In the favorable neighborhood at 641, Gulmohar Society, a lone gem of a restaurant serves tourists and locals with one focus: “stories over food.” Kissa is a contemporary restaurant and pub with a lively, open-air, rooftop lounge space. The restaurant’s upstairs lounge features booths, a full bar and several tables to enjoy the gorgeous views of Mumbai. When the restaurant contacted Nemish Parekh of Xpan Solutions, he knew that this was going to be a fantastic audio installation with a concrete focus. He thus created a relaxing, open space lightly complemented by audio for Kissa with the help of Kansas-based SoundTube.
The Challenge
Locals and tourists alike enjoy Kissa’s unique dining experience and its heavy focus on patrons engaging in conversation and stories. This focus requires a specific type of atmosphere – one unpolluted by loud music or unpleasant noises. Moreover, according to Kissa, the amount of background noise increases the enjoyment that patrons get out of restaurant spaces; regardless of the business.
With this goal in mind, Kissa thus decided, like many other businesses, to plan and execute their own makeover of the premises. This would include upgrading the sound system in their rooftop lounge. However, dealing with an open-air space emerged as a significant challenge.
Addressing the Client’s Needs
The upper rooftop lounge had to provide a relaxing, conversational place. At the same time, it needed to be a space where DJs could come and create a high-energy vibe at night. Since the rooftop lounge is open, Kissa stressed the importance of requiring minimal sound spillage that would disrupt nearby businesses or residents.
Given these requirements, the client thus required a well-rounded system. It also had to be powerful enough, directed properly, and somehow contained within the open space of the lounge. It thus present a difficult challenge; and one that required some engineering and most of all, proper selection of products.
Additionally, the client’s budget emerged as a focal point of the the project. For Parekh, SoundTube’s audio technologies thus presented a suitable solution that fit within the budget. Moreover, the efficiency of the SoundTube speakers means buying fewer individual speakers for the project. With all mounting accessories included with the speakers, it also made the audio installation quicker and much easier.
Selecting SoundTube
Parekh thus decided, based on the client’s specific needs, that SoundTube speakers would do the job. Not only would SoundTube’s RS-EZ speakers perfectly direct a budget-friendly, pleasant range of sound; but they would also serve the space – and client – best due to their unique features.
One such feature is SoundTube’s patented “Zero Reflection Enclosure” technology. This technology uses top-of-the-line techniques to ensure optimal sound reproduction through speakers. It also maintains cabinet rigidity, regardless of the sound being pumped through the speakers. This was an important consideration, especially since the lounge is in an open-air space.
Also Read: SoundTube Reinvents Original Pendant Speaker with Mighty Mite
SoundTube’s “BroadBeam Waveguide” technology also presented a strong selling point for Kissa. The technology has the ability to produce superior off-axis performance. Moreover, it provides remarkable edge-to-edge coverage, SoundTube notes. BroadBeam’s predictable 110-degree coverage pattern also ensured that customers didn’t have to be directly beneath the speaker to hear great sound.
Other Challenges
Mumbai can experience incredibly serious weather thus it is important to have weatherized speakers in outdoor spaces. According to SoundTube, internal fluctuations for aspects like humidity and temperature are minimal and have very little impact on speakers designed for and used indoors. Outdoors, however, is a completely different story. Thus, the company recommends having weatherized speakers outdoors for both, better performance and product longevity.
For Kissa, SoundTube placed four RS62-EZ Co-Axial Premium Pendants for optimal sound coverage. These workhorse speakers come with consistently smooth high-frequency sound and directional capabilities. Additionally, these pendant speakers look terrific with a low-profile and are timbre-matched with the RS1001i-II subwoofers. Since Kissa was looking for a solution that would give them the ability to host DJs and have rooftop lounge events, Parekh also installed two RS1001i-II subwoofer pendants to match the sound of the RS62-EZ pendants.
Having subwoofers and pendant RS62-EZ speakers meant that they would all need to be brought together to form a coherent sound system. Parekh thus brought in Aerons products for the amplifiers and mixer. Of SoundTube’s products, Parekh says, “It is always a pleasure to provide systems to clients that are passionate about sound. We see a clear shift in the market of venues upgrading their system to SoundTube Entertainment.” He expects this upgrade to influence Kissa’s business in a positive manner.
Click on “View Slideshow” for images of Kissa Rooftop Lounge, Mumbai.
