Multi-zone mix of Electro-Voice speaker models supports safe opening at VITA Lounge & Bistro

• Angus Audio handled multi-zone system design and installation during Covid-19 shutdown
• A combination of compact Electro-Voice loudspeakers delivers high-fidelity background music for fine dining, with high energy for nighttime club scene
• Temporary outdoor tent facility uses ultra-compact S-40 speakers for superior sound quality at lower volumes

Like most audio providers, Angus Audio has experienced a loss of their primary income stream during the global pandemic. The theatrical and festival gigs that usually make spring and summer a busy time in Ontario’s Waterloo region are gone. However, one bright spot is the opportunity to use the downtime to help clients prepare for better times ahead. The new Electro-Voice loudspeaker system at VITA Lounge & Bistro in Kitchener is an excellent example.

“This is actually something we were talking about before the lockdown,” says Technical Director Marshall Angus. “VITA Lounge was about to open as an upscale fine dining space with a late night DJ and occasional live music. Their challenge for us was to create a low-profile system to meet both those needs – high output for dance music and excellent performance at lower volumes for background music. Electro-Voice was the solution.”

The interior combines two sound systems, working in harmony in VITA’s L-shaped space. The bar/dance floor section uses a pair of ELX200 15” loudspeakers overhead, with support from a ZXA1-Sub. The ZXA1-Sub is positioned so that the low frequencies also cover the dining area, providing depth to the background music from six EVID 6.2 speakers mounted above the tables. This allows VITA to project high-fidelity music at low volume, befitting the restaurant’s premium ambience. After the kitchen closes, the dining section transforms into a VIP seating area for the nightclub, with full bottle service.

All areas of the venue are set up as separate zones via the AUX outputs of a touchscreen mixer. This affords full control for changes from quiet dining to clubbing with a DJ or a live music act. When dining is complete, volume can be increased along with the subwoofer level.

VITA was originally planning an April opening. Due to the pandemic, adjustments were required. The restaurant opened in mid-June, with socially distanced seating limited to a tent area set up in the parking lot. To bring music into that structure, Angus Audio provided ultra-compact Electro-Voice S-40 loudspeakers from their rental stock until indoor seating returns. This system provides background music at lower volumes during dinner, with ample power handling for higher output after the kitchen closes.

“The main reason we use EV so often is the fact that, across all the EV families, there’s a distinct, musical sound that makes them all compatible with each other,” says Marshall Angus. “When you put EV boxes into a system together, you know it’s going to sound consistent all the way across a facility, room to room, every time. It makes my life easy and our customers happy.”

VITA Lounge & Bistro owner Giuseppi Barranca is a perfect example. “We went into this project wanting a multipurpose system that could be expanded as we grow,” he says. “However, we were able to get exactly what we wanted for the space and probably won’t have to add more down the road. We knew it was going to be great as soon as we played the first track through the speakers.”