Nashville, TN – While it is no longer a rarity for a bar to sport a deep beer selection in a happening American city like Nashville, TN, Kung Fu Saloon might have more different kinds of fun on tap than any other single venue in the area. With over 20 classic arcade games ranging from Street Fighter II to NBA Jam, old-school games like Giant Jenga and Skeeball, live DJs, private karaoke rooms, a massive outdoor patio, and 24 carefully selected tap beers to choose from, there is something here to tickle the fancy of anyone who walks through its Midtown doors.
Managing Partner Troy Cramer knew that top-level sound was key to bringing together the perfect nightlife experience for their patrons in Kung Fu Saloon’s sprawling combined 14,000 square foot indoor-outdoor space. With the help of BASSBOSS loudspeakers, the bar was able to add an incredible sound system to its myriad of offerings for patrons.
More than Beer
Good beer is a big part of what Kung Fu Saloon is about, but Cramer and his team wanted their Nashville location to be more than just an attractive watering hole. “We’re a beer bar at heart, but it was important to us to be able to really bring the party with DJs and events, so great sound was a priority,” says Cramer. “Some friends of mine who own clubs in Austin had first turned me on to BASSBOSS when we were looking to upgrade the sound at our location in The Domain in Austin. Their speakers came highly recommended.” Cramer soon reached out to BASSBOSS president David Lee to design a system for the new Nashville location, and Lee proceeded to assemble a package that featured BASSBOSS’s DiaMon DJ112 and SV8 loudspeakers, paired with SSP218 subwoofers.
Close Quarters
The low ceilings of Kung Fu Saloon’s interior presented challenges both for sound and visual impact. Thanks to their small size and light weight, BASSBOSS’ Lee was able to position eight DiaMon DJ112 loudspeakers throughout the space. “They’re so small that they don’t get in anyone’s way even with the ceilings as low as they are,” observes Cramer, who also found their sleek visual aesthetic complementary to the space. “They have a cool, architectural look that fits right in.” Most importantly, they deliver crystal clear audio and have plenty of output on tap despite their diminutive size. “We’ve got DJs of all genres coming in here, so we needed that high level of output to have it really feel like a club,” Cramer explains. “It’s amazing how much sound comes out of these little things, and without any distortion. The DJs are always amazed.”
Big Bottom
Where the compact DJ112 speakers leave off, the dual SSP218 subwoofers take over. Just two of these subs gives Cramer plenty of deep bass for anything his performing DJ guests might throw at them. Lee was able to stash the two subs out of the way between some of the Saloon’s arcade cabinets. “You can really feel the bass from these things throughout the whole club. They sound a lot bigger than they are physically,” Cramer says.
Keeping the Party Going
Stepping outside of the main area, the outdoor patio at Kung Fu Saloon is even more sprawling than the interior. Six BASSBOSS SV8 speakers make sure the sounds of the night reach this 8,000 sq ft outdoor space. Lee directed they be mounted on steel frames that were constructed for the patio’s TVs, with the other two mounted directly to the building. Operating as a full-range speaker, the SV8 handles frequencies down to 50 Hz, which is remarkable for a box of its size. The SV8’s full-range performance extends the quality feel of the system out to the patio so customers who venture outside don’t feel they’ve left the party behind. “For the patio, a lot of the time we aren’t pushing the levels too high because we are mindful of our neighbors,” Cramer says. “But the difference in sound quality with the SV8s is really apparent, even at low levels.”
The Sound of Success
Kung Fu Saloon Nashville, which opened in December, is already a runaway success. Cramer has been extremely pleased with the role BASSBOSS loudspeakers have played as the bar continues to build a devoted following. “The BASSBOSS reputation speaks for itself in terms of reliability, and knowing we can count on that high quality sound day in, day out, is a huge relief,” he says.
Next up for Cramer and BASSBOSS will be a retrofit of their existing Kung Fu Saloon Dallas location. “Based on our success here in Nashville, there’s no question that we want to level up our other locations to BASSBOSS sound.”
