Audio Fidelity in High Dive HiFi Lounge Reflects Owner’s Mission to Create the Best-Sounding Listening Cafe Possible

Emeryville, Calif., August 25, 2026 — An integral part of Birmingham’s  Lakeview Marina District, the High Dive HiFi Lounge, features a world-class acoustic design. The emphasis on creating a space with exceptional audio fidelity stems from High Dive founder and music aficionado Bart Stephens’ appreciation for Japanese jazz “kissa” cafes, which are focused on immersive group listening and feature top-notch HiFi systems.

While kissa cafes started in Japan in the 90’s, their popularity stateside has grown significantly in the past several years. At the onset, Stephens wanted to develop a HiFi lounge that raised the bar on what was possible acoustically and sonically. This goal led him to multiple Grammy- and Emmy Award-winning producer and mixer Nathaniel Kunkel, of Studio Without Walls, who is a collaborator with Advanced Systems Group, LLC (ASG) and was Lead Systems Designer for this project. Kunkel became the principal audio designer of High Dive Lounge, working closely with ASG’s award-winning audio team. Jim Pace, President, Audio Intervisual Design and VP/Partner ASG led the overall initiative for ASG.

Reflecting on the result of ASG’s efforts, Kunkel said, “Of all the projects I have designed playback systems for I must admit I am most proud of the system at the High Dive HiFi Lounge. The systems perform at the highest level in so many respects. The imaging from room front to room rear, balance of reverb time to absorption, flexibility of format capability, system linearity, environmental comfort, and lastly, sheer power, make this a place to experience music with others that is truly unparalleled.”

With Kunkel and Acoustician Jeff Minnich of Valencia Technical Consulting, both long-time ASG collaborators, the team handled all the acoustical design, equipment selection, sale and delivery, plus stayed in consistent dialog with Stephens from the concept stages until completion. 

Like a recording studio, the architecture and interiors are designed to keep the room quiet and the music crystal clear. Music is played at the lounge all day and night with levels low enough for conversation. Nowhere in the space is acoustically challenged, and when it’s time for the full experience, “Even if you sit in the far back, it’s still going to thump,” said Pace. “There are eight, 12-inch subwoofers in the ceiling alone.”

The ASG audio team worked in close collaboration with Bruce Lanier and his team at ArchitectureWorks to ensure the mechanical and electrical design performed and looked as good as the owner wanted.

“The room is designed to feel comfortable, more like a living room than a recording studio,” explained Lanier. “There was an intentional effort to keep an emphasis on things like good daylighting, honest materials, and thoughtful details throughout the process—even as we were working to incorporate high performance audio systems and acoustical design.”

The selection of speakers was critical in achieving Stephen’s goal of having optimized sound. High Dive has 38 Harman JBL Pro speakers, including 13 subwoofers. “The ASG audio team knows Harman products, and from experience we can predict exceptional performance,” explained Pace. ”Also, the JBL-M2 master reference monitors continue to fill a performance threshold for rooms of this size. The BSS processing mates with these and the entire Harman network is Dante capable, as are the amplifiers. Speakers are in the ceilings, in the bathrooms.”

Of the audio set up, Chris Hansen, Director, Recording & Broadcast, Harman International, said: “By integrating JBL Professional studio monitors with BSS processing, Crown amplification, and a Dante network extending to outdoor and ancillary spaces, High Dive HiFi Lounge delivers reference‑level accuracy alongside the scale and impact required for live performance. It’s a system designed entirely around listening quality, without sacrificing operational flexibility.”