An L-Acoustics system has been installed across the exterior decks of a 177-foot, 776-gross-ton superyacht, designed to deliver consistent sound quality across multiple zones in a marine environment.
The part of the boat known as the Sun Deck received two Soka inWall units, six X4r enclosures and two SB10r subwoofers. Meanwhile, the Owner’s Deck was fitted with two X6i, two X4r and one SB10i sub, while the Main Deck has two Soka inWall units, two X4r and one ceiling-mounted SB10r.
In the boat garage at the lower stern, a pair of X8i loudspeakers and a surface-mounted SB10i were installed on the underside of the overhead garage door, positioning the system to support water activities when the door is raised.
A deployable DJ system – comprising two Syva mains, two Syva Low units, a KS21 sub and an X8 monitor – can be routed to any deck via patch panels offering left-right sub DJ-fill outputs, a multi-pin input for DJ equipment and a port for an Allen & Heath digital stage box.
The first phase of the project was carried out by Montana-based integrator Montana Pro Audio.
Aaron Fisher, director of business development at Montana Pro Audio, said the brief called for discreet, professional-level products throughout the vessel.
He said: “In terms of AV, the goal was to outfit the vessel with discreet, professional-level products that provide a nightclub-level audio experience throughout the boat. The DJ can easily patch their system to any patch panel located on the decks, or in the boat garage. The music can then be routed to all audio locations throughout the vessel.”
Fisher added: “L-Acoustics components are engineered for environmental resilience, ensuring they are ready for the deck out of the box. We were able to meet the project’s timeline because these enclosures are built to handle humidity, salt air and spray as standard manufacturing design.”
He also pointed to the system’s adjustable frequency-bandwidth presets as useful for the yacht’s more intimate interior-facing spaces. “L-Acoustics offering presets that give us more frequency bandwidth that can be traded off in terms of SPL is an excellent feature,” Fisher added. “It’s a good acknowledgment that the max-capable SPL of the product isn’t necessary in intimate spaces like these. In areas where we don’t need max SPL, we can lose a few decibels without losing any of the impact and focus on frequency enhancement for the unique attributes of the space.”
Fisher said close coordination with the yacht’s own crew, who hold detailed knowledge of the vessel’s structure, was essential to the installation. “They know every inch of the vessel’s construction,” he added. “They were able to guide us and provide quality solutions for cable runs, penetrations, and inform us of any structural limits.”
Phase two of the installation, scheduled for 2027, will extend the system into the yacht’s interior, including the Main Salon, Dining Room, Media Room, Owner’s Suite, gym and wheelhouse, along with a deployable system for the bow.
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