The new Lola’s Hi/Lo Lounge in Madison, WI, which offers a music-themed concept with listening sessions and DJ performances several nights a week, is outfitted with a sound system comprised of loudspeakers and amplifiers sourced throughout the U.S., including from Aural HiFi in Denver, and those components are joined by 1 SOUND Cannon Series models to deliver distributed audio.
“We really wanted this space to sound better than any other hi-fi bar in the country, so we brought a lot of experts to help us build a custom design,” says Matt Gerding, who co-opened the venue with Tori Gerding and Evan Dannells. “The first thing we did was build in acoustic treatment to deaden the space.”
As a result, the 3,200-square-foot cocktail lounge and restaurant has two inches of K-13 sound absorption spray on the ceilings throughout, joined by softer surfaces such as theatrical curtains covering all windows, upholstered booth seating, and carpet.
“Given Matt’s vision for the space, we really wanted the showcase system installed into the back bar to be
something truly unique, visually captivating, sonically astounding” says Jeremy Irwin, founder and owner of Aural HiFi in Denver. “For speakers, we chose Crites, who have been the premier upgrade source for heritage Klipsch speakers for more years than I can count. The Crites CS-B loudspeaker is similar to the Cornwall (that you’ll find in many hi-fi bars across the country) but is even more cohesive, smooth, and never fatiguing – and packs enough punch to fill the space.
“For amplification, we chose the Fezz Titania Evo, which is just an amazingly musical Polish tube amp that has jaw-dropping looks and is just incredibly reliable; perfect for the rigors of a lounge,” Irwin continues. “The Music Hall Classic turntable completes the system. It’s got modern/vintage styling, an affordable price tag so it’s not too painful to replace if a drink gets spilled on it, doesn’t require a surgeon’s dexterity to operate, and has auto-lift and shutoff when the record ends if the bartender gets distracted. We think it’s the perfect system for a Madison-style hi-fi spot.”
To fill out the rest of the room, Gerding worked with his local consultant Andrew Szlapka, who introduced him to 1 SOUND and audio designer Lou Mannarino. “Andrew was so very passionate about 1 SOUND and after doing a deep dive we decided that it was so perfect for all of our passive speakers and subwoofers” says Gerding. “We were looking for something unique that could offer premium and modern speaker technology.”
Cannon coaxial loudspeakers (C5i and C6i models) were selected for the distributed audio design, joined by four WSUB45 subwoofers for added bass that are mounted to the ceiling utilizing the C-Clamp kit accessory.
“I’m excited to see 1 SOUND incorporated with other fantastic loudspeakers in a hi-fi experience,” Mannarino concludes. “It’s not usually the case for a commercial loudspeaker to be included in the high-fidelity space, but when it comes to our Cannon Series, all it takes is a listen to understand their studio-monitor quality sound and premium build quality with the finest materials.”
