Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego Upgrades Sound

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego sought to enhance its outdoor dining and patio experience but faced two key audio challenges. Existing speakers in the outdoor dining area had malfunctioned, leaving patrons without background music or event sound. 

Furthermore, the lower patio lacked audio coverage, creating an inconsistent and incomplete audio experience for visitors moving between indoor and outdoor spaces. This absence of sound reinforcement detracted from the overall ambiance and limited the museum’s ability to create a unified atmosphere.

The museum faced two key challenges:

• Existing outdoor speakers in the dining area had malfunctioned and were no longer operational.
• The lower patio lacked audio coverage.
  • As a result, the audio experience between indoor and outdoor spaces was inconsistent.

Shultz Audio Video designed and implemented a seamless, weather-resistant audio solution to address these issues. Our team ingeniously retrofitted ElectroVoice weatherproof cabinet speakers into existing planter boxes, a solution that preserved the museum’s aesthetic while providing high-quality sound.

Recognizing the challenges posed by the coastal environment, we also designed and installed a weatherproof enclosure to house the necessary amplifiers, ensuring reliable performance despite the proximity to the ocean.

Finally, we integrated the new planter speakers with the kitchen area’s existing audio system, creating a consistent and congruent sound experience throughout the museum’s indoor and outdoor spaces.

Weather-resistant Audio Solution:

• Planter Speaker Retrofit: Electro-Voice weatherproof cabinet speakers were retrofitted into existing planter boxes. This approach preserved the museum’s aesthetic while providing high-quality sound.
• Weatherproof Amplifier Installation: Given the proximity to the ocean, installing amplifiers outdoors requires special consideration. Shultz AV designed and installed a weatherproof enclosure to protect the amplifiers from the elements, ensuring reliable performance.
• Integrated Audio System: The planter speakers were integrated with the kitchen area’s audio system, creating a consistent and congruent sound experience throughout the museum’s indoor and outdoor spaces. This unified the audio atmosphere for visitors.

• Electro-Voice Weatherproof Cabinet Speakers:
  • These speakers have superior sound quality and can withstand the harsh outdoor environment, including salt air, humidity, and temperature fluctuations.
  • Their compact design allowed discreet integration into the planter boxes, minimizing visual impact while maximizing audio performance.
• Weatherproof Amplifier Enclosure:
  • This custom-designed and fabricated enclosure was crucial for protecting the amplifiers from the elements. Constructed from durable materials, it ensured long-term reliability and performance in the challenging coastal environment.
  • The enclosure blended seamlessly with the surrounding landscape, maintaining the museum’s aesthetic.
• Amplifiers:
  • High-performance amplifiers. for their power efficiency, ability to deliver clear audio over a wide area, and resistance to environmental factors. These amplifiers provide the power to drive the Electro-Voice speakers while maintaining audio fidelity.

This project demonstrates Shultz AV’s expertise in designing and implementing robust, aesthetically pleasing outdoor audio solutions, even in demanding environments. We’re proud to have helped the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego elevate its visitor experience with the power of sound.