We’ve been doing fixed installations for years, though on this job “fixed” was relative. The well-known River Cruise Rotterdam was looking for someone to renew the sound system on its tour boat. A boat and sound? We’ve got experience with that. So after a good conversation during our visit on board, we got straight to work on a technical plan. What mattered most to the client was clear speech, both below deck and on deck, in wind and rain.
We took on that challenge with 2 AUDAC HS121 100 V horn speakers outside and AUDAC Cira7 ceiling speakers below deck. They’re driven by an AUDAC COM104 100 V amplifier and an AUDAC CAP224 2-channel 100 V amplifier. At the heart of the system sits the AUDAC PRE126 2-zone mixer with an AUDAC BAE100 Bluetooth extender kit. Because there’s a lot of moisture on a boat, we used Procab professional speaker cabling.
The captain’s request
The captain had a request of his own: could we supply 2 wireless microphones that he could use anywhere on board, clearly and without interference? We picked the latest Sennheiser EW-D digital wireless microphones with 835 capsules. The boat is mostly metal, and that can cause dropouts when you move between rooms with only 2 antennas. To keep everything interference-free, we placed antennas at several points on board. So if you take a cruise on the River Cruise Rotterdam soon, enjoy our beautiful city, the hum of the engines and the lapping of the waves, and sit back while the captain tells his stories.
Frequently asked questions
Can you install a sound system on a boat?
Yes. On the River Cruise Rotterdam we installed AUDAC speakers on deck and below deck, with Procab speaker cabling that copes with the moisture on board.
Which speakers work outdoors on a boat deck?
On this boat we used 2 AUDAC HS121 100 V horn speakers on deck. Horn speakers carry speech well over distance, which helps when wind and engine noise compete with the voice.
Why do wireless microphones drop out on a metal boat?
Metal blocks and reflects radio signals, so 2 antennas often can’t cover every room. We placed antennas at several points on board, so the captain’s microphones work without interference everywhere.
What is a 100 V speaker system?
A 100 V system lets one amplifier drive many speakers over long cable runs, which is why you find it on ships and in restaurants and shops. On the River Cruise Rotterdam we used AUDAC 100 V amplifiers.