How to Dip Into Better Sound
By Rafi Mercer
There’s a particular kind of moment that stays with you. The lights are low, the room is warm, and a song you’ve heard a hundred times suddenly feels… new. Not remixed, not re-recorded — just revealed. You hear the soft intake of breath before the vocal. The grain in a guitar string. The way the bass doesn’t just thump, but seems to roll through you, as if it’s using your ribs as part of the instrument.
That’s what happens when a space is built for listening.
It’s rare — not because the music isn’t out there, but because so few places treat sound with the care it deserves. In most venues, music is decoration, a background layer. In the right venue, it’s the atmosphere, the architecture, the reason you linger over one more drink.
Why It Matters
Great sound changes everything. The right track on the right system can turn a Tuesday night into something worth remembering. You talk softer. You notice more. You stay longer.
And here’s the thing: you don’t need to be a card-carrying audiophile to want that. You just have to value the idea that if you’re going out, it should be worth going out.
Finding It Can Be Hard
Every city is full of places promising music. But finding the ones where the sound is intentional — where someone has thought about the way the speakers work with the room, where the programming is curated, where the night is designed to be heard — that takes some digging.
Which is exactly why Tracks & Tales exists.
Your Shortcut: The Tracks & Tales Star System
The Tracks & Tales star system is simple, recognisable, and universal. It’s not about drinks or décor, and it’s not swayed by hype. It measures one thing: how committed a venue is to delivering a better listening experience.
- ★ One Star — A venue that respects listening. Sound is part of the experience, not an afterthought.
- ★★ Two Stars — A venue built for music. System, sound, and curation align with intent. A place worth going out of your way for.
- ★★★ Three Stars — A destination for true listeners. World-class acoustics, programming, and energy. A cultural experience all its own — worth the trip.
When you see those stars, you know it’s been visited, heard, and assessed by people who care — people who notice the little things and understand how they add up to the night you remember.
How to Start Listening Better
The beauty of dipping into better sound is that you don’t need to overhaul your life. You just start paying attention.
- Pick one venue on the Tracks & Tales map with ★★ or ★★★ and go there this month.
- Make a moment for one track — stop the conversation, close your eyes, let it wash over you.
- Ask about the system — bartenders, selectors, owners; they’ll almost always share what makes their set-up special.
- Mix up your star levels — a one-star might surprise you with intimacy, a three-star might floor you with its precision.
It’s not about chasing status. It’s about finding the right sound for the right night.
The Payoff
Once you’ve had that first real “listening” night, you’ll start hearing the world differently. You’ll notice when music is muddy, when the bass overwhelms, when the highs are brittle — and when it’s all just right.
Better sound doesn’t shout. It doesn’t demand. It invites. And once you’ve accepted the invitation, you’ll start to curate your nights with the same care a DJ uses to build a set.
That’s why Tracks & Tales exists: to help you find those invitations, wherever you are, and to make sure that when you take the time to go out, it’s time well heard.
Rafi Mercer writes about the spaces where music matters. For more stories from the Tracks & Tales, subscribe, or click here to read more.
