Nestled away in the unassuming suburb of Heidelberg, Little Black Pig & Sons is an Italian restaurant capable of standing alongside the inner city’s most lauded kitchens. Offering a seasonal produce-driven menu that changes every fortnight, the restaurant offers up an evolving culinary experience prepared with zeal and care. Born from the heart of a simple Italian deli, this intimate bistro has embraced the traditions of ‘cucina povera’ with carefully selected ingredients since 2015.
Chef and co-owner David Lakhi has been guiding the venue’s direction over the last 7 years, where the space has undergone various upgrades as part of his broader vision for the restaurant’s identity. The newest addition to the space is an elevated audio system, integrating ceiling speakers and compact subwoofers from Melbourne’s own professional audio manufacturer, Quest. To complete the system, amplifiers from Quest and signal processing from NST Audio have also been installed, providing power and zoned audio.
Known for their compact, full-range loudspeaker designs, solutions from Quest now play a central role in delivering high quality audio within Little Black Pig & Sons. The installation centres around Quest’s MX Series, with MX6C 6” ceiling speakers and MX6S subwoofers providing comprehensive coverage across the venue. To extend coverage into the corridor and bathrooms, ultra-compact MX4C 4” ceiling speakers were also deployed. Powering the distributed system are two Quest QX4300 amplifiers, offering 4 x 300w per unit.
“The moment I heard the Quest loudspeakers, I could instantly imagine myself settling in for a meal- the sound was clear, inviting, and evocative” explains David. “Music has that power, but only when played through a system that does it justice. Music plays a big part in this restaurant, helping to set the right tone and atmosphere. Quest loudspeakers help us craft that ambience.”
Supplied to the venue by the brand’s Australian distributor Group Technologies, Quest’s ceiling speakers are designed as modular solutions enabling integrators and venue designers to build seamless full-range audio platforms. Offering the same sonic performance as a high-quality wall mount system in a ceiling speaker format, the MX6C and MX4C loudspeakers are designed for subtlety, delivering outstanding performance whilst presenting virtually no visual impact, as David notes:
“What I like about the Quest speakers is that they sound fantastic and they don’t need to be ‘right in your face’ to do it. They are fully concealed in the roof, but still offer great clarity and impact. I’ve had ceiling speakers in the past and let me tell you- they weren’t the same. The Quest speakers are a cut above the rest.”
Little Black Pig & Sons features a light-filled front dining area and an intimate back dining room with lush Gustav Klimt artworks adorning each wall. An Ink-green and gold marble bar and bar stools sit within the corridor, overseeing the open kitchen. With each section exuding its own atmosphere, nuanced control over the audio ensures the ambiance remains perfectly attuned, as David explains:
“We have zoned audio control thanks to a VMX88L from NST Audio. Our venue has four different zones- the front dining room, which is called the Tuscan Room, then the corridor, the bathrooms, and Florence, which is the rear dining room. Each area has a different feel, and the music must be played at a certain volume in each area. Zoned audio helps us set the correct level for individual sections of the restaurant.”
NST Audio’s VMX88L installation processor combines advanced DSP capabilities with a fully routable 8-in, 8-out matrix, offering robust audio routing and processing for professional environments. With powerful features available through NST Audio’s D-Net control software, many audio processing tools and configurable actions are available. A set of NST Audio’s VR2 wall panels were placed within the restaurant to provide essential remote control of the system, earning praise from David for their ease of use:
“The touchscreen control panels are very user-friendly. Group Technologies came in and customised the whole system for us, including setting up the zones and level presets. From the VR2, we can control the whole system- meaning there’s no turning off multiple amplifiers at the end of the day or anything like that. The control panels can also be password-protected, which is important for places of hospitality like restaurants or bars. It’s a great solution for us.”
Reflecting on the installation as a single end-to-end solution, David notes:
“The audio quality has impressed everyone, from staff to patrons. The performance of the Quest loudspeakers and NST Audio equipment has blown me away. Group Technologies delivered an outstanding setup from concept to completion- the result is an easy-to-use system that supports our daily operations and enriches the dining experience for our clientele.”
