Located in Pune’s vibrant Phoenix Mall of the Millennium, F Lounge by FTV was designed to deliver a sophisticated hospitality experience that seamlessly blends dining, entertainment, and nightlife. The venue features a contemporary interior complemented by an expansive alfresco area, creating a dynamic environment that transitions effortlessly from daytime social gatherings to high-energy evening events. With dedicated VIP seating, a spacious dance floor, and flexible event spaces, the lounge accommodates a variety of experiences, from casual dining and corporate functions to live music performances and celebrity DJ appearances. An eclectic menu of global cuisine, signature cocktails, and immersive entertainment programming reinforces F Lounge’s position as a premier destination for social engagement, offering guests a stylish and memorable atmosphere that reflects FTV’s fashion-forward identity.
The project required a complete audio system design capable of serving multiple hospitality functions throughout the venue. The venue’s owner, a seasoned international traveler with extensive exposure to premium hospitality experiences worldwide, had high standards for the audio system. One of the primary challenges was achieving consistent coverage and tonal balance throughout the space while maintaining the ability to deliver high output when needed.
After evaluating multiple manufacturers and conducting extensive listening tests, the venue ultimately selected a solution built around Optimal Audio loudspeakers powered by LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers.
“The goal was to provide even, high-quality sound that could get loud without distortion while maintaining tonal balance throughout the venue,” said Sparsh Basak, Owner of Astys Audio Video Pvt. Ltd. “LEA amplifiers stood out because of their power density, built-in DSP, loudspeaker presets, flexible control options, and overall sound quality and reliability.”
Astys’s team installed several Dante-enabled Connect Series 704D and Connect Series 1504D amplifiers to power the nightclub. The CS704D is a 4-channel amplifier with 700 watts per channel, and the 4-channel CS1504D provides 1500 watts per channel. All amplifiers in the Connect Series are professional-grade, IoT-enabled smart amplifiers suitable for installations of any size. They support both Hi-Z (70V or 100V) and Lo-Z, selectable by channel, eliminating the need for separate amplifiers to handle different speaker impedances, while streamlining installations and reducing equipment costs. The Connect Series also includes 96kHz DSP as a standard feature, providing a range of benefits that greatly enhance audio performance and system versatility.
A Connect Series Touch PoE-powered wall controller was also installed to provide a tactile controller for the system. The wall-mounted, touch-enabled control panel is designed for simple and intuitive control of LEA amplifiers, including source selection and volume adjustments by individual zone.
Astys’s team utilized LEA’s free SharkWare software to configure a base profile and push it out to all the pre-staged LEA amplifiers. SharkWare includes amplifier grouping, offline design, granular user access control levels, locked speaker tunings, and a graphical EQ. SharkWare also allows users to monitor the status of every amplifier connected to the network, as well as the status and performance of individual channels. In addition, the software allows users to view and adjust channel settings, including input settings, signal generator, crossover, equalizer, limiter, and load monitoring, for all LEA Professional Connect Series amplifiers.
The Connect Series delivers an industry-first professional amplifier family featuring cloud connectivity, a revolutionary advancement, and a significant benefit for anyone maintaining the systems. With LEA Cloud, AV integrators like Astys can remotely control and monitor amplifiers from anywhere, at any time, and with no subscription model or hidden costs. It’s completely free to use.
Today, the audio system at F Lounge delivers the premium experience envisioned by management, providing clear, balanced sound throughout the venue while maintaining the flexibility to support everything from relaxed dining periods to high-energy entertainment events.
“We would definitely consider LEA in future installations,” said Basak. “The performance of the products, combined with the support from Generation AV India, made this a very successful project.”
