Beach Cafe Acoustics

The Challenge

Perched above the shoreline and loved by locals for its relaxed atmosphere, sea breeze and sunlit dining spaces, South Beach Cafe  in Mount Martha has long been a favourite for breakfast crowds, long lunches, family gatherings and weekend coffees. But like many beach venues with hard surfaces, high ceilings and panoramic windows, its popularity created a challenge that kept growing louder – literally. As the cafe increased in foot traffic, so did the noise and echo. Conversations bounced off tiled floors, glass walls, timber furniture, and the beautifully open coastal layout. Staff found themselves speaking loudly to take orders. Guests struggled to hear each other over the clatter of cutlery and the general hum of diners. The team reported that during peak times, the dining room became a loud cafe environment where the acoustics overwhelmed the experience. Customers often praised the food, views and ambience – but noise was the persistent comment in the background. The venue needed a solution that reduced echo, improved speech clarity and blended seamlessly into its coastal aesthetic. This is where SoundFix Acoustics stepped in.

The Solution

For South Beach Cafe, the goal wasn’t just noise reduction – it was delivering a smoother, calmer dining experience without interrupting the natural, breezy design the space is known for. SoundFix conducted a full acoustic assessment onsite. Using calibrated testing equipment, the team measured the cafe’s reverberation time (RT60), the key indicator of echo levels in a space.

Before installation, the reverberation time was measured at: RT60 Before Panels: 1.18 seconds

In hospitality acoustics, anything above 0.9 seconds becomes noticeably disruptive, creating difficulty for diners to converse comfortably. The team recommended an installation of high-performance ceiling acoustic panels, engineered specifically for hospitality environments. These panels:

Absorb mid-to-high frequency noise, the range where café chatter and clattering dishes sit

Harmonise with the restaurant’s beachy, modern interior

Provide long-term durability in a busy coastal venue

Deliver measurable echo reduction and a calmer sound environment

The aim: transform South Beach Cafe from loud to warmly welcoming—without changing the look or layout of the space.

The Installation

For busy cafes, downtime is costly. SoundFix worked with the venue to schedule installation outside of trading hours, ensuring the restaurant didn’t lose a minute of service.

The installation included:

Precisely positioned acoustic ceiling panels aligned with the architectural lines of the cafe

Coverage optimised to reduce reverberation across the busiest zones—main dining, ordering area, and window frontage

Clean, discreet finishing that complemented the cafe’s bright, coastal interior

Every panel was engineered with SoundFix’s signature sound-absorption technology, delivering powerful acoustic performance with a soft, minimalist look that blended effortlessly into the ceiling. The result: an upgrade you can hear immediately, but hardly see.

The Outcome:

In a busy beach cafe, great acoustics are not a luxury – they’re part of hospitality quality. Hard surfaces and  lots of patrons result in  loud spaces that feel chaotic, regardless of how beautiful the design is. South Beach Cafe’s success proves that acoustic treatment is one of the most impactful improvements a venue can make.

When diners feel relaxed, they stay longer, enjoy more and return more often.

The acoustic upgrade at South Beach Cafe, Mount Martha delivered an immediate and measurable improvement. Prior to installation, the café recorded a reverberation time (RT60) of 1.18 seconds, a level that creates the familiar problems of a loud cafe: raised voices, muddled conversations, and a sense of constant noise in the background. After SoundFix installed high-performance ceiling acoustic panels, the reverberation time dropped to just 0.59 seconds, achieving a 50% reduction in echo across the dining space. Across all key frequencies—from 500 Hz to 2K Hz, where human speech sits—the noise levels were cut nearly in half. This means the space now performs at an ideal level for hospitality environments, where comfort, connection, and conversation matter. The South Beach Cafe team described the result as “instantly noticeable”. Without altering the style, furniture, or architecture, the café now offers a dramatically improved dining experience, better supporting its coastal charm and high daily foot traffic.

Before-and-After Acoustic Results

Before installation: 1.18 seconds

After installation: 0.59 seconds

Overall reduction: 50%

If your venue struggles with noise—guests raising their voices, echo bouncing across the room, or reviews mentioning loudness—SoundFix Acoustics can help.

Let SoundFix Acoustics design a solution that aligns with your aesthetic and delivers measurable acoustic improvement.