Based in Bogotá, AVCOM is a leading distributor of products and solutions for the audiovisual sector, and represents a number of leading global brands in the region. Its vastly experienced team of engineers supports AVCOM’s ability to advise, install, supervise and provide technical support to its wide and strongly-established customer base.

The partnership was negotiated earlier this year at the ISE Show in Barcelona where AVCOM CEO Camilo Aranguren recognised the huge potential of Optimal Audio’s simplified and intuitive approach to commercial audio:

“We took a strong interest in the development of Optimal Audio, and could see from the outset that the eco-system it has created can offer our customers a high quality solution that removes many of the traditional pitfalls of commercial audio. It’s a fresh approach that keeps things simple for both installers and end-users and adds another strong dimension to our portfolio.”

AVCOM is already in the process of training its techs and engineers on the Optimal Audio eco-system. This will be masterminded by technical support from Proactive LATAM, who represent the brand in Latin America and the Caribbean, under the supervision of founder and CEO, Berenice Gutiérrez.

Optimal Audio Managing Director, Dom Harter looks forward to a bright future for the brand in Columbia:

“We’re happy to have partnered with AVCOM, whose knowledge of the audio market in the territory is second to none. As a new brand, we’re confident that the support of such a highly respected and well-established partner will provide us with the perfect opportunity for growth in the region.”

Cosmic Electronics installs zoned Optimal Audio system at London’s latest culinary hotspot…

Named for the iconic Celtic warrior queen, and located in the heart of London’s thriving culinary scene in Battersea, recently-opened restaurant Boudica is a stylishly presented venue catering for brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks. Transitioning through the day from a quiet chilled space to a lively cocktail bar with top DJs, Boudica is focused on delivering classic comfort food with international and contemporary twists in an immersive, luxurious setting.

Music will play a key role in precisely establishing the right ambience for Boudica’s changing moods, and with audio reinforcement in mind, co-founder Ed Allingham sought advice from Mark Damon, Director at leading installers Cosmic Electronics.

Damon recommended an Optimal Audio solution for Boudica, having been impressed with its commercial audio offering since attending the company’s launch in 2021:

“The Optimal Audio package caught my attention from the off – its emphasis on simplifying commercial audio for the benefit of installers and end-users, whilst maintaining audio quality, was very appealing. Having used elements of the ecosystem on several jobs now, it’s certainly lived up to its billing. When the Boudica project arose, I had no hesitation in recommending Optimal Audio.”

Boudica operates across two floors with the main downstairs restaurant comprising a bar to the left of the space, rear seating and side seating, while the upstairs space is reserved for private dining. The brief required a zoned audio system that could meet the varying requirements of the spaces, from low-key background music at one end of the spectrum to DJ sets at the other.

The system was divided into 6 zones, namely bar, dining area, entrance, upstairs dining, terrace and toilets, and deployed an Optimal Audio Zone 8P at its heart. The Zone 8P is an 8-zone audio controller with DSP, amplification and WebApp. The unit incorporates 8 channels of 100W integrated amplification at 4ohms or 8ohms. The onboard WebApp unlocks the full potential of Zone, providing easy access to EQs, speaker presets and time-of-day routines, and is compatible with any device to make for a straightforward setup.

Cosmic installed 6 x Cuboid 8 two-way, full-range, passive 8” on-wall loudspeakers mounted on UB1-B horizontal brackets, and 3 x Sub 15 high-power subwoofers for the bar and restaurant, with 2 x Up 6 two-way passive full-range 6” ceiling speakers for the upstairs room. A single Up 6 was deployed in each of the venue’s two rest rooms. The system is powered by 2 x Optimal Audio SmartAmp 30 (4 x 250W amplifier with integral DSP).

The installation proved to be as quick and straightforward as Mark Damon had expected:

“As has been the case each time we’ve used Optimal Audio products, the job was quick and easy. Such is the intuitive nature and ease of use of the Zone 8P controller, I’d estimate that within 30 minutes of starting the routing/setup process we had sound coming through the system, much to the client’s delight – very impressive. Being able to hide unwanted zones and sources means that the user is presented with an uncomplicated simple-to-use interface. For small to medium-sized venues like this, Optimal Audio’s Zone will now be my go-to controller.”

Boudica co-founder Ed Allingham is pleased with the new system:

“Having made a significant investment in interior design, it was vital to us that we had an audio system that not only sounded great across the volume spectrum, but also had a pleasing aesthetic. The system is sleek and unobtrusive but definitely matches our ambition to provide an authentic club sound when required – the Cuboid speakers achieve that very impressively.

“It was also very important that our team felt confident about using the system to best effect without being intimidated or bogged down by something overly technical. The Optimal Audio Zone controller is brilliant in that respect. I’m sure that there’s a lot of hi-tech stuff going on in the box but the user interface is so simple! It really was up and running in no time…”

Bar Manager Chris G confirms the intuitive nature of WebApp:

“As a new business we need to be on top of every detail as we fine tune things across the venue, so I need to be able to respond quickly and easily in making adjustments to the sound levels in the different zones. Having the WebApp on my phone makes that instantly possible with the minimum of fuss.”

During the summer months Boudica will take advantage during fine weather to entertain guests on its outside terrace, and Cosmic will soon be revisiting the site to add IP54-rated loudspeakers for this purpose. Having added another zone to the system without complication, the venue can take advantage of the unit’s structured ‘routine’ feature to ensure sound is stopped outside at a prescribed time to comply with local authority restrictions, removing another element of pressure from busy staff.

Jamie Gomez of Optimal Audio comments:

“It’s great to see an Optimal Audio system being deployed to such great effect at this beautiful venue. The message is clear from both installer and end-user that our approach to developing a high-quality audio ecosystem that takes the complexity out of commercial audio is well-founded. The onboard flexibility and versatility of Zone enables Boudica to deliver exactly what they want, where they want and when they want, without any of the attendant stress or hassles often associated with other commercial audio packages.”

Award-winning UK manufacturer and part of the Focusrite Group, Optimal Audio is pleased to announce the appointment of Kwarizmi Engineering Systems & Controls Co. as its exclusive distributor in Jordan. 
 
Optimal Audio manufactures a one-stop solution of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers for small to medium sized commercial installations, with a focus on supporting multi-zoned venues. Its streamlined product-offering works seamlessly to deliver simple-to-install, high quality sound systems that can be easily operated by anyone, not just engineers.
 
Based in the Jordanian capital of Amman, Kwarizmi Engineering specialises in the life safety and security business, supplying products as well as offering technical support, consultation, design and installation services. Audio systems play an important role in the sector, and Kwarizmi had recently sought to expand its audio portfolio to ensure it could meet the needs of its customers across every scale of commercial project. 
 
Thaer A. Ali, Executive Manager at Kwarizmi is enthusiastic about the new partnership:
 
“Optimal Audio has produced an ecosystem of products that will be of great benefit to our customers. They have focused on easy installation and operation without sacrificing audio quality, and done so at a very competitive price point. We’re very proud to have forged this new relationship and will work hard to place Optimal Audio at the forefront of the commercial audio market in Jordan.”
 
Dom Harter, Managing Director, Optimal Audio adds:
 
“Kwarizmi Engineering is a trusted presence in the Jordanian audio market, with a strongly established customer base. The technical expertise of their team is most impressive as is their track-record in supplying the widest possible range of commercial audio projects across the country. We look forward to working closely with Thaer and his team as they develop Optimal Audio’s presence in Jordan.”
 
Optimal Audio will make its Jordan debut at the Jimex 2023 exhibition in Amman (June 5-8), where Kwarizmi Engineering will invite visitors to experience the power, flexibility, and ease of WebApp alongside the eco-system of loudspeakers, amplifiers and controllers.

Any hospitality venue can use music to communicate the feeling it seeks to evoke—whether it’s a soothing retreat from busy daily life or a contemporary concept venue. The right music and speaker deployment leaves no doubt about it. It will help cement the desired image and reinforce your brand ethos from the very moment of entry, until your customers leave.

Sound, like all the other senses, is a means of establishing an emotional bond with customers. In 1982, Milliman and colleagues conducted research in New York City to examine how music tempo influences buying behaviour. The study found that playing slow music resulted in customers spending more time in the store and a substantial increase (32 percent) in gross sales, as opposed to when fast music was played. By creating a comfortable ambiance that encourages customers to linger and make more purchases, mellow, down-tempo music generates more revenue.

Music triggers a chain reaction within the human body, leading to physical and emotional effects, but it can also trigger strong memories. The first chord of a favourite song can transport a person to an earlier time and translate those emotions to the present. Spending time and budget on décor, furnishings and lighting is important, but many forget about the impact that a great sound-system and the right music can have on sales.

Let music make money for your business

As a business owner in the hospitality industry– be it a hotelier, a restaurant manager or owner of a chain of bars, there is a great opportunity to create the right ambiance, which is both aligned to your brand, as well as will enhance your overall guest experience.

Ambiance is a key ingredient in the delivery of exceptional service, which in turns generates customer loyalty and revenue. If you get this right, you open the door to a fruitful relationship with your customers and partners.

Sound is crucial in setting the exact tone for a space. Loud, buzzy, energetic music immediately gives a vigour and excitement to the air and therefore guests are more exaggerated, flamboyant, and full of energy. Laid-back, sultry music sets a tone for indulgent evenings but at a more relaxed pace. Music is essential to set the pace of the experience.

Stand out from the competition

Businesses are regularly on the lookout for innovative ways to boost their brand for it to stand out, often the simpler, the better. Usually when thinking of the components that create a brand, or customer experience, visual elements such as logo, signage, colours, textures and even smell are considered.

The role of music in establishing an identity is too often overlooked, especially as it’s a cost-effective and direct way to establish desired outcomes.

Music is probably one of the more subconscious inspirations of interior design. A lot of the same elements of interior design are found in music: rhythm, harmony, repetition, movement. Music and design are very much connected. And in the same way a musician will combine all of these musical techniques to create sound-based ambience, designers combine design elements and principles to create physical ambience. Then, when combined, the two really complement one another.

Creating a good sound environment for your guests

Sound affects us 24 hours a day and the difference between a pleasant, well-designed sound environment and an unpleasant, noisy sound environment can be crucial. Both when it comes to the overall experience of the space, but also when it comes to health.

But getting the right background music and ambiance is one thing, what about the sound system itself? It doesn’t matter if they’re playing your favourite song if it sounds ‘tinny’, ‘harsh’ or just ‘incoherent’. Equally, if you’ve invested money into a good sound system, but it takes your staff away from the important jobs at hand because the system is too complex to manage, then it just creating more headaches.

This is where Optimal Audio excels. Ideal for small to medium sized multi-zoned hospitality installations, our streamlined portfolio makes selecting the right product, quick and simple.

Robin Dibble, Optimal Audio technical support engineer comments:

“Ideally, a noise level under 70 decibels in the restaurant is pleasant to the ears and ideal for conversations. Louder music will tend to have a negative impact on the comfort for the customers. Excessively loud music playing in the restaurant is a significant mood spoiler and makes it impossible for the customers to indulge in a conversation.

For bars and pubs, the audio system should be able to sustain between 75 and 90 decibels comfortably, sometimes more. During the day background levels are mostly what is required to allow comfortable conversation. As the day progresses towards the night, venues will want to increase levels to build atmosphere and to allow music to remain at a comfortable level during busy times or become a significant part of the evening’s entertainment.”

Let’s summarise

The right music and a high quality, reliable, and easy-to-use sound system is a crucial ingredient to a successful hospitality venue.

When you choose an Optimal Audio sound system you are choosing a product that will work equally in the background or foreground and provide an ease of management that means you and your staff are focussed on your customers.

The Optimal Audio eco-system

Whether venue staff or audio installers, our mission is to make commercial audio products that are easy to use, affordable and sound great.

Optimal Audio offers a range of on wall, ceiling, and subwoofer loudspeakers that produce warm, coherent and rich sound. Designed by world-class engineers, they offer premium sound quality at a cost-conscious price point. The type of speakers required may be dependent on the type of business they’ll be used for.

Furthermore, our Zone controllers provides the foundation to deliver efficient, high-quality multi-zoned sound systems. When combined with WebApp you unlock the full potential of our loudspeakers via onboard EQs, speaker presets, structured time of day routines and so much more.

This is critical, not to just ensure the sound performance is at its optimum, but to also provide full flexibility for the venue for when maybe music starts and finishes in a given zone and at what the sound level is in those respective areas.

Flipside AV recently installed an Optimal Audio Zone 4 and ZonePad to control three audio zones at a modern café, bar and hotel called Bang in Wells.

The daily pressures upon hospitality staff are always challenging and the last thing anyone wants to worry about is a complicated sound system. That’s where Optimal Audio provides the perfect solution.

Zone 4 is a zonal audio controller with DSP providing everything required in a single compact unit to become the beating heart of an efficient, high-quality multi-zoned commercial sound system and features 4 line and 2 mic inputs plus 2 HDMI inputs for TV and video sound. It allows the installer to independently allocate sources across four configurable zones, such as a lobby, bar or restaurant, and each zone can be configured to do precisely what is required using the intuitive WebApp. This includes EQs, speaker presets, structured time of day routines and so much more.

In the case of Bang, Zone 4 was installed to control audio for three zones and once configured a ZonePad 4 was added to make end usability effortless. ZonePad 4 is an elegant wall mounted controller, providing users clear and simple access to the essential controls of up to four zones. It gives all users the confidence and access they need to operate the system and features a clean, slick intuitive touch interface, enabling selection, volume control of playback sources and microphones to be easily controlled across the zones of audio from one position. Controlling the sound system on the move is no problem for the venue staff either. The manager of the venue has WebApp pinned to home screen on the venue iPad, ensuring that changes can be made quickly and easily if needed.

Optimal Audio was the perfect fit according to James Heath Cooper, MD at Flipside AV:

“The unit was super-fast and easy to set up with just the right amount of control for the team to get the best out of the sound system. In terms of price, it’s spot on really and has some lovely value-added functionality like the HDMI audio inputs. The customer is very happy and finds the system effortless to use. It’s added a lovely vibe to the establishment.”

Optimal Audio, the award-winning manufacturer of commercial audio equipment, has announced the release of an all access WebApp Desktop Demo mode.

WebApp is the digital backbone of Optimal Audio’s ecosystem of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers providing a system integrator with the ability to configure an entire system of multiples zones in a venue, while presenting the end user with an intuitive and simple interface to control the sound system. Now, for the first time, anyone can experience both the simplicity and power of WebApp without the need for a Zone hardware unit.

The Desktop Demo, available on PC and Mac, offers a fully interactive experience of the intuitive nature of WebApp, and allows users to build confidence and familiarise themselves with this powerful tool. True to the Optimal Audio brand ethos, the team has delivered a concept that offers a simple and easy onboarding experience that enables integrators, installers, and venue owners to experience the beating heart of the Optimal Audio eco-system.

Jamie Gomez, Marketing Manager commented:

“One of the first things I recognised on joining was that if we could get the WebApp out to as many people as we could, it would be the quickest and most powerful way for system integrators and installers to see the true nature of Optimal Audio and how it is changing commercial audio for the better. Thankfully, Matt Rowe agreed and we were able to develop this relatively quickly.”

Matt Rowe, Head of Engineering responded:

“Similar to test driving a new car, gaining hands-on experience and familiarity with the features of a car builds confidence in making the right purchase decision. In the same vein, the introduction of the WebApp Desktop Demo enables individuals with a PC or Mac to take it for a spin by setting up various zones and sources, adjusting faders and creating routines, without requiring a Zone hardware unit.”

The WebApp Desktop Demo incorporates all of the of the latest features from the most recent release of WebApp 1.1 and the Demo app will also get updated with any future release of WebApp.

Test drive today: https://optimal-audio.co.uk/products/controllers/webapp-desktop-demo/

Optimal Audio is proud to announce the release of WebApp 1.1, featuring a BluOS Control API integration to control Bluesound Professional audio devices that feature built-in network-connected streaming and music management controls for use in commercial audio spaces.

Optimal Audio’s WebApp is the backbone of its ecosystem of controllers, amplifiers and loudspeakers providing a system integrator with the ability a to configure an entire system of multiples zones in a venue, while presenting the end user with an intuitive and simple interface to control the sound system. 

With this latest release, WebApp and Zone firmware enable API controls for Bluesound Professional devices via BluOS from Optimal Audio Zone controllers. This simple and powerful solution supports playback from almost 20 streaming platforms and internet radio stations, including services specifically designed for commercial use.

The integration of Bluesound Professional streaming music devices such as the B100S and B400S provides a scalable solution for venues requiring up to four playback streams. Integrators and end-users can configure powerful routines within WebApp to automate streaming preset recall and volume control for a specified time, day, and zone, enabling venue staff to focus on their primary responsibilities.

The API integration also allows WebApp to play, pause or skip a track and displays song artwork for an improved end-user experience.

In addition to the seamless integration with Bluesound Professional streamers, the latest update to WebApp includes several useful new features. A Client Configuration Tool has been added to enhance security and simplify the operation of client connections such as mobiles or tablets. A global setting for ‘delay units’ in system settings and an auto Time Zone/DST adjustment have also been added.

Matt Rowe, Head of Engineering for Optimal Audio commented:

“I’m thrilled to deliver WebApp 1.1 and introduce streaming capabilities into our commercial audio eco-system. I believe that being able to recall presets from Bluesound Professional devices combined with WebApp’s powerful routine functionality provides a versatile solution that will be welcomed by installers and venue owners.”

The Optimal Audio Open Days, scheduled for April 18th and 19th in High Wycombe, will feature WebApp 1.1 showcasing its ability to manage a well-known four-zone commercial audio deployment.

For more information visit: https://optimal-audio.co.uk/products/controllers/webapp/