Clients: Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik, Klarisa d.o.o.
Project date: February 2023.
Project type: Pro Audio, Video,
Dubrovnik is truly the crown jewel of Croatian tourism. Its stunning architecture, rich history and breathtaking scenery make it a must-visit destination. The old town is a labyrinth of narrow streets and ancient buildings that have withstood the test of time, and Dubrovnik strong city walls are proof of its resistance over the centuries. Dubrovnik’s popularity as a filming location for movies and TV shows, including the iconic Game of Thrones, has only added to its appeal, attracting visitors from around the world. Since Dubrovnik is visited by a huge number of tourists throughout the year, and has positioned itself as one of the most famous European cities, it was the ideal city for oopening first licensed Hard Rock Cafe in Croatia . Thus, in April 2023, Hard Rock® Cafe Dubrovnik opened doors for the first time. And we are extremely proud to have participated in this project.
Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik is located in the very heart of the old city center and welcomes visitors at the address Poljana Paška Miličevića 4. The former monastery of the Clares, which was located at this address, has been transformed into a beautiful cafe/restaurant that extends over 850 square meters. It consists of three main areas that can accommodate more than 400 guests, including the interior area of the cafe and the Rock shop, a courtyard with a terrace and an outdoor area with a view of the famous Great Onofrio’s Fountain. The interior is decorated with classic rock memorabilia, such as guitars, costumes and photographs of famous musicians, creating a unique atmosphere that will take you to the world of rock and roll.
To our great pleasure, we had the honor of participating in the audio and video equipment project of the first licensed Hard Rock® Cafe in Croatia. In order for all our offered audio and video solutions to meet the strict rules of the Hard Rock license, the process required careful planning, preparation and analysis of every detail. To begin with, we carefully researched and analyzed specifications and requirements of the Hard Rock brand, related to equipping the cafe with audiovisual equipment, which helped us understand the specifics of the A/V equipment needed to meet standards. In order to achieve that, we worked closely with product manufacturers from our distribution network. It was necessary to offer equipment of best specifications that would meet all the necessary standards and ensure the highest quality. We offer products from our distribution, brands with which we have cooperated for many years and which market top audio-visual solutions: RCF, SONY, ATEN i AUDIX. We then sent the detailed preparation and elaboration of products specifications we offer to Hard Rock International, which, to our and the client’s satisfaction, authorized all the registered equipment, that means it met all the strict license criteria. In the end, we proudly proved that the quality of the equipment from our distribution network meets all the standards of the Hard Rock license, and we started with the acquisition and implementation of it.
In project planning we have divided the space, which covers more than 850m2, into a total of 8 interconnected zones in which we have installed equipment. The main client request was very good sound coverage of the entire space, and to achieve this we used a combination of RCF speakers. For the interior space, we used 23 RCF Compact M06 loudspeakers with rotating brackets that we mounted on metal profiles. We used the Compact M06 in almost all areas of the space (Cafe and Rock shop), and it will serve mostly for playing background music. Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik is decorated with a beautiful atrium for which we delivered and installed RCF P 3108 waterproof speakers for outdoor use. Since Hard Rock will certainly host a lot of music events, we have delivered two mobile audio systems for live concerts. For the smaller indoor stage, we used the RCF TT+ loudspeaker series, two RCF TT 515-A active sound boxes in combination with two RCF TT 808-AS active subwoofers. On the larger outdoor stage, we mounted two RCF TT 22-A II active two-way high-output sound boxes with RCF TT 18-A II subwoofers. In the bathroom of the cafe, we used RCF PL 8XB ceiling speakers. In the purpose of informing guests via public address system and for other applications, we have supplied AUDIX AP62 OM5, a wireless microphone consisting of an AUDIX R62 two-channel receiver and two hand-held dynamic portable OM5 microphones. All the mentioned zones are interconnected by audio lines that pass through the Xilica Solaro FR1 modular processor, through which we got the ability to redirect various sound sources to different zones of the Hard Rock Cafe via supplied tablets.
In addition to audio system for the Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik, we also delivered a video system. It consists of 6 Sony BRAVIA FW-55BZ40H/1 4K Ultra HD professional displays mounted on Edbak TWB1 brackets. They will be able to transfer official Hard Rock video materials from the server. In the atrium there is also a Sony VPL-PHZ61 projector that is installed in a case for outdoor use along with a screen for displaying material. For the purpose of broadcasting live events, a Sony SRG-300H Full HD remote-controlled PTZ camera was installed, which enables recording of various positions, such as events on an indoor small stage, and reproduction of that material live on an external projection screen and Bravia display. In order to make this reproduction possible and of high quality with as little latency as possible, we implemented an ATEN VM1600A modular matrix switcher in combination with ATEN VM7814 HDMI input and ATEN VM8514 HDBaseT output modules, which enabled us to further distribute the signal via HDMI cables. In order to be able to display that signal in 4K format, we combined the VM1600A with ATEN VE816R extenders, thus obtaining the possibility of sending 4k video signals up to 100m away, i.e. coverage of almost the entire building. Full control of audio and video systems is provided ATEN VK2200 central control system, the second generation of Aten’s Control Box, which is the highest performance processor in the series. Easy operation of this processor is provided by the ATEN VK330 1010.1-inch touch panel (Touch Panel), that comes with pre-installed ATEN Control System application, designed for integrated use with the ATEN central control system. With them, the client has the option of selecting and controlling all audio and video inputs/outputs within all Hard Rock Cafe zones. We have solved the system’s power grid stability requirements by implementing an ATEN OL3000HV uninterruptible power supply, and this professional UPS provides emergency power when the input, main, power source fails. The power supply is paired with ATEN PE8208 and ATEN PE8216G power supply panels that provide multiple control options and remote control of sockets (according to individual or groups of sockets), which enables control and monitoring of the power supply status of all devices in the system. Additional control system extensions are also delivered for future system upgrades.
During the entire process, we maintained clear communication with our client, ensuring their involvement in every step of the project. This is exactly what helped us to provide a top-quality final product that fulfilled all the client’s needs and requirements. Our team worked tirelessly to ensure a flawless installation so that all visitors could enjoy the amazing sound and visuals that the Hard Rock Cafe brand is known for. The overall installation was carried out in a very short period of time, and first Croatian licensed Hard Rock Cafe opened its doors to visitors in mid-April.
Find out more information about Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik and its events on their social networks.
Related:
RCF: Hard Rock Cafe Dubrovnik Sets the Night Ablaze with RCF and TT+ Audio
sonidoeiluminacion.com: RCF y TT+Audio en el Hard Rock Cafe de Dubrovnik
Prosoundweb: RCF For New Hard Rock Cafe In Croatia