Chicago, IL (October 15, 2020)—Void Acoustics is typically associated with club sound systems, but the owner of a new 56-foot luxury yacht wanted to bring the club with him. The 20-person capacity craft is now a proverbial VIP room on water, outfitted with a sizable Void system thanks to Chicago-based design/installation firm Pineapple Audio
The boat’s owner, preferring to stay anonymous, recalled, “I had another, smaller boat, but I was investing in a new yacht, and a main driver behind this was wanting a larger sound system. I wanted people to hear us coming! I met Matt [Edgar, CEO/president of Pineapple Audio] at another boating event where there was a Void system being used, we hit it off straight away, and as we got chatting, I knew I wanted him and his team to work on the project with me.”
Pineapple Audio may be a new name in the region, but it’s an older company, having recently rebranded from AIS Audio Integration Services—the first dealer and distributor of Void Acoustics products in the United States.
Said Pineapple’s Edgar, “We pride our business on our installations not only improving a space, but also helping to define it, and this was pretty much what our client was looking for. He told us he wanted a club sound system, one that would be the best audio system in Chicago Harbor.”
Edgar and colleague Javier Briseno collectively took on the role of consultant, specifier and installer. “It was important that our client trusted us and that we developed a relationship where we were able to fully understand his goals,” said Edgar. “We approached this as a residential installation. In many ways, it was, as it was for a private client for his privately owned property—which simply happens to be a floating gin palace for him to party on with his friends and family!”
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The team opted for a combination of Air Vantage loudspeakers combined with the Cyclone Bass low frequency enclosure for the front deck of the boat, augmented with the IP55 rated Cyclone 10 loudspeakers at rear. The main deck then utilised triangular three-way Tri Motions with a dual 18” Stasys 218 subwoofer.
“We had to work out how to mount the speakers with custom hardware, all of which are on the outside deck of the boat and therefore exposed to the elements,” Edgar recalled. “Each speaker needed to have custom mounts built for it due to the unique mounting locations on the boat’s surface. The client had a professional welding team that met with us to design a 5:1 weight ratio mounting solution for each speaker to withstand the force of the waves and the ocean currents. So, whilst creating a visually and audibly interesting installation, we also had to create customized solutions for the speakers to ensure their longevity over time in a sea-worthy environment.”
“We consulted with the client every step of the way to ensure he was integral to the decision-making process, ensuring he understood why we had specified the products we did,” said Edgar. “It has ended up being a completely feel-good installation and a challenge which we have thoroughly enjoyed working on. We can’t wait to get our boat shoes back on again for another similar installation.”
Void Acoustics • www.voidacoustics.com
Pineapple Audio • pineappleaudio.com
