Knowing your budget can help you enhance your customers' experience

If you’re considering professional, commercial-grade audio visual systems for your New York sports bar or restaurant, you’re making the right choice.

You have a lot at stake here. Audio visual systems help create the vibe across your venue.

You want immersive sound that still enables people to have a conversation when appropriate. That means complete control over the background music. You want your screens up-and-running and tuned to the right games. You know your equipment needs to be rock-solid and run for hours on end – and you don’t want to have to replace it in a few years.

You won’t find that quality at Best Buy or Walmart.

You also know all of this will cost money – but how much should you expect to spend on restaurant AV technology?

What’s Your Budget?

Maybe you’ve already started researching your restaurant audio video systems upgrade. You’re narrowing your choices. You might have heard the question: “What’s your budget?”

Did you have an answer ready?

When a prospective client tells me they have no idea of their budget, it tells me that either:

• They haven’t done much research and really don’t know what an AV system will cost
• They don’t want to share the number because they are afraid the integrator will boost prices to spend every dime

It’s like the used car sales game, where the person who speaks first in the negotiation loses.

What Dara AV Means When We Ask About Your AV Technology Budget

When we ask your budget for a project, our goal is to get you at or below your budget without sacrificing quality. We actually hope you’ve done some research in advance so you have an idea of the type of system you can expect -- including high quality sound, video, and easy to use control systems -- for what you’re willing to pay.

We want to give you the best systems that your money can buy. But we don’t want to play games. We’ll provide you the best prices we can from the beginning. We want to get it right the first time, with a quote that’s fair, honest, and accurate… and within your budget. That’s why it’s best to be honest when you tell us your budget.

Audio and Video Design: The Initial Consultation Process

Let’s look at a typical New York sports bar with a reasonable, but not over-the-top, budget.

Video Design Within Your Budget

As we walk through your space, we’re already forming a vision about the potential. You tell us you need about 50 screens of varying sizes across the sports bar, the ability to send any source to any screen and, of course, a way to get the games to the screens. You’re looking at a collection of LEDs, a projector and screen, or, more likely a Direct View LED wall, a source like DirecTV and a control system.

If you told us you weren’t afraid to spend money to make your space stand out, we’d install a giant Samsung Wall, multiple LEDs ranging from 60 to 100 inches, and a Crestron controller with a hard-wired controller at the bar and iPad control.

We could set up a motion-sensing video wall that changes inputs or activates images upon sensing customers in in the vicinity. Digital signage in the entry, showing the latest specials or upcoming events. And don’t forget LEDs in the bathrooms. That’s just the video!

Audio Systems Design

For your audio systems, we’d ask questions about how you use the space. Are you planning live music events? Do you only need background sound that allows guests to hold a conversation? Your answers would drive our audio system design. We can create a system that sounds great even on a smaller budget.

Limited Budget? Let’s Make it Happen

If you said you had a limited budget, we’d have to know just how limited.

We could recommend less costly screens or fewer of them. We might look at other options for controlling the system. We’d skip the digital signage and restroom screens. The cost savings adds up.

Architectural and concert speaker systems are available to meet a variety of budgets. A lower-cost system, tuned properly, could meet your needs.

You can always add bells and whistles later when business is pouring in and you want to raise the bar even higher. Technology continues to evolve. Today’s best equipment, like direct view LEDs that capture guests’ attention with epic picture quality, continues to drop in price.

Let Dara AV Help

Here at Dara AV, we firmly believe there is an audio visual system for every budget. But first, you have trust us and believe that we will deliver the best quality available within your price point. And that starts with being honest with us about your budget.

Make no mistake: your sports bar or restaurant needs an audio video system. (Could you imagine a sports bar with no video system? It would just be… a bar.)

If you’re upgrading your audio video systems or opening a new sports bar in the New York area, give us a call and we’ll help talk you through your options with an audio visual consultant.

FAQs

What is an audio visual control system?

An audio visual control system allows users to remotely control the sound volume, channel selection, source, on/off capabilities and more, remotely. Sophisticated systems like Crestron and AMX allow you to route any source to any screen, delivering flexibility and ease of use in commercial spaces.  

What is an audio visual consultant?

An audio visual consultant can design and specify the best audio video systems for your home or commercial venues. Some audio visual system consultants also provide design and installation, serving as a one-stop shop, overseeing and managing the project from start to finish.

How do commercial audio-visual (AV) systems enhance the dining experience?

Professional quality audio-visual (AV) systems contribute to the overall vibe in your restaurant. Whether you want to create a luxurious atmosphere or a venue that hosts the hottest bands and DJs, restaurant audio video and control systems make it possible. 

Revised - Originally published October 2013