Thread: Help me choose speakers for a “HiFi bar” experience!

Very ambitious project but should be fantastic once finished. Good luck. Hopefully you’ll get some help.

I would highly recommend a look/listen to the JBL HDI series. I heard the 380's and the HDI can handle any type of music. In fact, they sounded more like the live symphony than a more audiophile speaker we were comparing them to, the other speaker was twice the price as well.

You might also take a look at Legacy. These are brands that are more Pro heritage but made for home. Legacy would have the advantage of electronic room EQ if you get a set that can utilize the Wavelet. The Wavelet is also a DAC.

For streaming and controlling what each room plays or combined, using a Bluesound Node 2 on each system and controlling it with the Bluesound App would work. There may be more expensive or elaborate ways but automation is not my area for vast knowledge. The Node has digital outputs to utilize better DAC's if desired.

Do you already have electronics picked out? If not, I'd use an integrated amp with built in DAC for simplicity. Maybe something like Hegel or Sim Audio for the lively room and maybe McIntosh for the Jazz, it will have a softer sound but the look would set the room off. Coda Technologies has an integrated that would sound great but no DAC.

A few thoughts but your options are limitless.

A routing/matrix processor and wired in-wall/on-wall speakers would be typical. In-wall/on-wall keeps the speakers out of the way of people and safe from accidental damage, and the matrix processor lets you route multiple music sources to multiple locations more easily. There are "expensive" in-wall/on-wall speakers that will sound better than typical home "architectural" speakers. And there are a wide range of processor options at price points starting in the low thousands and going up from there.

Devialet has become pretty popular from a stylish and ease-of-install perspective in setups like you've described, because you only need to run power to the location and can put them on the wall out of the way. Then you can use Wi-Fi, or Dante. Plus they look cool. But I also think they're likely to be the most cost-effective option—no additional in-wall wiring or equipment and relatively inexpensive for everything that is included. You can talk to Devialet or a Devialet CI dealer/installer for advice on how to do a more sophisticated multiple Phantom setup, if you want something slightly more than just 3 stereo destinations that you interact with independently.

I was going to suggest something from JBL and I started remembering my bar hopping days. Laugh all you want, but the bose 901 hanging from ceilings were all over the place and pleasant to listen to.