Powersoft Unica delivers precise sound to Czech Zlatý Strom hotel venue

The integration of Unica, combined with the dynamic music distribution of Powersoft and its WM touch panels, provide precise sound to a multi-story medieval building.

The Golden Tree, a legendary bar, restaurant and music club located near the famous Charles Bridge in Prague (Czech Republic), It has maintained a relevant position as a nighttime meeting point in the city for more than thirty years..

Distributed over several floors, Its interior houses restaurant spaces, bar and lounge, some of which are partially within the century-old cellars of the building. Although it is visually striking, also presents significant challenges for any modern audiovisual installation, in particular for a smooth transition between a refined atmosphere during the week and a dynamic programming on the weekends.

After a profound transformation that lasted two years, The venue sought to move away from its previous identity as a dance club and, instead, establish a multifunctional environment where sound plays a fundamental role in the customer experience.

He new audio system required a different approach than before, providing both subtle background sound and high-performance output. The precise zoning, with the ability to combine or isolate areas, adjust volume independently and switch sources depending on time of day or operational needs, was another key aspect.

It was also essential intuitive control interface to ensure that the system was adapted to the working practices of the site. For an installation of this complexity, those responsible for Zlatý Strom hired Lukáš Ax, systems designer Forsound, to offer a flexible and modern solution, capable of responding to the changing operating model of the venue.

The historical structure of Zlatý Strom raised one of the main technical challenges. Its segmented spaces and basement location complicated the installation of audiovisual technology and required a audio system that adapts to the geometry of the venue, without invading its protected interior.

All amplifiers had to settle in a separate technical environment, with reliable communication throughout the building and operational stability during the facility's long service hours.

The Unica Powersoft amplification platform provided a solution that addressed these limitations. All communication between devices, including audio sources, is managed through Dante, and the equipment of this manufacturer are redundantly powered via PoE to ensure continued online availability.

The Unica power stages are activated only during the operating hours of the different areas of the premises, managed through PLC programmed switching. This approach not only adapts to the changing environment of Zlatý Strom's daily operations, but also guarantees a strict control of energy consumption.

By combining Unica with the Dynamic Music Distribution (DMD) from Powersoft and WM touch panels, Forsound has eliminated the need for traditional die processors, despite complex multi-zone configuration. Besides, Ensures system redundancy and facilitates future expansion, something for which the venue is already preparing with the renovation of new spaces.

The result is a scalable and distributed sound system that can evolve organically, without requiring significant reprogramming or additional processing hardware. The transition to Powersoft technology has also resolved several limitations of the previous installation, which depended on DSP processors and fixed wired controllers.

“Con DMD, Audio distribution no longer depends on a central matrix, and system control can be achieved through web interfaces of common smart touch devices - Sekera points out -. This gives managers and staff greater flexibility and allows adjustments to be made directly in each zone, which is an important advantage in a venue where the atmosphere must be constantly adjusted in different areas”.

Operational efficiency has also improved considerably, given that Powersoft offers twice as many channels and takes up only a third of the previous rack space, integrated into the small technical room of the venue. The lower demand for external cooling also generates greater energy savings.

The additional efficiency is due to Unica's ability to turn off amplification stages independently, which complements the inherent low power consumption of the platform. For the integrator, the Cloud monitoring and remote management provide continuous access to operational data, ensuring long-term reliability and simplifying maintenance.

Zlatý Strom's audio system setup is completed with 36 manufacturer speakers EAW distributed in different areas of the premises: four MKD826 for the dance floor; diez MKC50 for adjacent spaces and two MKC50s as DJ monitors.

Four MKD896 of EAW are located in the main area, with two MKC50 and another pair MKC60 in surrounding areas. The entrance and the upper restaurant are covered by twelve MKC50.

For Zlatý Strom's team, The complete installation has provided precisely the flexible audio environment they were looking for. The atmosphere of the place changes throughout the day and week, adapting to different clienteles and functions, as well as the system installed to create the right environment, which directly contributes to the overall customer experience.