About the sound system of this bar

We are often asked about the sound system of this bar, which is described here.

 

The models are as follows.

 

Speakers

; JBL 4429

 

Amplifiers

; Luxman L507uX

 

DJ mixer

; RODECH MX 1400

 

Record player

; 2 DENON DP500M

 

Cartridges

; audio - technical AT33MONO

; audio - technical AT33/LP MONO

; audio - technical AT-VM610xMONO

 

The audio system was bought in November 2013 to start this bar. The bar was designed to take into account the size of the audio system, and the overall design of the shop after the installation image had been decided. We wanted the bar to be sound-centric.

 

Typically bars have a variety of whiskies and spirits on the shelves behind the bartender, but this bar only has vinyl records and audio! And we started with a commitment to not playing any digital sound software, let alone CDs. That's why we named it the" Record Bar".

At the time, CDs were still in their heyday and subscriptions were slowly spreading, but it had long been my dream to rotate a bar dedicated to “vinyl” sound - I wanted people to enjoy the warmth and depth of sound, different from CDs, and to pass the time over drinks.

 

Each type of audio was selected by going to a shop and listening to it yourself. First, the speakers. I wanted new ones because I was afraid of parts supply in case of breakdowns. It was also my dream to play records with big speakers. As a result, JBL became my first choice, but I was convinced by having the current speakers actually played at the audio shop. I immediately decided on the first speaker.

 

Next came the amplifiers, and after having the JBL speakers played through various amplifiers, I decided on the model that produced the sound that best suited my tastes.

That is the Luxman L507UX, which I still use today. It also goes without saying that the amp's indicators were not digitally represented, but rather indicated by a needle. The indicator light happens to be blue, which was a miracle of luck, because when I had the design of this bar drawn up, I was thinking of using turquoise blue as the key colour.

 

Another key part of the bar's sound is actually the mixer. I use a Belgian analogue mixer called the RODECH MX 1400, which is an excellent model with a very mild sound. It expresses the sound of vinyl records in an honest way. When I started the shop, CDs were at the height of their popularity and digital sound was at its peak. Inevitably, most DJ mixers were digital, but I felt that the sound was too exaggerated in the highs and lows, and not really suited to the sound of vinyl records (especially those from the 50s to the early 70s). I consider myself to have made the right choice. It is sad that this manufacturer is no longer around.

 

As for the player, I had been using MC cartridges for a long time, so it was impossible for me to use a DJ-only machine, as MM-type cartridges are more suitable. I chose a wood-grain design and a direct-drive one, which is also easy to play for DJing. The result was the current Dennon model.

 

Finally, the cartridge (record needle). I think this is very important. The sound changes considerably with the cartridge. If you are reading this, you are probably wondering. All cartridges are mono.

In fact, I play music in mono. I also play stereo sources in mono. I also use mono cartridges that can handle stereo records.

The reasons are as follows.

First of all, the position of the speakers is wide to the side because I wanted the whole shop to be an environment where a mass of music is sounding. Of course, they were placed facing the customers so that they could face the sound. The height of the shelves was also made with ear height in mind, as ear height is the most beautiful way to hear the music.

 

As a result,

1) You can enjoy the same sound anywhere in the restaurant.

(but the sound is deeper in the centre of the counter or in the back side seats)

(2) When playing in mono, the sound of the record is not distributed to the left and right of the speakers. The sound is spread out in front, behind, above and below the speakers, giving more depth. (Of course, the stereo effect is not felt.)

(3) At the same time, your ears do not get tired.

(4) Above all, there are many monaural records from the 1960s and 1950s in the collection. Mono records sound lighter when played with a stereo needle. You cannot feel the unique depth and atmosphere of the recording studio.

 

In fact, when I started this bar, the sound was played on a DENNON stereo cartridge. However, on the advice of a regular, highly respected Japanese musician (he is a drummer), I switched the sound to mono. Until then, when playing Beatles or 60s mono records, he had switched the cartridge to mono. But playing everything in mono certainly calmed down the sound in the shop and made me more engaged with the sound. This was in the first year of the shop's opening.

Perhaps the strangest record listening bar in the world, a mono sounding record listening bar, was truly born at this time.