Retail AV has become a big consideration for businesses, and for Anna Baird of Bared Footwear, it was vital to the development of her new Sydney flagship store.

Situated on King Street, the design was inspired by the colonial heritage precinct opposite. Once architects FJMT and interior designers ACRD had created the aesthetic vision, Affective Building Services were engaged to bring the project to life.

Bared Footwear was looking for a very simple to use but high-end audio solution, with particular attention to the placement and look of speakers. The store also wanted to be able to host in-store events with a DJ, while also having streamlined control of the overall store audio.

The store’s layout, high ceilings, and timber flooring were all challenging for the AV design. Keeping the aesthetics consistent for the boutique was of utmost importance, which created challenges for both antennas, loudspeaker, and subwoofer placements.

Amber Technology’s technical sales and support (TSS) team was heavily involved in the project, from placement design to installation and post-sales support. The decision was made to conceal the subwoofers under the in-store seating.

The key feature of the audio design for Bared Footwear was the Renkus Heinz compact CX41 speakers (RH-CX41-W 7). The miniature, space-saving design delivered not only the high fidelity required but also complemented the aesthetics of the project.

A XILICA Solaro QR1 (XI-QR1-SOLARO) provided the simple-to-use digital signal processor (DSP) head end and control centre. It enabled frictionless communication anywhere and was small enough to be mounted in a variety of discreet locations and can be powered over ethernet.

An MC2 T1000 amplifier (MC-T1000) was specifically designed for the fixed installation market and was paired with the Sonance Dual 10” Bandpass Subwoofer (SO-40192). Both were selected for their compact and high output form factor, plus ease of placements and fidelity delivered.

Finally, the JTS RF/wireless microphone kit (JP-8011DBKITHB1), consisting of a RU-8011DB receiver and RU-850LTH handheld transmitter plus half wave antennas (JP-ANT952/500570), allowed the user to roam over the two floors of the boutique. Lift shafts and other high-density material throughout the build were challenging for radio frequency, and the JTS system worked effectively to overcome this challenge.