Symetrix Prism Manages High-End Sound System for Innovative Renkon Izakaya

Case Studies

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Taking inspiration and appreciation for Japanese culture, Renkon is a project of The Eight Four Collective, an innovative hospitality group that brings Japanese-inspired restaurants and bars to Vietnam. Renkon embodies the concept of a modern izakaya, a contemporary design of traditional Japanese grill and neighborhood bar. This modern izakaya brings together high-quality food and drink, premium services, curated hip-hop music and innovative design to create a friendly yet exclusive ambience. An authentic local interpretation of the concept here in Ho Chi Minh city.

“Renkon is more than a restaurant: it’s a piece of art”, said co-founder of the Eight Four Collective, Michael Piro. “It challenges the notion that neighborhood dining in Vietnam must be ‘cheap and cheerful’, bringing together all the best elements…It pays tribute to old Vietnam, but embraces modernized values, raising the standard of local F&B to an international level.”

To provide a sound system for Renkon befitting the venue’s quality-conscious clientele, the Eight Four Collective brought in systems integrator DesignLive Technologies, which specified a system based on a Symetrix Prism 8×8 DSP and Symetrix ARC-WEB control software. “There was no hesitation in proposing a Symetrix DSP and ARC-WEB solution,” recalls DesignLive’s Ms Thu Ta. “With three restaurants in the pipeline, the client’s team had experience with the quality, agility, and user friendliness of the Symetrix platform at other venues done by DesignLive. The Symetrix solution was selected as the platform of choice for all of their current and future venues.”

Symetrix Prism DSPs offer 128 (64×64) Dante channels for ultra-reliable multi-channel audio networking over IP. The Prism’s analog I/O is scalable; the Prism 8×8 chosen for Renkon provides 8 switchable balanced mic or line-level inputs and 8 line-level outputs. Prism’s embedded web server displays I/O levels and diagnostics data and hosts Symetrix’ ARC-WEB browser-based interface for smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Renkon fills approximately 200 square meters (2,153 square feet) over two floors. “As a high-end venue, flexibility to cater to the clientele’s requests is crucial, and the Prism DSP was able to allow each floor to operate as a separate zone for setting up private events,” Thu notes. “The ARC-WEB wireless app allows restaurant staff full control of the system on iPads and smartphones.”

The Symetrix Prism 8×8 at Renkon manages a Dante digital audio network, sending audio to Powersoft Quattrocanali amplifiers, which drive Fulcrum Acoustic loudspeakers. Wall plates provide analog inputs into the network—especially useful for DJs—and DesignLive provided spare CAT6 cable drops around the venue to provide Dante network access throughout the space, making the venue highly configurable.

The DesignLive Technologies team is confident that the Symetrix Prism 8×8 and ARC-WEB control software were the best choices for Renkon and other Eight Four Collective projects. “The client is bringing a new, progressive brand of food and beverages to the Vietnam scene, and exceptionally high-quality audio was as important as top-class food, service, and interior design,” asserts Thu. “The Symetrix platform’s reliability, end-to-end audio quality, and processing is second to none in the crowded market of DSPs, and DesignLive does not hesitate when absolute sound quality is demanded.”