EVELYN, located in Dallas, is a dining and nightlife concept created by Reach Hospitality. EVELYN invites guests into a lush environment designed by the experiential firm ICRAVE. The venue is built to engage every sense with live music to late-night dancing, making the right sound system imperative. Enter Powersoft, Bespoke Technology Group, and 1 SOUND.
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Delivering on that vision required a sound system as flexible and immersive as the design. Spread across three primary rooms, including an intimate piano lounge, a lively cocktail bar and a high-energy DJ space, the audio experience had to remain discreet while delivering clean, powerful sound. Dallas-based integration firm Bespoke Technology Group was selected to lead the audiovisual design and installation. For Bespoke Technology Group, audio and acoustics were the most critical element of the entire build.
“One of the main challenges came from the interior designer, who is extraordinarily talented but opposed to visible speakers,” said Phil Ayache, president of Bespoke Technology Group. “Everything had to be hidden. That’s where our partnership with 1 Sound proved invaluable because they can match any surface. We went through about two months of revisions to make everything work visually while maintaining audio quality.”
Every surface in EVELYN was engineered to absorb sound from upholstery to suede wall coverings. At the same time, the audiovisual system needed to support different musical environments. The Piano Room offers live piano and vocal performances in a warm, acoustically treated space. The Ruby Bar plays upbeat Top 40 music in a polished lounge atmosphere, while Room Seven is anchored by a massive disco ball and is designed for mingling, movement and bass-forward tracks.
“Each room is acoustically isolated with double walls, insulation and Z-channels,” said Ayache. “While sound can carry if pushed, the isolation is excellent. The system delivers instant, clean power when needed without any compromises.”
To power the venue’s ambitious audio design, Ayache turned to Powersoft. “Anyone who’s worked with Powersoft or 1 Sound knows Lou Mannarino lives in a world where amp channels are limitless, which is how we found our way to Powersoft,” he said. “I had known about them from my background in live sound before moving into corporate IT, but when we became 1 Sound dealers, it made sense for us to integrate Powersoft, too.”
Powersoft’s Quattrocanali and Duecanali Series provided the backbone of the system. In total, ten amplifiers were installed, including Quattrocanali 8804s, 4804s, 2404s, and Duecanali 6404s, all with DSP and Dante integration. The Quattrocanali and Duecanali Series were selected for their performance and their flexibility in handling a mix of Lo-Z and 70V/100V speaker loads in a single venue.
Of course there is also the strong technical support. “Customer service from Powersoft is exceptional. I’ve called them with urgent needs and they’ve always delivered, even when inventory was tight. I once had a Dante firmware issue late on a Friday night, and a Powersoft engineer spent an hour on the phone helping us resolve it. That level of support is rare, and it’s why we choose partners like Powersoft.”
That partnership also allowed Bespoke Technology Group to push creative boundaries with their installation. “We even did some unconventional things, like installing 1 Sound 310 subs in the ceiling with custom brackets and flush-mounting them, things you don’t get to do often. That creative freedom, and knowing the products from 1 Sound and Powersoft would support the unique challenges, made this project special,” Ayache noted.
One of the keys to this freedom was the trust and collaboration provided by Reach Hospitality, who gave the audiovisual team leeway. “Reach Hospitality, the group behind the restaurant, was an outstanding partner. They gave us creative freedom within budget and our one directive to make it sound as incredible as possible,” said Ayache.
With that trust came responsibility, and Bespoke Technology Group didn’t take it lightly. “This project was a unique opportunity. The owners were deeply invested in creating an immersive experience and gave me the authority to make decisions when necessary to ensure optimal sound,” said Ayache.
“This level of insight and control is another reason we’ve largely standardized on Powersoft,” Ayache continued. “You don’t find many companies that combine exceptional product quality with equally strong support. Some brands have great gear but no customer service, or vice versa. Powersoft has both.”
EVELYN’s success is the result of clear vision, precise execution, and strong collaboration between Bespoke Technology Group, 1 Sound, and Powersoft. With tight integration, reliable solutions and responsive support, Powersoft provided Bespoke Technology Group with the tools to deliver consistent, high-quality sound across all spaces. The result is a system that works as hard as the team behind it: discreet, powerful, and built to perform.