The skinny: Ernest Tubb Record Shop embraced its historic Broadway space, using Yamaha and NEXO speakers to craft vibrant, balanced sound that highlights every note and elevates the entire musical experience.
- The backbone of the system is a series of Yamaha CZR line arrays and point-source cabinets.
- NEXO ePS Series loudspeakers round out the system.
- Black Box AVS was responsible for the design, engineering, and implementation of a complete AV system.
Ernest Tubb Record Shop's Reimagined Live Music Experience
Nashville, a city known for honky-tonk and live music at every street corner, has evolved into a creative hub for artists across genres. On Lower Broadway, the Ernest Tubb Record Shop reimagined what a live music experience could be by creating an audio environment that honors Nashville’s heritage while delivering a modern, high-fidelity experience that keeps patrons engaged and comfortable. To meet this vision, Black Box AVS was responsible for the design, engineering, and implementation of a complete AV system, delivering a solution backboned by Yamaha CZR line arrays and point-source cabinets.
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As Martin Lawrence, owner of Black Box AVS detailed the project required more than an audio upgrade. What was needed was a cohesive technology ecosystem that supported live music, venue operations, guest experience, networking, lighting control, and long-term serviceability. Lawrence and his team designed and implemented the venue's technology backbone, including network infrastructure, wireless connectivity, centralized control systems, equipment rack systems, and integrated lighting control.
The building posed a classic Broadway challenge: long and narrow, with exposed brick walls and wood floors throughout. Heavy acoustic treatment wasn’t an option, so the team relied on coverage, delay zones, and precise tuning. “The goal was simple in concept but demanding in execution: deliver consistent SPL from front to back while preserving the twang of a steel guitar, the resonance of an upright bass, and the delicate textures of acoustic sets," Lawrence explained. "In a city where every note tells a story, balance wasn’t optional, it was essential .”
The backbone of the system is a series of Yamaha CZR line arrays and point-source cabinets, chosen for clarity, punch, and musical fidelity. “The CZRs really let every instrument breathe,” Lawrence said. “You hear the subtle harmonics in a #MakeWaves steel guitar, the snap of an upright bass, and the shimmer of acoustic strings - all without cranking the volume.”
The CZRs’ wide dynamic range remains articulate even at high SPLs, so audiences hear music—not just volume—a critical distinction in a city steeped in live music tradition. Front fills maintain clarity for the first rows, while the compact footprint preserves sightlines and the venue’s open feel. Control moved to iPads linked to centralized racks in an AV closet, enabling full FOH and lighting control without traditional booths. Chauvet fixtures, Luminaire software, and Visual Productions cores integrated dynamic lighting into the same interface. NETGEAR switches and Ruckus access points ensured reliable connectivity across four floors, with Mid-Atlantic racks and Panduit cable management keeping the system clean and serviceable.
NEXO ePS Series loudspeakers round out the system with high-output, full-range performance, combining precise coverage, selectable HF directivity, and a compact, flexible set of mounting options that make them easy to deploy throughout the space.
The results were immediate. Patrons could hear instruments with clarity, not just volume . “People say it sounds great. It’s not super loud; you actually hear the individual instruments,” Lawrence said. “It’s helping start that shift from bars putting in systems that are just the cheapest and the loudest to something that’s different—building a system from the ground up that makes the user experience enjoyable,” he explained.
The Ernest Tubb Record Shop proves that meticulous engineering, intelligent system design, and thoughtful resource use can transform a venue into a truly immersive sonic experience while honoring the city’s rich musical heritage. “At the end of the day, that’s the goal—building a spot I’d want to take friends to when they come to town,” Lawrence said.
