Opium Dublin: Nightclub AV Installation Case Study

When Mercantile Group set out to create a standout venue in the heart of Dublin’s nightlife scene, they needed more than just a stylish space. They wanted atmosphere, clarity, and control, a fully integrated AV experience. Audiotek was brought in to deliver a nightclub AV installation in Opium Dublin that didn’t just meet expectations but raised the bar entirely.

Opium Dublin Project Challenges

Nightclubs are demanding environments for AV. High sound pressure levels, shifting lighting scenes, and content-hungry visuals all need to coexist without overwhelming the audience. For Opium Dublin, the challenge was threefold:

Deliver powerful audio without dead zones or hot spots.
Create visuals that cut through dynamic lighting without clashing.
Ensure the system was intuitive for in-house teams to operate across multiple spaces.

Add to that the need for reliability under high use and peak weekend crowds, and you’ve got a project that demands precision at every level.

Project Scope – AV Installation at Opium Dublin

Audiotek designed and installed a comprehensive sound, lighting, and video package. The brief covered:

Main club floor AV overhaul
Immersive visuals for multiple audience zones
Distributed audio and central control system

All delivered with brand-trusted tech that blends seamlessly into the venue’s aesthetic.

Design Approach to Nightclub AV Installation

From the outset, Audiotek knew this wasn’t about stacking tech specs, it was about designing an experience.

The team approached the system design with one guiding principle: the tech should disappear; the atmosphere should hit.

To do this, they split the project into three specialist areas:

Audio: Coverage, clarity, and impact.
Lighting: Responsive, immersive, but never overwhelming.
Video: Visual punch without stealing the show.

Crucially, all systems would be tied together by a QSC Q-SYS 110f processor, allowing total control from touchscreens and mobile devices across the venue.

Key Innovations

L-Acoustics ARCS & SB28 Subwoofers: Chosen for their precision and throw, the ARCS system ensures consistent sound energy across the dancefloor, with SB28 subs delivering tight, impactful bass.
QSC Q-SYS Integration: This allowed Audiotek to link the entire audio environment under one interface. Zoning, source selection, and level control are available at multiple points across the venue.
Chauvet C6 Video Walls: Three high-resolution video walls form the visual centrepiece. With high contrast ratios and tight pixel pitch, they deliver striking content no matter the lighting state.
Avolites Quartz Lighting Control: Chosen for its live performance flexibility, this console gives the lighting team real-time control over scene changes, colour palettes, and motion.

Opium Dublin AV Project Installation & Execution

Working closely with Mercantile Group, Audiotek delivered the project on a tight schedule, integrating systems without disrupting the venue’s operations.

The installation phase was a choreography of rigging, programming, and fine-tuning:

Speaker placement and delay tuning to ensure sonic consistency
Seamless routing of video signals to C6 panels
Custom lighting scenes mapped and triggered via Quartz
User-friendly touchscreen layouts for bar staff and management

The result? A system that looks impressive on spec sheets but feels effortless in use.

Commercial & Educational Insights

For venue operators, this project underscores a vital truth: AV design is only successful when it improves both guest experience and staff workflow.

Commercial Impact:

Reduced training overheads with intuitive control

More shareable moments thanks to high-impact visuals

Zoning audio reduces guest fatigue and increases dwell time

Educational Takeaways:

Integration is key. Sound, light, and video must work in harmony.

Operator usability matters just as much as end-user experience.

Venue-specific design trumps generic AV installs every time.

Conclusion – Nightclub AV Installation That Feels Like Part of the Crowd

The Opium Dublin AV upgrade shows what’s possible when form and function meet on the dancefloor. From immersive audio to dynamic lighting and vibrant video, every piece is engineered to amplify atmosphere without stealing focus.

For Mercantile Group, it wasn’t about being the loudest venue in town. It was about being the most memorable.