Audio setup for a retail gym

[fedexp]

I am setting up audio for my ~2000 sqft gym. The main area of the gym is 45ft*40ft. The area where strength equipment goes is about 1200 sqft. This area floor is padded with thick rubber tiles. Rest of the area has tiles and some cardio equipment. My gym has no pillars, like any typical retail stores I approached a high-end audio dealer in Hyderabad and I was recommended this configuration -

1) 6 of Apart MASK 6 Loudspeakers - Product Link, @~10,000 per piece = 60,000 INR
2) 1 Yamaha RX V667 Amplifier - Product Link = 56,000 INR
3) 1 Velodyne Impact 12 Subwoofer - Product Link = 40,000 INR
4) Speaker wire - 150 meters = 10,000 INR
Total after discount, 1,60,000 INR

Another configuration was pretty much similar, except for the subwoofer upgraded to Velodyne EQ Max 12, which brought the total to 1,90,000 INR (the sub @ 70,000 INR).

With this dealer, I auditioned (all these configs were driven by a Yamaha/Denon amp) :

• IQ audio bookshelves (50W per channel) + Polk HS series Sub (sub was boomy)
• IQ Audio bookshelves + Sunfire (liked the punchy bass)
• Bose (not sure about the speaker, but was around 45000 INR per speaker at 150W) + Sunfire Sub - had better soundstage, but the clarity of IQ audio bookshelves was better.
• Bose powered speaker (not sure about the model, but sounded awful with underwhelming bass) - This was around 1.2 lacs.

The dealer tried to sell me heavily on Bose. He said Bose will withstand high levels of audio, and work for hours without burning out. When I told him that I am on a budget, his recommendation was to go with the IQ audio + sunfire + Yamaha RXV667 Amp + a pre amp. After which, they had a debate amongst themselves and one senior sales/managerial person in the store kept strongly arguing/recommending that this configuration is bound to burn out because gyms will typically try to run it at full volume. The conversation went somewhat like this -

Junior sales guy - "Sir, how about this IQ audio bookshelf"
Senior sales/manager - "No, it will burn out, give them this atrium polk audio bookshelf"
Junior sales guy - "Sir, they are on budget"
Senior sales/manager - "Ok, try this xyz speaker"
Junior sales guy - "Sir, that will exceed budget too".
Senior sales/manager - "It won't work, it will burn out, they have to increase their budget"
Junior sales/guy - "Sir, how about this subwoofer.. "
Senior sales/manager - "For 2000sqft, they need two subwoofers"
...

Here are my questions -

1. Is this a good configuration for a commercial gym, in which music will be mostly played for about, say 8 hours a day?
2. I might not need perfectly balanced sound throughout the gym - the strength area needs more bass, compared to the cardio area - so I can do with one sub in the strength area and without sub for the rest of the gym. Is it wrong to set such practical expectations for myself OR should I be worried about a good overall sound, so buy that second sub straight up?
3. Am I being sold overpriced, outdated audio components? The sub and amp, both are about 5 to 8 years old. They seem to be entry level or mid-range components.
4. I asked the sales guy this question - "I might not need the network streaming etc and other fancy features of the RX V667, so, typically you should have other starting amplifiers in that range without fancy features for which I would have to pay a little less?". He says, "Sir, this is a good amp, other amps will not last, they will burn out, this is the best amp in that range, etc". Isn't he lying to sell what he has? I had bought an Onkyo NR609 in 2013, for less than 300$. I remember the next version being sold for say 350$, with the only diff being wifi availability/ some streaming service access. Am I wrong in assuming that I would get a good amplifier that can withstand heavy usage, but at the same time have less fancy features, which should help me save on the cost? [Esp, when the primary purpose is probably to just play mp3 off a usb, no fancy DTS/4k/Video requirements, with support for a good sub (for that occasional hiphop/R&B thump)]
5. How serious is this burn out problem? I mean, at first, I was told I will need a preamp because this is a gym and there will be heavy usage, then somehow they ended up giving me a typical "home" theater amp, advertising strongly for that amp. Do I really have to invest strongly on the amp? How important is preamp for my setup?
6. Should I just buy these components/equivalents which are in used condition on this forum/internet, to save money/get more bang for the buck, if I decide to put in 1-1.5 lacs for the entire setup? Are speakers and amps which are in used condition typically reliable? Or do they tend to have minor sound related issues?
7. I still have my Onkyo NR609, which works with 1500W step down transfomer - Should I just use this amp to start with?
8. Does it make sense to look for more dealers? Or is it likely that most audio dealers will try to sell me these sort of configs, given the import duties and shipping costs of the components, and the retail rentals they pay.
9. The dealer did not have Apart MASK6 for demo, and the velodyne sub was a sealed piece. He says they sound as good as the IQ+Sunfire sub. Does it make sense to buy this configuration without even demoing it? In a way, it might not even matter much, given how the gym has no acoustic treatment and there would lot of audio loss, does it even make sense to worry so much about spending so much money?

Sorry about the long list of questions. I do want to buy a good setup, but I felt like I was being "sold things" rather offered solutions. I could really use some good advice and no better place to ask than here!

Thank you for reading - Your valuable suggestions/comments are much appreciated.

 

[Ravindra Desai]

Hello Fedexp,

I have a related question:

Does your 2000sq.ft gym area echo when you talk?
I ask this because typically mirrors and glass windows are a large part of the gym. Also you mentioned that it is one big hall with no columns.

If the hall is acoustically treated, then it makes sense to spend money on sound system. In fact even a simple sound system will sound nice in a treated hall.
If the hall is untreated and has echo, then I would spend money on acoustic treatment before spending on anything else.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,

Ravindra.

 

[audiopro]

I am setting up audio for my ~2000 sqft gym. The main area of the gym is 45ft*40ft. The area where strength equipment goes is about 1200 sqft. This area floor is padded with thick rubber tiles. Rest of the area has tiles and some cardio equipment. My gym has no pillars, like any typical retail stores I approached a high-end audio dealer in Hyderabad and I was recommended this configuration -

1) 6 of Apart MASK 6 Loudspeakers - Product Link, @~10,000 per piece = 60,000 INR
2) 1 Yamaha RX V667 Amplifier - Product Link = 56,000 INR
3) 1 Velodyne Impact 12 Subwoofer - Product Link = 40,000 INR
4) Speaker wire - 150 meters = 10,000 INR
Total after discount, 1,60,000 INR

Another configuration was pretty much similar, except for the subwoofer upgraded to Velodyne EQ Max 12, which brought the total to 1,90,000 INR (the sub @ 70,000 INR).

With this dealer, I auditioned (all these configs were driven by a Yamaha/Denon amp) :

• IQ audio bookshelves (50W per channel) + Polk HS series Sub (sub was boomy)
• IQ Audio bookshelves + Sunfire (liked the punchy bass)
• Bose (not sure about the speaker, but was around 45000 INR per speaker at 150W) + Sunfire Sub - had better soundstage, but the clarity of IQ audio bookshelves was better.
• Bose powered speaker (not sure about the model, but sounded awful with underwhelming bass) - This was around 1.2 lacs.

The dealer tried to sell me heavily on Bose. He said Bose will withstand high levels of audio, and work for hours without burning out. When I told him that I am on a budget, his recommendation was to go with the IQ audio + sunfire + Yamaha RXV667 Amp + a pre amp. After which, they had a debate amongst themselves and one senior sales/managerial person in the store kept strongly arguing/recommending that this configuration is bound to burn out because gyms will typically try to run it at full volume. The conversation went somewhat like this -

Junior sales guy - "Sir, how about this IQ audio bookshelf"
Senior sales/manager - "No, it will burn out, give them this atrium polk audio bookshelf"
Junior sales guy - "Sir, they are on budget"
Senior sales/manager - "Ok, try this xyz speaker"
Junior sales guy - "Sir, that will exceed budget too".
Senior sales/manager - "It won't work, it will burn out, they have to increase their budget"
Junior sales/guy - "Sir, how about this subwoofer.. "
Senior sales/manager - "For 2000sqft, they need two subwoofers"
...

Here are my questions -

1. Is this a good configuration for a commercial gym, in which music will be mostly played for about, say 8 hours a day?
2. I might not need perfectly balanced sound throughout the gym - the strength area needs more bass, compared to the cardio area - so I can do with one sub in the strength area and without sub for the rest of the gym. Is it wrong to set such practical expectations for myself OR should I be worried about a good overall sound, so buy that second sub straight up?
3. Am I being sold overpriced, outdated audio components? The sub and amp, both are about 5 to 8 years old. They seem to be entry level or mid-range components.
4. I asked the sales guy this question - "I might not need the network streaming etc and other fancy features of the RX V667, so, typically you should have other starting amplifiers in that range without fancy features for which I would have to pay a little less?". He says, "Sir, this is a good amp, other amps will not last, they will burn out, this is the best amp in that range, etc". Isn't he lying to sell what he has? I had bought an Onkyo NR609 in 2013, for less than 300$. I remember the next version being sold for say 350$, with the only diff being wifi availability/ some streaming service access. Am I wrong in assuming that I would get a good amplifier that can withstand heavy usage, but at the same time have less fancy features, which should help me save on the cost? [Esp, when the primary purpose is probably to just play mp3 off a usb, no fancy DTS/4k/Video requirements, with support for a good sub (for that occasional hiphop/R&B thump)]
5. How serious is this burn out problem? I mean, at first, I was told I will need a preamp because this is a gym and there will be heavy usage, then somehow they ended up giving me a typical "home" theater amp, advertising strongly for that amp. Do I really have to invest strongly on the amp? How important is preamp for my setup?
6. Should I just buy these components/equivalents which are in used condition on this forum/internet, to save money/get more bang for the buck, if I decide to put in 1-1.5 lacs for the entire setup? Are speakers and amps which are in used condition typically reliable? Or do they tend to have minor sound related issues?
7. I still have my Onkyo NR609, which works with 1500W step down transfomer - Should I just use this amp to start with?
8. Does it make sense to look for more dealers? Or is it likely that most audio dealers will try to sell me these sort of configs, given the import duties and shipping costs of the components, and the retail rentals they pay.
9. The dealer did not have Apart MASK6 for demo, and the velodyne sub was a sealed piece. He says they sound as good as the IQ+Sunfire sub. Does it make sense to buy this configuration without even demoing it? In a way, it might not even matter much, given how the gym has no acoustic treatment and there would lot of audio loss, does it even make sense to worry so much about spending so much money?

Sorry about the long list of questions. I do want to buy a good setup, but I felt like I was being "sold things" rather offered solutions. I could really use some good advice and no better place to ask than here!

Thank you for reading - Your valuable suggestions/comments are much appreciated.

Hello,

So you are doing a BIG mistake by putting home equipment into a commercial area. Reasons as such:

1. Home audio isn't designed to run at SPL level of 95-100db continuously. Your speakers and amp are going to give up within a short time.
2. In a gym - once you have populated it with customers you need a higher SPPL level as the body absorbs sound plus people talking etc. It comes back to point 1. Home audio isn't designed for high SPL.
3. The velodyne sub is a HT sub with an active amp. What is going to happen is you will turn it up trying to get bass kick and blow the fuse or the sub will give up. You need 2 subs for the gym to balance out the sound not negotiable or you will have hot spots where the bass is too high and null spots where its noisy.

So what do you do?

Please look at commercial bookshelf speakers such as Paudio, Mackie, Peavey, etc. They should use atleast a 6 inch woofer + tweeter though a 8 inch + tweeter is better. Buy a commercial 15 inch sub x 2. These subs do mid bass not LFE as in a home theater. Power them all, including the sub using commercial amplification like Behringer, QSC, etc. It isn't going to sound delicate but this will solve your dilema.

The guy was right regarding certain Bose speakers being able to be driven hard as they have a protection circuit built in. But Bose isn't for a gym. You could have multiple AM5 Bose speakers driven by a good commercial amp though if the impedence is setup properly with the woofer mounted on the wall. Hope this helps.

 

[reachkalyan.kr]

I am setting up audio for my ~2000 sqft gym. The main area of the gym is 45ft*40ft. The area where strength equipment goes is about 1200 sqft. This area floor is padded with thick rubber tiles. Rest of the area has tiles and some cardio equipment. My gym has no pillars, like any typical retail stores I approached a high-end audio dealer in Hyderabad and I was recommended this configuration -

1) 6 of Apart MASK 6 Loudspeakers - Product Link, @~10,000 per piece = 60,000 INR
2) 1 Yamaha RX V667 Amplifier - Product Link = 56,000 INR
3) 1 Velodyne Impact 12 Subwoofer - Product Link = 40,000 INR
4) Speaker wire - 150 meters = 10,000 INR
Total after discount, 1,60,000 INR

Another configuration was pretty much similar, except for the subwoofer upgraded to Velodyne EQ Max 12, which brought the total to 1,90,000 INR (the sub @ 70,000 INR).

With this dealer, I auditioned (all these configs were driven by a Yamaha/Denon amp) :

• IQ audio bookshelves (50W per channel) + Polk HS series Sub (sub was boomy)
• IQ Audio bookshelves + Sunfire (liked the punchy bass)
• Bose (not sure about the speaker, but was around 45000 INR per speaker at 150W) + Sunfire Sub - had better soundstage, but the clarity of IQ audio bookshelves was better.
• Bose powered speaker (not sure about the model, but sounded awful with underwhelming bass) - This was around 1.2 lacs.

The dealer tried to sell me heavily on Bose. He said Bose will withstand high levels of audio, and work for hours without burning out. When I told him that I am on a budget, his recommendation was to go with the IQ audio + sunfire + Yamaha RXV667 Amp + a pre amp. After which, they had a debate amongst themselves and one senior sales/managerial person in the store kept strongly arguing/recommending that this configuration is bound to burn out because gyms will typically try to run it at full volume. The conversation went somewhat like this -

Junior sales guy - "Sir, how about this IQ audio bookshelf"
Senior sales/manager - "No, it will burn out, give them this atrium polk audio bookshelf"
Junior sales guy - "Sir, they are on budget"
Senior sales/manager - "Ok, try this xyz speaker"
Junior sales guy - "Sir, that will exceed budget too".
Senior sales/manager - "It won't work, it will burn out, they have to increase their budget"
Junior sales/guy - "Sir, how about this subwoofer.. "
Senior sales/manager - "For 2000sqft, they need two subwoofers"
...

Here are my questions -

1. Is this a good configuration for a commercial gym, in which music will be mostly played for about, say 8 hours a day?
2. I might not need perfectly balanced sound throughout the gym - the strength area needs more bass, compared to the cardio area - so I can do with one sub in the strength area and without sub for the rest of the gym. Is it wrong to set such practical expectations for myself OR should I be worried about a good overall sound, so buy that second sub straight up?
3. Am I being sold overpriced, outdated audio components? The sub and amp, both are about 5 to 8 years old. They seem to be entry level or mid-range components.
4. I asked the sales guy this question - "I might not need the network streaming etc and other fancy features of the RX V667, so, typically you should have other starting amplifiers in that range without fancy features for which I would have to pay a little less?". He says, "Sir, this is a good amp, other amps will not last, they will burn out, this is the best amp in that range, etc". Isn't he lying to sell what he has? I had bought an Onkyo NR609 in 2013, for less than 300$. I remember the next version being sold for say 350$, with the only diff being wifi availability/ some streaming service access. Am I wrong in assuming that I would get a good amplifier that can withstand heavy usage, but at the same time have less fancy features, which should help me save on the cost? [Esp, when the primary purpose is probably to just play mp3 off a usb, no fancy DTS/4k/Video requirements, with support for a good sub (for that occasional hiphop/R&B thump)]
5. How serious is this burn out problem? I mean, at first, I was told I will need a preamp because this is a gym and there will be heavy usage, then somehow they ended up giving me a typical "home" theater amp, advertising strongly for that amp. Do I really have to invest strongly on the amp? How important is preamp for my setup?
6. Should I just buy these components/equivalents which are in used condition on this forum/internet, to save money/get more bang for the buck, if I decide to put in 1-1.5 lacs for the entire setup? Are speakers and amps which are in used condition typically reliable? Or do they tend to have minor sound related issues?
7. I still have my Onkyo NR609, which works with 1500W step down transfomer - Should I just use this amp to start with?
8. Does it make sense to look for more dealers? Or is it likely that most audio dealers will try to sell me these sort of configs, given the import duties and shipping costs of the components, and the retail rentals they pay.
9. The dealer did not have Apart MASK6 for demo, and the velodyne sub was a sealed piece. He says they sound as good as the IQ+Sunfire sub. Does it make sense to buy this configuration without even demoing it? In a way, it might not even matter much, given how the gym has no acoustic treatment and there would lot of audio loss, does it even make sense to worry so much about spending so much money?

Sorry about the long list of questions. I do want to buy a good setup, but I felt like I was being "sold things" rather offered solutions. I could really use some good advice and no better place to ask than here!

Thank you for reading - Your valuable suggestions/comments are much appreciated.

I would suggest stereo amp/pre amp instead of HT AVR .IMO A commercial setup with PRE out Stereo amp with sub pre out will match your need.Go thru the commercial crown XLS amp kind of path with passive sub if your budget permits

 

[MaSh]

Well don't have much idea about commercial equipment, however, what I can confirm is to avoid home theatre setup in a Gym. Look at the Crown/emotiva multi channelpower amps and speakers to go with them.

I have seen Car speakers, 6x9 ones in a Gym driven by crown amps along with 2 car subs driven by Car Amps. The setup surprisingly sounded quite good. You could explore this option too. Car equipment is designed to be run in very harsh environments of the car and have good SPL ratings to cater to the louder on the road environment.

MaSh

 

[rpmahale]

For such kind of professional set you must contact the audio consultant. He may guide you accordingly and will use your money wisely. Places where I visited for excercise used JBL, ProFx commercial speakers with Waterston active subwoofer. No where I have seen basic HT amplication and home speakers were used. May be within few years you need to replace amp or speakers else system will not give require SPL for longer periods.

 

[fedexp]

Hello Fedexp,

I have a related question:

Does your 2000sq.ft gym area echo when you talk?
I ask this because typically mirrors and glass windows are a large part of the gym. Also you mentioned that it is one big hall with no columns.

If the hall is acoustically treated, then it makes sense to spend money on sound system. In fact even a simple sound system will sound nice in a treated hall.
If the hall is untreated and has echo, then I would spend money on acoustic treatment before spending on anything else.

I hope that this helps.

Regards,

Ravindra.

My gym has no acoustic treatment. It doesn't echo today (there is enough equipment). I am on a budget - It is a small gym. I want to spend more on audio after 6 months, depending on how well the gym does. The home theater audio dealer told me that bass treatments start at 600 INR per square foot and the treatment alone for a standard 20x15 room will cost me north of 2 lacs INR if they do it. Right now I am budgeting for 1 lac INR to 1.5 lac INR for the entire audio setup.

For such kind of professional set you must contact the audio consultant. He may guide you accordingly and will use your money wisely. Places where I visited for excercise used JBL, ProFx commercial speakers with Waterston active subwoofer. No where I have seen basic HT amplication and home speakers were used. May be within few years you need to replace amp or speakers else system will not give require SPL for longer periods.

Ok. How about if I run them at say, 80db? Make sure that I don't run them at 90-100db? How about I add more speakers? say, 7 instead of 6?
I am finding it hard to find references for professional audio consultants. The audio shop I went to is pretty popular in Hyderabad (USK electronics). They have been around for years in home theater segment and they are official dealers for profx too. But, they did NOT recommend any of the profx speakers, which is weird. Do you have any consultant references in Hyderabad? I could really use some help.

 

[audiopro]

My gym has no acoustic treatment. It doesn't echo today (there is enough equipment). I am on a budget - It is a small gym. I want to spend more on audio after 6 months, depending on how well the gym does. The home theater audio dealer told me that bass treatments start at 600 INR per square foot and the treatment alone for a standard 20x15 room will cost me north of 2 lacs INR if they do it. Right now I am budgeting for 1 lac INR to 1.5 lac INR for the entire audio setup.

Yes it is possible to have a commercial setup easily in a budget of 1.5 to 2L. I think 6 or 8 bookshelf speakers plus two subs plus one three channel amp with a built in crossover or two qsc amps, one for the subs with the crossover activated. You will have to run them hard once people build up in the gym. Call the paudio or similar distributor and ask for a Hyderabad dealer.

 

[fedexp]

Yes it is possible to have a commercial setup easily in a budget of 1.5 to 2L. I think 6 or 8 bookshelf speakers plus two subs plus one three channel amp with a built in crossover or two qsc amps, one for the subs with the crossover activated. You will have to run them hard once people build up in the gym. Call the paudio or similar distributor and ask for a Hyderabad dealer.

Thank you, I wrote to SonoTone, Mumbai asking for dealer in Hyderabad. They seem to deal with some of the commercial brands mentioned in this thread. Also, I just wrote to another local dealer who seem to be dealing with JBL commercial. I will post back once I hear from them tomorrow.

 

[rpmahale]

Stonewaterindia is one of the organisation provide such kind of services, have product line contain speakers, amplifier and active subwoofer. I have seen their products at number of places. You may contact for advice, consultation, purchase and installation.

 

[captrajesh]

Sound in places like gym and pubs is more about SPL than refinement. Also, it needs to be rugged enough to sustain constant abuse. Hence what you need here is commercial amps and speakers. Since you're on budget, why not look at ubiquitous commercial stuff like Ahuja and the likes? You may pay a visit to Kothi area which has several such establishments. You should easily be able to get a solution well within your budget.

 

[fedexp]

Sound in places like gym and pubs is more about SPL than refinement. Also, it needs to be rugged enough to sustain constant abuse. Hence what you need here is commercial amps and speakers. Since you're on budget, why not look at ubiquitous commercial stuff like Ahuja and the likes? You may pay a visit to Kothi area which has several such establishments. You should easily be able to get a solution well within your budget.

Yes, I think that is where I am slowly heading (custom setups with commercial audio). Part of the problem is that it is hard to find the right shop, to begin with. Typically, if you look up justdial, all u see are home audio shops, if you go to them, they are only selling what they have, without really taking into consideration what suits my requirement. Their eagerness to make money off me, asking me to push my budget, without any regard for the location, reflectivity, area coverage required, formats to be played, video input requirements and many other factors that you would think they would know better than you, at times is downright condescending. Reminds me of the saying 'If you only have a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail'.

Some of the forum members have been very helpful in ushering me in the right direction - I am very thankful for their help. I will post my progress and let you all know how it goes.

 

[amitk777]

For public areas I have usually found JBL / Ahuja combination being used. A visit to JBL will be best place to start.

 

[fedexp]

I received this combination from a local dealer who stocks Pope Audio and JBL -


I could find these links - Pope Sub, JBL Amp


What do you guys think?

 

[vj_box]

The other day, I was at the Globus T Nagar, Chennai. Its a huge a showroom and must be more than 5000 SFT and they had Kef speakers (I guess the egg series) all wall mounted with a couple of 12 inch Polk subs ( guessing the DSW series) and the sound quality was actually good enough. Again I wasnt sure how old the setup would be but I know for a fact that showroom has been around for a long time now. Again I dont know what the AMP that was driving them.

 

[elangoas]

I don't know much abt commercial audio.. But other FM have pointed out, due to large area there might be need of high SPL..

I am setting up audio for my ~2000 sqft gym. The main area of the gym is 45ft*40ft.

IMO, ppl who come to a fitness center might not be concerned with critical audio listening, would appreciate the quality but not complain..But that said, it doesn't mean you can't use AVR with modest volumes..

I still have my Onkyo NR609, which works with 1500W step down transfomer - Should I just use this amp to start with?

Yes..This will save you half of your budget.. AVR has sub-out, you can run them in "all channel stereo" and there are always options to connect them..

1) 6 of Apart MASK 6 Loudspeakers - Product Link, @~10,000 per piece = 60,000 INR

The speaker mentioned here has 90 dB SPL, which is similar to SPL of home audio speakers (incl ceiling speakers)..

Just sharing my idea.. If your fitness center has false ceiling, then you may consider in-ceiling speakers.. No need to mount the small speakers on the side walls & can avoid the expenditure to hide the cabling..

Since the AVR has dual sub out, you can use RCA adaptors and may be you can use 4 average subs..

But, am not aware if an AVR used in "All channel stereo mode" would output to subwoofer..

 

[prateekatasniya]

People will automatically feel good if they listen good audio. They don't need to be a audiophile. And actually most people notice harsh sounding speakers quickly and ask the volume to be reduced

 

[prateekatasniya]

In the quest for saving on a amplifier. What if the avr gets damaged due to prolonged use at high volumes?

 

[arunkvivek]

The regular AVRs heat up after 3-4 hours of usage. Do you need any video processing at all? If no, then AVR doesn't mean anything at all. I have listened to Pope speakers in my office cafeteria (around 11000 sq ft). They do pump good SPL without much distortion. Going for pro-set up is the way to go. A lot of fine dining restaurants in BLR have JBL speakers installed. One other feature that I noticed recently is that many of them go for in-wall/on wall sub woofers.
Starting with dealers is a nightmare in most cases as they try to push products. Not many take consultant like approach. You can probably visit a restaurant or a commercial space (preferably a boutique one) where they have such installations and talk to the manager.
Do you intend to engage a DJ part-time for the music? If so, they might be the best folks to help you locate gears.

 

[elangoas]

In the quest for saving on a amplifier. What if the avr gets damaged due to prolonged use at high volumes?

The AVR suggested to him by the dealer is RX V 667 & the AVR he has is Onkyo 609.. Both being midrange AVR, must be able to produce 50W per channel in all channels (7) driven..

Assuming he is picking a BS speaker suggested by the dealer, it has 90 dB SPL.. With AVR 50W power, the speaker would have a maximum capability of lil over 100 dB, which i think is not the levels he would push them..

I think, 10 dB over our normal room listening level (55 dB) should be fine.. 60 - 65 dB level should be more than enough per speaker IMO..