Listening Bars Around the World

[EERecordist]

Not everyone has a big or exotic system at home. So there is the listening bar phenomenon. They are social. There are 2 near me. Those also host live shows, one more classical, and the other more electronic.

From my understanding they emerged in Japan in the 1950s. Japanese apartments are small. So communal places for listening are logical.

Post your photos of listening bars!

Here are some guides to them.

A Guide to Japanese Listening Bars

Japanese listening bars aka music bars are evolving and gradually spreading across the world. Vinyl records and soft jazz to rock & more

www.tokyoweekender.com

ISC’s Guide to Audiophile Listening Bars Around the World | In Sheeps Clothing

A look into some of our favorite audiophile bars around the globe, old and new, from Hong Kong to Miami. In recent years, hi-fi and listening bars have caught on outside its Tokyo origins with what feels like a new audiophile driven cafe or bar opening daily. Taking inspiration from Japan’s...

insheepsclothinghifi.com

A guide to the best listening bars around the globe. - The DJ Mixtape

Listening bars or audiophile bars as they're sometimes referred to, are live environments where the audio experience takes centre stage. The best listening bars focus a great deal of attention on the sound system, which is often bespoke and designed for that specific space. The interior design...

thedjmixtape.com

Here is Quatro Labo in the Shibuya Parco, Tokyo, Japan クアトロラボ so it can be searched in Japanese
5000 records

 

[MattHooper]

Wow. Love it.

For some reason the big horn speakers, and mid-century style big speakers seem to suit the vibe of these listening bars.

It’s hard to imagine the same vibe Working as well with, I don’t know some Revel floor standers or modern day Genelec.

I suppose something fascinating looking like the big MBL speakers might be a modern alternative (and possibly the Omni characteristics being a bonus)

 

[Doodski]

Wow. Love it.

For some reason the big horn speakers, and mid-century style big speakers seem to suit the vibe of these listening bars.

It’s hard to imagine the same vibe Working as well with, I don’t know some Revel floor standers or modern day Genelec.

I suppose something fascinating looking like the big MBL speakers might be a modern alternative (and possibly the Omni characteristics being a bonus)

I am of the train of thought that they are exploiting large woofers and cabinets in order to fill the venue with one pair of speakers. It seems some have even gone to the extreme of refurbishing large old JBL speaker pairs. All of the listening cafes or lounges that I have seen are intimate and small so one big pair of speakers make sense in order to attract people.

 

[EERecordist]

Of course the algorithm has served me a Facebook group on the topic. "Audio museums, Audio cafes & Audio attractions" https://www.facebook.com/groups/audeum

 

[thewas]

See also:

"The 10 best audiophile bars around the world"

This one popped up in my Google News trends: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-10-best-audiophile-bars-around-the-world/

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[Elkerton]

I have been to one in Bepu on Kyushu, Japan, which has a JBL Paragon I wanted to hear. It was bettered by large Tanoys with super tweeters. I am going again next month, hopefully to Bird/56 in Osaka and The Lion in Tokyo where classical music is played.

The kissaten, literally tea drinking shop, came about in the 1920s because recordings were so expensive. The following video describes them and the LP industry in Japan:

Vinyl Records - Japanology Plus | NHK WORLD-JAPAN

*First broadcast on June 30, 2022. In Japan, vinyl records have made a comeback. Sales in 2021 were ten times higher than they were in 2010. Japan's second-hand records are well-regarded all over the world because they're generally kept in great condition. Our guest, Honne Makoto, works for a...

www3.nhk.or.jp