Archives: Case Studies

Rancho Santa Fe Residence

Post date May 12, 2022

ABOUT THE HOME

A stunning, airy estate tucked into the gentle hills just inland of San Diego, California, this Rancho Santa Fe home maximizes the use of natural light and open space for a grand feeling of elegance.
“When we walked into this home to see it after completion, I noticed something felt really magical. Beautiful natural light flows throughout, the artfully designed open concept invites you in, and exquisitely even, balanced music playing from completely invisible speakers puts you perfectly at ease.”
ADAM BOEHRER, SONANCE MARKETING TEAM

THE CHALLENGE

With elegance and simplicity of the utmost importance, creating a system for this stunning home had to include the most design-conscious solutions. The homeowner, a well known interior design professional, wanted to enjoy the comforts and luxuries that technology brings to a home without the distraction of bulky hardware and equipment. This exquisite home design prioritized natural light and beautiful, yet subtle stone accent walls. To make her dream home a reality, the homeowner enlisted the support of builder Herbst Construction, and technology experts, Modern Home Systems. Having worked with both teams of experts before, the homeowner knew her project would be in great hands.

REQUIREMENTS

The ultimate goal for this design-forward home was to incorporate technology that is designed to disappear throughout. The minimalist
aesthetic along with the open floor plan made lighting and speakers with no sight lines a must. The whole system needed to be easy to use and the music comfortable to listen to.

METHODOLOGY

Modern Home Systems utilized a collection of technologies to promote simplicity and elegance throughout the home. As an audio solution, Sonance Invisible Series speakers were installed. These speakers boast no compromise in audio quality or design, outperforming most traditional in-ceiling and in-wall speakers without the distraction of speaker grilles. Lutron Palladiom Keypads provided an easy to use, all-in-one system with a beautiful flush aesthetic thanks to Sonance’s TRUFIG mounting technology.

BEYOND EXPECTATION

“This is a house that feels like a home. Each room is unique, but they each intentionally flow together. The attention to detail in construction is obvious. The minimalism speaks for itself.”
OTTO BENSON CEO
MODERN HOME SYSTEMS

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT

Sonance Invisible Series speakers and subwoofers are perfectly suited to deliver astonishing audio that magically emanates from everywhere without a visible trace. They feature Sonance Motion Flex Technology to deliver crisp detail at an impressively wide dispersion for distributed music applications and surround sound. When design is the first priority and audio simply cannot be compromised, Sonance Invisible Series is the only solution.

RESULTS

This stunning, light-filled, San Diego escape was designed for clean sight lines and minimal visual intrusion from technology. Modern Home Systems made that dream a reality from top to bottom. Sonance Invisible Series speakers now fill the entire house with beautifully even, balance audio coverage and no grilles in sight. Lutron Palladiom Keypads fit neatly into the wall and create a simple, easy to use system that doesn’t distract the eye. Despite being in a global pandemic, the builder, Herbst Construction handled the project with no delays from start to finish.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHT

The MAW Gallery

Post date May 9, 2022

mero concepts is a boutique residential and commercial A/V integration firm based in Cedar Park, a suburb of Austin, TX. As Founder/CEO Marc Oliveri explained, mero concepts has earned a reputation for carefully considering every detail on behalf of each client, from using the finest products to installation and maintenance procedures leading to best possible outcomes for their clients. This was the case when addressing the needs of The MAW Gallery, a newly constructed space dedicated to the presentation of select fine arts in Austin, TX.

TREPIDATIONS

“The first thing I can recall the owner saying to me was that she wanted no audio at all in the gallery, for fear that the speakers would visually distract viewers’ attention,”
Oliveri

Initially, the project included data systems, security and cameras—but no audio. After looking at the plans, Oliveri thoughtfully offered some options for a discreet audio solution based upon the customization capabilities of James Loudspeaker. “We have worked with the team at James Loudspeaker for years serving our client’s homes, and their ability to accommodate the needs of each project with custom solutions really gives us an edge in the marketplace.” The gallery owner agreed to the A/V system based on the stipulation that “it had to blend in.”

OPTIMIZED POWER

Oliveri and his talented crew deployed a Control4 solution for the user interface and as an entertainment source in the gallery, and featured their music streamer along with an Apple TV—routing video content to a single Sony 77-inch OLED display, used mostly for classes and Q&A sessions with world-renowned artists as well as content from the Art Legacy Live app. Power to the eight pairs of speakers comes from an AudioControl Director® Model M6800 16-channel amplifier, delivering 200 watts per channel (into 4-ohm speakers as used here) from a sleek, 2U chassis. “We selected the AudioControl amplifier because it has superior power and performance, it has available drivers for Control4 interface and because of the M6800’s onboard DSP that contains profiles for many architectural speaker brands including James Loudspeaker. This saved us considerable time dialing in each zone to sound optimal.”

DEFINING CUSTOMIZATION

Oliveri came up with a strategy for concealing the source of the sound throughout the gallery, suspending James Loudspeaker PD620.4 6.5-inch two-way pendant speakers from the ceiling. But his clever strategy also included custom conduit containing the speaker wire and suspending each pendant—which the team at James Loudspeaker manufactured for him to specification. Oliveri then Equipment rack featuring AudioControl Director Model M6800 amplifier James Loudspeaker PD620.4 pendant speaker acquired paint from the same source that had supplied the gallery’s painters and shipped it to the James Loudspeaker factory, where the speakers and sections of conduit were meticulously finished for a perfect décor match. So impressed was the gallery owner with the custom paint work, the team at mero concepts proceeded to disassemble all of the alarm and camera parts as well as the Wi-Fi access point covers, shipping a container full of small bits to also be custom painted. “We were already quite impressed with the products and services offered by James Loudspeaker, but to custom paint our array of miscellaneous parts from other manufacturers really speaks to how dedicated this company is to their dealers,” Oliveri stated.

SPEAKER SPECIFICS

The gallery audio system featured 12 of the James Loudspeaker PD620.4 speakers plus a pair of custom painted FXCQ620S in-ceiling speakers in the reception area and each restroom. The PD620.4 was engineered for a wide variety of applications including high open-ceiling environments such as The MAW Gallery. Featuring a 6.5-inch aluminum cone woofer and a 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter, the PD620.4 has excellent efficiency, dispersion, durability and power handling. For the reception area and restrooms, the FXCQ620S in-ceiling

Loudspeakers were selected, delivering superb sound from a 6.5-inch aluminum cone woofer with a Santoprene® surround mated to the legendary James Loudspeaker Quad-Tweeter Array, featuring four aluminum ¾-inch aluminum dome tweeters angled precisely in a 22.5° offset array for wide dispersion, high power handling and low distortion. The materials used in these speakers make them ideally suited to high-humidity areas such as these gallery restrooms. The enclosures of both the PD620.4 and the FXCQ620S are constructed from aircraft-grade aluminum.

When all was said and done, the client was thrilled with the outcome. The staff as well as visitors to the gallery all enjoy the visually discreet technology throughout the facility. “All of us at mero concepts have a high level of respect for the quality of engineering, manufacturing and overall service we consistently receive from James Loudspeaker—but their nearly limitless customization capability is what truly sets them apart from all other audio suppliers and enables us to deliver the best entertainment systems tailored for each client.”

The Point DC

Post date April 24, 2022

The Point DC

SONANCE
April 24, 2022
Case Studies

ABOUT THE POINT DC

Stationed at the tip of Buzzard Point in Washington D.C., where the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers meet, The Point D.C. waterfront restaurant occupies the building of the former U.S. Coast Guard headquarters and former FBI Headquarters.

REQUIREMENTS

Best-in-class fidelity and performance for 70V/100V applications that disappears into the design of each zone
Find an audio solution with common voicing and even, balanced coverage to connect with people in each zone for world class ambiance anywhere on the property
Weatherproof rated audio solution that can withstand the elements on the outdoor patio
Simple and easy to use system for the staff to use with ease
Audio system that is capable of adjusting to provide ambient music or more powerful sound for larger private events

THE CHALLENGE

With a reputation for amazing cuisine and world-class ambiance, the D.C. based hospitality group Fish & Fire Food Group knew that they wanted to create a space that would not only be aesthetically pleasing and draw customers in, but also incorporated the highest quality, yet easy to use, audio system that would set them apart from other local restaurants.

With numerous zones throughout the 12,500 square foot property, including 22-foot ceilings with exposed ductwork in the main dining room, a private dining room, and an outdoor patio area, the challenge was to deliver best-in-class sound, while ensuring volume levels were comfortable to listen to in any location.

The space was also purposefully built with future opportunities in mind that could easily transform from restaurant to event space, depending on the needs of the customer. These needs would range from the ability to achieve clear, beautiful sound for day-to-day operations, or more powerful bass for private events.

With a very broad vision, and a desire for high-quality audio to elevate the distinct spaces throughout the property, the team at Fish & Fire Food Group reached out to Hill Residential dealer, One Source Systems, for their unique, creative, and technical capabilities and for their ability to bring world-class technology into the space to bring their vision to life.

METHODOLOGY

Professional audio integration is more than merely filling a space with sound. It’s a tangible design element and a critical part of the space’s environment that is meant to create a mood and elevate the senses without distracting from the designer’s vision and aesthetic goals. For over 30 years, the architectural speaker pioneers at Sonance have continually explored and refined the fine art of musical fidelity within a designed space, with their series of award-winning speakers.

“I know the team at the Fish & Fire Food Group understands how audio enhances the experience more than most restaurateurs, so we wanted to make sure that whatever we installed was something that would complement the space and totally enhance the customer experience. When we have a client like the team at Fish & Fire Food Group that has demanding requirements for sound and aesthetics, it’s a no brainer for us to go with Sonance. Sonance has the best 70V speakers that I have ever heard.”

– Randy Baker, Co-Founder

One Source Systems

BEYOND EXPECTATION

“We did not want hold back on any of the bells and whistles because we know what a profound impact they can have on a space, which is why we required a state-of-the-art audio system. One Source Systems knew that to meet my expectations, we needed a well-balanced, clear, and easy-to-use audio system in our very complicated and diverse environment that had lots of challenging zones. I told One Source Systems to only use the best of the best because I did not want any subpar equipment in our restaurant and that is why together we picked Sonance and James Loudspeaker audio solutions. Sonance and James Loudspeaker provided a technically sophisticated system to achieve the right sounds in different areas and I have a feeling that those details will help increase business. People may not realize it, but oftentimes the memory of an occasion is tied not only to the food you ate, but the song you listened to or what was playing during that moment. Those little details paired with the waterfront views makes this an occasion-based destination and is what keeps people coming back.” – Gregory Casten, Founder The Point D.C.

RESULTS

The team at One Source Systems wanted to ensure that they integrated consistent, even balanced audio throughout the entire restaurant that was not only comfortable to listen to, but also easy to manage. They turned to Sonance for their highly acclaimed audio solutions.

In the main dining room, Sonance 8” Pendant Speakers were used not only for their best-in-class fidelity and uncompromised sonic performance in 70V/100V, but also for their minimalist design to blend discretely into the environment.

In the private dining room, two pairs of James Loudspeaker Small Aperture® Series speakers were installed and paired with a James Loudspeaker PowerPipe Subwoofer to fill the space with rich, detailed bass frequencies without interfering with the décor and to ensure that top notch technology would enhance this room for private events.

Throughout the waterfront outdoor patio area, over 25 Sonance Mariner 86 Speakers were utilized to not only attract clientele passing by on the surrounding marina, but for their reliability in withstanding the outdoor elements.

The placement of speakers throughout the property provides a consistent and comfortable listening experience to not only set the ambiance, but to also help make each visit nothing short of magical.

PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

Sonance Professional Series Pendant Speakers

James Loudspeaker Small Aperture Speakers

CONCERT & TOURING

Post date April 24, 2022

CASE STUDY:

Concert & Touring:

Best Sound Systems

OUR MISSION

UNITE YOUR AUDIENCE

Martin Audio delivers signature sound with class leading coverage, consistency and control to truly connect the artist and audience for unforgettable concerts.

The level from the front to the rear of the seating area changes considerably less than with a traditional speaker system, and the tonal quality is significantly more uniform. Knowing that people in the cheap seats are getting the whole mix is so great!

Ken Newman, FOH Engineer

Renowned Sound Systems

Martin Audio was founded to manufacture live performance loudspeakers for the supergroups of the 1970s, allowing such bands as Pink Floyd, The Who and Supertramp to play to larger audiences and be heard properly for the first time.

Since then, Martin Audio has earned a reputation for supplying superb sound systems across the spectrum of sound reinforcement and for a wealth of tours and concerts. Renowned for integrity in design, technical excellence and longevity of its products, Martin Audio offers a comprehensive range of touring speakers suitable for every type of venue, performance and application, with a focus on full frequency sound, control, coverage and consistency.

Event professionals, audio engineers, and touring artists count on Martin Audio for reliability and sound quality show after show.

Yes, I could use another PA system, but I stake my reputation on it never sounding as awesome as this show does with Martin Audio. This system enables you to achieve things that no other system offers.

Simon Honywill, FOH Sound Engineer

Unite Your Audience

Our philosophy of “Unite Your Audience” isn’t just a motto, it’s the guiding principle behind everything we do. Our systems bring our signature sound of clarity and impact with the coverage and consistency that truly connects the fans with the artist’s performance in every seat of the venue.

Class Leading Control, Coverage and Consistency

Since the mid-2000’s Martin Audio has been an innovator in the arena of line array optimisation – the ability to manipulate sound for improved control, coverage and consistency for the benefit of the user and the audience.

Today, our acoustical simulation software provides both highly accurate sound system prediction with the ability optimise the sound against target goals set by the user and the dynamics of the venue. The user specifies exactly what SPL and frequency response is required at various points throughout the venue and intelligent software automatically determines the array configuration and controls the array to produce that result. With such control, both non-audience areas and Hard Avoid® areas ─ such as on stage and beyond the venue perimeter ─ can be programmed in, and vertical coverage can be fine-tuned electronically.

This ensures for the artist, sound engineer, and touring team the confidence that the very best sound deployment possible in any given venue and conditions is achieved.

It is the only system I would consider for this kind of event. In addition to the extremely accurately defined coverage, the Hard Avoid® feature on stage and the incredible cardioid subs meant that we could really meet audience expectations while maintaining the stage quiet and clean.

Phil Wright, FOH Sound Engineer

Not Just For Rock ‘N Roll

Stand-up comedy has a long association with Martin Audio and over the years, along with our rental partners, we’ve helped support artists of the calibre of Lee Evans, Michael McIntyre and Kevin Hart.

High vocal intelligibility and consistency of coverage are paramount in comedy gigs, because if you miss one word the joke’s not funny. Arguably, it’s more important to have even coverage and intelligibility for a comedian than any rock concert you’re ever going to do, because at a rock concert everyone knows the chorus, but in a comedy gig no-one knows what’s coming next.

Martin Audio’s fastidious focus upon mid and high band clarity and projection is legendary and with our optimisation technology even coverage from front to back is an amazing quality to have for speech only shows.

The real challenge with stand-up is that we have to spend more time trying to avoid unwanted reflections whereas music shows can be more forgiving. Fortunately, we can comfortably deal with issues like slapback using the Hard Avoid feature in the software.

Toby Donovan, System Tech

Everyone we have had contact with at Martin Audio has been a pleasure to do business with. They seem genuinely interested in our situation and eager to help and I feel we can develop real one on one relationships. We could not be happier with Martin Audio as a business partner.

Steve Payne, Owner, Soundworks of Virginia, USA

I love this system! It’s great to be back on the Martin Audio gear. It’s a very detailed box and matches the subs perfectly.

Trevor Gilligan, FOH Sound Engineer

Stadium Loudspeaker Sound Systems

Post date April 11, 2022

CASE STUDY:

Stadium

Best Loudspeaker Sound Systems

OUR MISSION
UNITE YOUR AUDIENCE

Martin Audio delivers rich, clear sound that envelops the audience helping to ensure that the next generation are inspired.

The client’s reaction has been very positive in terms of the tremendous improvement in overall sound quality.

TSI on GCS Ballpark, home of the Gateway Grizzlies

Signature Sound, Class Leading Coverage and Performance

Since 1971, Martin Audio has been designing and manufacturing from its British headquarters high performance professional loudspeaker and electronics systems for both touring and permanent installation.

We have an extensive record of successful and award winning installations within a variety of worldwide educational spaces including halls, auditoria, theatre, hospitality as well as commencement and graduation events.

Martin Audio’s wide portfolio of loudspeaker solutions meet the variety of needs and challenges that education facilities face, while helping to guarantee a consistency of sound dynamics between different loudspeakers, as well as working within different project budget scenarios.

Critically, Martin Audio systems incorporate award winning patented technology to deliver superior coverage and consistency for the audience and articulate both speech and musical genres flawlessly to truly connect to their audience.

Portfolio Recommendations

EDUCATION: SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY SOUND SYSTEMS

Post date March 22, 2022

CASE STUDY:

Education:

School & University

Best Sound Systems

OUR MISSION
UNITE YOUR AUDIENCE

Martin Audio delivers rich, clear sound that envelops the audience helping to ensure that the next generation are inspired.

The aging and unreliable analogue solution was transformed into a world-class, modern, digital solution befitting of the cultural significance of the Great Hall to the University and local community.

Peter Coman, InDesign Technologies

Signature Sound, Class Leading Coverage and Performance

Portfolio Recommendations

Tahoe Residence

Post date March 14, 2022

Tahoe Residence

March 14, 2022
Case Studies

ABOUT THE HOME

This minimalistic mountain escape ties in elements of a cozy cabin with the luxurious amenities of a modern home. Careful details are discreetly and purposefully placed throughout the space to enhance the luxury experience.

“The overall design of this house is incredible. There are so many fine details and steps taken to give you a comfortable feeling when you are there and to make it more about the setting and less about the house itself.”

– Igor Reoutt, Custom Integrator