A café isn't a restaurant, and shouldn't sound like one
In a café, sound works differently from a restaurant. The atmosphere can be more energetic, the volume adapts to the time of day, and on a Friday evening the system has to keep going until 02:00 without struggling speakers or burnt-out amplifiers.
We design fixed sound systems for cafés, bars and pubs that can handle this reality. Robust for heavy use, scenes that follow the evening along, and an optional DJ connection for weekends or special events.
What we tackle in a café or bar
Atmosphere that suits the evening A quiet Thursday evening with cocktail guests needs a different music mix from a busy Friday night. With preprogrammed scenes the system switches automatically or at the press of a button. A different playlist, different volume, a different lighting setting if you link that to it.
Volume that adapts to how busy it is An empty café sounds different from a full one. With automatic volume adjustment based on sound measurement (auto-levelling), the system compensates for the background noise of the crowd. No sudden silence when the place empties out, no sudden loudness when it fills up.
Robust for heavy use Cafés ask more of an installation than restaurants. Higher volumes, longer running hours, often a damp environment behind the bar. We work with professional components from AUDAC and FBT designed for 24/7 hospitality use.
Optional DJ connection and zoning If you run DJ sets at weekends or do special events, we fit the installation with a connection for a DJ deck so you don’t have to drag cables around every time. Often with a separate zone for the DJ area so the volume there can be higher than in the rest of the venue.
Sound limiters for the council
Many cafés in the Netherlands have a sound restriction in their permit. Complaining neighbours or non-compliance can lead to warnings or worse. We install limiters that meet the council standards, with a display so your staff can see where things stand, and with logging so that if there’s a complaint you have proof of what was actually measured that evening.
Cafés and bars where we've worked
- De Witte Aap Rotterdam
- BIRD Rotterdam: club area
- Man Nam Bar Eindhoven
- R-Port Beach Club Hoek van Holland: bar and lounge zone
- Cafe Echt wel!
- King Kong Hostel Rotterdam: bar zone
What a typical café system costs
A fixed multi-zone installation starts at around €3,000. The price depends on your space and what you want, such as a DJ connection, a limiter or live music.
Request a free site visit for a guide price for your venue.
Frequently asked questions
If it’s well designed, yes. We size amplifiers and speakers with enough headroom for peak loads and heavy use. No domestic PAs run at 70% that start struggling after a year.
Then we fit the installation with a DJ connection on a separate input. No complicated patching or dragging cables around. Plug in, switch on the “DJ set” scene, done.
Yes. We install limiters to the specifications set out in your permit. Including a display for your staff and logging for your records or for any complaint.
Often in part. Sound leakage largely doesn’t come from your speakers, but from your crowd and your doors. But a well-designed installation with the right limiter and zoning can certainly help, and afterwards gives you measurable arguments in conversations with neighbours or the council.
Yes. Multi-zone audio lets you choose a different source and volume for each room. Louder at the bar, atmospheric in the main room, and different again on the terrace.
Then we look at a setup with a separate stage input, monitors for the musicians and a simple mixer that can be operated by both your staff and a hired technician. Ask specifically about live music setups during your site visit.
With good maintenance, professional components from AUDAC and FBT last for years, amplifiers often longer still. With tailor-made maintenance you get the most out of your installation.
Gladly. The earlier we’re at the table in a new build or refit, the better we can build the technology into the design. Cable routes, ceiling heights, mounting points and acoustic work are then still ours to help decide.