Imagine a 120-seat restaurant: a large main dining hall, four private rooms, an outdoor terrace, a bar area and back-of-house spaces. Each of these areas has its own requirements for volume, music genre and schedule. A waiter shouldn't have to run to the server rack to lower the volume in the VIP room. The floor manager wants to switch the entire restaurant from "business lunch" to "evening cocktail" mode with a single tap. And the owner wants control from their iPhone — even from another city.
All of this is possible with the AUDAC ecosystem: R2 / MTX series audio matrices, MFA/SMA amplifiers, CELO ceiling speakers, NWP wall panels and the unified AUDAC Touch 2 app. In this article — a detailed breakdown of a sound system architecture for a restaurant with private rooms: from equipment selection to specific automation scenarios.
Why zoning is a necessity, not a luxury
Restaurant audio is not "background music from a single speaker." Research shows that properly selected volume and genre affect the average guest dwell time (and consequently the average check). Too loud in a private room — guests can't have a conversation. Too quiet in the main hall during a party — the atmosphere disappears. The terrace needs higher volume to compensate for street noise, while the bar area needs punchy bass.
Without zoning, you manage the entire restaurant as a single space. With zoning, each room lives its own audio life — but they're all coordinated from a single center.
System architecture: equipment for our example
For a restaurant with a main hall, four private rooms, a terrace and a bar, we need at least 7 independent zones. Here is a typical configuration using AUDAC equipment:
Central processor — R2 or MTX88 audio matrix
The heart of the system is a multi-zone audio matrix. For 7 zones, the R2 (Multi-Zone Digital Audio Matrix) or MTX88 (8-Zone Audio Matrix) is optimal. The matrix accepts up to 8 audio input sources and routes any of them to any of 8 output zones — with independent volume control, equalization and priorities.
- R2 — Dante™ support, built-in DSP, configuration via AUDAC Touch 2, TouchLink™ support for virtual zones, GPIO for external system integration.
- MTX88 — 8 zones, 2 mic inputs with phantom power, 4 stereo line inputs, 4 wall panel inputs, control via front panel, TCP/IP, RS232 and mobile app.
Amplification — MFA series or SMA/SMQ
Each zone requires an amplifier. For private rooms (10–20 m²), the MFA208 (2×40W) is sufficient. For the main hall and terrace — the SMA series (up to 500W per channel) or SMQ (4 channels). All amplifiers are controlled via AUDAC Touch 2 and support WaveDynamics™ — a proprietary DSP processing technology.
Speakers — CELO and ATEO series
For the main hall and private room ceilings — CELO6 or CELO8 (6" / 8" ceiling speakers). For low frequencies — CELO8S ceiling subwoofers. For the terrace — weatherproof ATEO series with IP55 rating. In the bar area — XENO8 or VEXO8 for more powerful, directional sound.
Wall panels — NWP series
Each private room gets an AUDAC NWP (Network Wall Panel). This is a touchscreen panel that allows guests or staff to adjust volume and select the audio source — without needing to call the manager. Panels connect via Ethernet (PoE) and are automatically discovered by AUDAC Touch 2.
Audio sources — SourceCon™ modules
SourceCon™ modules (e.g., NMP40) plug directly into the matrix or amplifier and provide connectivity to Spotify, Soundtrack Your Brand, AirPlay, Bluetooth and other streaming services. This means you don't need a separate computer or phone for music playback — the sources are built into the system.
AUDAC Touch 2: the unified control hub
AUDAC Touch 2 is a free app for iOS, Android, Windows and Linux that turns any device into a control panel for the entire audio system. The app automatically discovers all AUDAC devices on the network and lets you manage them through customizable dashboards.
What you can do with AUDAC Touch 2
- Adjust volume for each zone independently — with graphical sliders and VU meters (signal level indicators).
- Assign audio source (Spotify, Bluetooth, line input) to each zone separately.
- Create virtual zones via TouchLink™ — combine multiple physical outputs into one logical zone.
- Launch Snapshots — saved presets that set volume, source and EQ for all zones with one tap.
- Configure Events — automated actions triggered by schedule or by trigger (GPIO, network command).
- Manage priorities — microphone announcements automatically duck music in all or selected zones.
- Control the system remotely — connect from anywhere via VPN or cloud-synced accounts.
Access levels
AUDAC Touch 2 supports a cloud-synced account system. You can create three access levels: administrator (full control and configuration), operator (volume and source management, no DSP settings access) and user (view-only). For a restaurant, the typical setup is: owner = administrator, floor manager = operator, waiter = no app access (uses NWP wall panels instead).
Restaurant zones: a practical example
Let's look at the specific configuration for our restaurant:
Zone 1 — Main hall
Area ~150 m². 8 × CELO8 ceiling speakers + 2 × CELO8S subwoofers. SMA500 amplifier (2×250W). Default source — Soundtrack Your Brand playlist via NMP40. Volume: daytime 30%, evening 50%. This is the main zone that sets the restaurant's "mood."
Zones 2–5 — Private rooms
Each room 15–25 m². 2 × CELO6 ceiling speakers per room. MFA208 amplifier (one per two rooms — 2 channels at 40W). NWP wall panel in each room: guests can select the source (Bluetooth for personal music or the restaurant's background playlist) and adjust volume from 0% to 70% (maximum limited by administrator to avoid disturbing neighboring rooms).
Zone 6 — Terrace
Open area ~80 m². 6 × ATEO6 weatherproof speakers (IP55). SMA350 amplifier (2×175W). Source — same playlist as main hall, but volume 15–20% higher to compensate for street noise. During rain, the zone automatically turns off (via GPIO signal from rain sensor or manual manager command).
Zone 7 — Bar
Area ~40 m². 2 × XENO8 speakers + 1 subwoofer. MFA216 amplifier (2×80W). Separate source — upbeat music via Spotify (NMP40). Volume higher than the hall. The bartender has access to an NWP wall panel for quick track switching or volume adjustment.
Automation scenarios
The real power of AUDAC Touch 2 isn't just manual control — it's automation. Events and Snapshots let you program the sound system's behavior for every moment of the business day. Here are specific scenarios for our restaurant:
Scenario 1 — "Morning / Opening" (09:00)
Trigger: schedule (Event, daily at 09:00). Action: loads Snapshot "Morning." Main hall — light jazz, volume 20%. Terrace — on, volume 25%. Bar — off. Private rooms — standby mode (activate automatically when NWP panel detects presence, or manager turns on manually). All other zones — silence.
Scenario 2 — "Business Lunch" (11:30)
Trigger: schedule. Action: Snapshot "Lunch." Hall — "Chill Lounge" playlist, volume rises to 35%. Terrace — syncs with hall. Bar — turns on, volume 30%, "Acoustic Covers" playlist. Private rooms — ready but waiting for activation.
Scenario 3 — "Evening Mode" (18:00)
Trigger: schedule. Action: Snapshot "Evening." Hall — "Deep House / Nu-Disco," volume 50%. Terrace — "Tropical House," volume 55%. Bar — "Upbeat Electronic," volume 60%. Private rooms — restaurant background playlist, volume 25% (guests can change via NWP). No abrupt transition — AUDAC supports smooth volume fade when switching snapshots.
Scenario 4 — "Private Event"
Trigger: manual launch by operator via AUDAC Touch 2. Action: Snapshot "Private Event." All 4 private rooms merge into one virtual zone via TouchLink™. Source — host's microphone (matrix mic input with priority). Background music ducks when mic is active (Talk Over). After the event — one tap returns the system to the current scheduled Snapshot.
Scenario 5 — "Emergency Announcement"
Trigger: button on NPM200 paging station or GPIO signal from fire alarm. Action: music in all zones simultaneously ducks to minimum, microphone or pre-recorded voice message activates with maximum priority. Latency — under 100 ms when using Dante™. After alarm deactivation — automatic return to previous state.
Scenario 6 — "Closing" (23:00)
Trigger: schedule. Action: Snapshot "Closing." 30 minutes before closing, volume in all zones smoothly decreases by 30%. At 23:00 — terrace turns off, bar drops to 20%, hall to 15%. At 23:30 — all zones turn off. System enters sleep mode until next morning.
NWP wall panels: control for guests and staff
AUDAC NWP wall panels are not just volume knobs. They are full-featured network devices with touchscreens, connected via PoE Ethernet. They allow:
- Source selection — switch between restaurant playlists, Bluetooth connection from guest's personal phone, AUX input.
- Volume adjustment within administrator-set limits (e.g., 0 to 70% — guest can't blast it to full).
- Display current track info — title, artist, album cover (when using NMP40).
- Multi-language interface support — relevant for international restaurants in Thailand.
In our example, NWP panels are installed in each private room and at the bar. Other zones are managed only via AUDAC Touch 2 (manager/owner) or automatically by schedule.
TouchLink™: virtual zones without rewiring
TouchLink™ is an AUDAC technology that combines multiple physical outputs (amplifier channels) into a single virtual zone directly in AUDAC Touch 2 — without any physical wiring changes. Simply assign the same TouchLink™ Zone ID to multiple devices and they respond as one: one volume, one source, one mute.
Practical example: normally, each of the 4 private rooms is an independent zone. But when a banquet for 40 people is booked, the partitions between rooms are removed, and the manager merges all 4 rooms into one TouchLink™ zone via AUDAC Touch 2. Now one volume slider controls all 8 speakers, one source plays in sync, and the host's microphone works across all rooms simultaneously. After the event — one tap, and rooms are independent again.
Integration with external systems
AUDAC Touch 2 can control more than just audio. Via TCP/IP, UDP, RS232 and RS485 protocols, the app sends commands to third-party devices:
- Lighting — when switching from "Lunch" to "Evening" Snapshot, main lights dim and decorative lighting activates simultaneously with the sound change (if the lighting system supports TCP/IP control or AUDAC ARU relay unit).
- Loxone smart home — AUDAC integrates with Loxone Miniserver via TCP/IP. Loxone scenarios can trigger AUDAC Snapshots, and vice versa.
- CCTV — when "Emergency Announcement" activates, a simultaneous command can be sent to the NVR to record an alarm event.
- HVAC — when opening/closing the terrace zone, air conditioning can be synchronized.
Dante™: when a restaurant becomes an event venue
If the restaurant regularly hosts live performances, DJ sets or corporate events, it's worth building Dante™ support into the system from the start — a professional protocol for transmitting audio over Ethernet. The R2 matrix supports Dante natively, while MFA amplifiers support it via the optional ANI44XT module.
With Dante™, live sound from a mixing console can be routed to any zone via standard Ethernet cable — no analog runs needed. A DJ in the bar zone plays through Dante, and their mix broadcasts to the terrace and hall simultaneously, with under 1ms latency. Meanwhile, private rooms continue playing their own playlists.
Cost and ROI
An AUDAC-based sound system for our example (7 zones, ~30 speakers, 4 wall panels, matrix, 4 amplifiers, 2 SourceCon modules) is an investment starting from 800,000 to 1,550,000 THB depending on amplifier and speaker model choices. For comparison: a consumer system from Lazada for 50,000 THB provides no zoning, no management, no integration — and will fail within six months from humidity and workload.
A professional AUDAC system runs for years without maintenance, saves staff time (automated scenarios instead of manual control), protects from legal risks (licensed streaming services via Soundtrack Your Brand) and creates an atmosphere guests are willing to pay for.
How WLTT delivers AUDAC audio projects
WLTT is an engineering company specializing in comprehensive IT and AV solutions for restaurants, hotels and commercial properties in Thailand. We design, install and configure AUDAC sound systems turnkey:
- Acoustic calculation — determining speaker count and placement for uniform coverage in each zone.
- Design — cable routing diagrams, equipment specifications, NWP panel installation points.
- Installation — cable runs, speaker/amplifier/panel mounting, Ethernet network connection.
- Configuration — matrix setup, zone configuration in AUDAC Touch 2, Snapshot and Event programming.
- Integration — connecting with Loxone, Hikvision CCTV, Syrve POS and other client systems.
- Training — staff receives daily operation instructions, manager gets AUDAC Touch 2 training.
We work in Phuket, Bangkok, Pattaya and throughout Thailand. If you're planning a restaurant, café, bar or any space where sound matters — contact us for a free consultation.
