Situated at the crossroads of Springvale’s cultural and commercial centre, Saigon Rex is a restaurant with a following that far exceeds its modest footprint. Whilst the kitchen at Saigon Rex is best known for its authentic Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, the venue has also garnered a reputation for its contemporary Vietnamese events and premium function space.
Formally known as Maxim Saigon, the venue has a long history of entertainment and cultural events, including live music, weddings, socials and catered business functions. A stage backed by a floor-to-ceiling LED screen and expandable dance floor area see the space regularly transformed beyond a simple eatery. Following its rebrand, the team at Saigon Rex chose to emphasize its entertainment and function heritage, investing in a host of AV equipment including professional lighting fixtures, décor lighting and- most prominently- a high-end audio system from RCF.
Supplied by JD’s Sound and Lighting, Melbourne specialists in professional audio, lighting and staging solutions, Saigon Rex is now home to an RCF HDL 26-A line array system. Professionally designed by Mike Nikitiuk, JD’s Sales and Project Manager, with assistance from Jeff Drabik, Managing Director of JD’s, the new system combines precision engineering with exceptional performance.
The Front of House setup consists of four HDL 26-A modules per side and two RCF SUB9006-AS subwoofers providing low-end reinforcement. To further enhance coverage and projection across the venue, six RCF NX 32-A loudspeakers have been wall-mounted throughout the space; while a custom large circular truss supplied by JD’s frames the stage and supports key lighting fixtures- creating a striking centrepiece that enhances the look of the performance area. In addition to the main system, two RCF NX 15-SMA monitors are used as stage foldback.
Installation was carried out by Canh Le, one of JD’s trusted installers. A respected member of Melbourne’s Vietnamese entertainment community and an expert in professional audio integration, Canh brought both technical excellence and a unique cultural connection to the project- ensuring the system was tuned perfectly for the venue’s diverse range of events.
Mike Nikitiuk outlines why the HDL 26-A stood out as the solution of choice:
“Saigon Rex were looking for a big, bold sound that really turns heads, with substantial coverage in a room where space is at a premium. As reliability and longevity are always core priorities for us, we suggested an RCF line array to tick all those boxes. The HDL 26-A’s deliver perfectly within the room. They sound fantastic—even a little excessive—but that’s exactly what the client wanted: a serious amount of power to really impress, with the added benefit of all that extra headroom for different kinds of events. RCF’s Italian-made solutions come from a 75-year legacy of audio equipment manufacturing—so the build quality and performance really stand out.”
Enjoying a reputation and patronage that speak volumes about the venue’s commitment to quality equipment, Saigon Rex is primed to continue delivering standout experiences, elevated by the dependability and power of RCF.
See more about the RCF HDL 26-A on the official RCF website.
