Teller Banks on Quest Engineering & NST Audio

Originally home to the State Bank of Victoria, Teller in Melbourne’s Brunswick East is a thriving contemporary pub and hospitality venue. A new Lygon Street favorite, Teller is a multifaceted collection of spaces designed to accommodate an extended range of functions and events. With its namesake a nod to the legacy of the venue’s past, Teller sets the bar high on every front, with audio no exception.

As part of the venue’s development process, owner Melanie Aldred engaged pro audio installation experts Factory Sound for integration of a system befitting of Teller’s elevated standards. A spread of loudspeakers, subwoofers and amplifiers from Melbourne’s own Quest Engineering were chosen for the setup, with zoned audio control provided by two VMX88 Audio Installation Processors from NST Audio.

“We placed a strong emphasis on sound quality and our requirements necessitated speakers that could harmonise with Teller’s look,” explains Melanie. “The comprehensive knowledge from all parties involved, from the consultants at Group Technologies, to Jonathan and Phil from Factory Sound, really helped guide our decision-making process throughout the installation. The combination of expertise around the table has led us to a solution that is well-suited to our needs.”

Specialising in compact loudspeakers built to deliver full-range audio, systems from Quest Engineering became the vital building blocks of Teller’s sonic capabilities. Solutions from Quest’s install-centric MX Series, including both six- and eight-inch weatherproof loudspeakers, the MX601 and MX801 respectively, were selected, along with Quest’s MX10S concealable 10-inch subwoofers.

These systems were placed for maximum coverage throughout the venue, while Quest’s MX6C, ceiling-mount variants of the MX601, were also used to extend coverage across the bathrooms and corridors.

With Quest’s MX cabinets supplying background music and ambience, additional Quest systems from the manufacturer’s HPI Series were used to fill the larger spaces with high-powered audio – ideal for increased volume during larger functions. Four HPI25 dual five-inch loudspeakers and two HPI12S compact sub-bass cabinets provided the additional energy needed.

Internationally recognised, Quest’s Australian- made ecosystem is also a local favorite, as Jonathan Sinclair, Factory Sound’s Projects Department Manager, explains: “Factory Sound have been huge supporters of Quest Engineering since their inception over 20 years ago. The MX Series is often our first choice for budget-conscious installs, as these speakers are the best sounding solutions in their price range. Quest loudspeakers also have the additional advantage of multiple mounting options, which is true across all their solutions. This is very useful, as sometimes an install will call for a U-bracket, a rigging point or sometimes a ceiling mount – each of those has their place across the installation landscape, and being able to know that our choice of speaker doesn’t inhibit the way we can integrate them, and vice versa, helps our team meet any installation challenge.”

Presented with Factory Sound’s system design, Melanie found the suggestion to utilise solutions from Quest ‘extremely appealing’:

“I had previously used products from Quest at a prior venue, where the sound quality of the speakers made a lasting impression. That venue was also in the hospitality industry: a function space, for which the chosen system was well suited. However, for what we needed within Teller’s multifaceted brief, I knew this system design would be on another level entirely. What we’ve achieved with Quest here is a whole different beast, there is so much more to it – but everything performs well and looks the part.”

Offered in both black and white options for all models, solutions from Quest not only allow for highly flexible placement, but for seamless integration of aesthetics. True of all ranges across the brand, Jonathan notes that this gave Quest an edge during the installation process:

“Developed around the remains of an old bank, Teller includes a variety of architectural spaces, all with their own unique styles: they’ve used different décor in those spaces to further reinforce the different atmospheres. So, our team had to be very careful when choosing the right speakers – including the right colours – and placing them in the right way, as to not break the aesthetic. In the end, we found that the results added to the aesthetic; not every speaker brand and model can do that, but the Quest systems can. They’re just really good-looking speakers.”

Imbued with unique character through a variety of interior design choices, each area within Teller has been tailored to feel distinct. To align with these design choices, distinct zones of audio were a key component of the sound system requirements. Factory Sound installed two VMX88 Audio Installation Processors from NST Audio to create a multi-source zoned audio setup, as Jonathan explains: “Teller is a multifaceted restaurant which includes both small and large function spaces, private dining spaces, formal dining, and more traditional open dining areas. To get these mixtures of spaces to work coherently from an audio coverage perspective, you need to have a multi-zoned setup, where you can adjust the volumes in each area separately and even potentially change the source that’s been played in those zones from a variety of local sources. Being able to manage each zone independently, while maintaining excellent audio quality throughout, was a very important part of choosing the right processing unit for the project. The NST Audio VMX88 is well suited for this requirement, and makes life easy for the client, by offering easy-to-use remote-control panels like the VR1, which we also installed for Teller.”

Featuring a fully routable mix matrix of eight-in and eight-out channels, the VMX88 is a Danté-enabled installation processor running on the latest generation of DSP technology. With powerful features available through NST Audio’s D-Net control software, many audio processing tools and configurable actions are available. A set of VR1 wall panels were placed throughout Teller to provide essential remote control of the system, which Melanie praises as highly intuitive:

“It’s as simple as coming in for the morning, switching on the system, and the music starts, as all the rooms are already routed on their own preset. When we have events, we’re able to switch the source to a custom input, allowing guests to have their own music selection. I would describe it as ‘set and forget’. My team find it very easy, and the setup also possesses a lot of useful capabilities – for example, the limiters that allow us to remain in control of the levels and consider the neighbors.”

Factory Sound chose solutions from Quest’s new QX Series of amplifiers to power all loudspeakers throughout the venue. Three units of the compact QX4300 were used to feed the MX Series loudspeakers, while the heavier duty of powering the HPI Series went to a QX4750. While both models are equipped with an array of modern integration-oriented features, Jonathan says that ultimately it was the audio fidelity of the QX Series that drove their decision making:

“The QX range of four-channel amps were selected for the same reason we chose the NST Audio processors: their audio quality. When trying to maximise the overall sound quality of a venue, you’re only as good as your lowest point, and often it’s the amplifiers that end up colouring the sound. We have an excellent ‘start position’ with the audio at Teller, so we wanted to make sure that nothing was going into the chain that would compromise the quality at any point.”

With a high level of sonic definition achieved throughout the venue and all zones accessible through an intuitive remote-control platform, Teller stands outs as a triumph of pro audio integration, with Melanie celebrating: “Overall, I’m extremely impressed. Since having the speakers installed, we’ve had a noticeable number of guests comment on the quality of sound that the system can deliver. Both the patrons and the staff agree that the system sounds fantastic. Group Technologies and Factory Sound went above and beyond when it came to the design and the roll out of this setup. Teller now has a fit-for-purpose solution that’s easy to navigate and perfect for our needs.”