When owner Mark McLarry and his partners envisioned My Yard Live, they knew that creating a unique atmosphere, or in their case, atmospheres — would be essential to delivering a memorable experience for their guests.
Music is at the center of the My Yard Live experience. To make sure the sound system was up to the task, My Yard Live owners called on San Diego-based AV King to design an install audio solutions for each of the unique audience environments across the venue. The primary weapon in AV King’s audio arsenal for the project were VUE e-Class systems.
“I initially had another brand in mind,” explained AV King Owner, Fady Hermez, “I had just heard VUE on the main stage at the Del Mar Fair, as well as the new system at the Music Box. I was really impressed. So, when I found out that My Yard Live’s owners had been considering VUE speakers, I was eager to give their low-voltage systems a try.”
With open ceilings, highly reflective concrete floors and more than 17,000 square-feet hosting different environments and audiences, My Yard Live presented some unique challenges for Fady.
“In the bar and other adult-oriented areas, the music needs to crank, especially in the evening hours,” explained Hermez. “In the kid’s patio area, the sound is more ambient. The louder the audio, the more the kids shout, so we needed to roll it back quite a bit. Aesthetics are also important, so keeping the systems relatively small and tucked out of sight. Finally, there’s a PA for the main stage that can handle live acts or DJs.
For the distributed systems, Fady selected the VUE e-352 “Nano” speaker, which features a center-mounted beryllium high frequency dome tweeter flanked by a pair of 3.5-inch high-output cone transducers. For low frequency, Fady opted for the es-269 dual 6×9-inch subwoofer with patent-pending Active Compliance Management (ACM) technology.
Both e-class systems included out-of-the-box mounting hardware that proved ideal for My Yard Live’s unique aesthetic—allowing Fady to avoid the expense of sourcing additional mounting solutions. The Subwoofers are mounted in the overhead truss while the es-269 systems are mostly wall-mounted, just above head-height. A single subwoofer and two e-352 satellites are installed in each primary entertainment area, including the inside dining room, patio bar, and inside kids play area. A total of four rack-mount VUEDrive V-242 series Systems Engines provide power and processing for the e-Class systems, while a DBX ZonePRO facilitates system-wide routing and delay control.
Once fully dialed in, the amount of sound and clarity coming from the e-352s was really amazing,” said Fady. “Great ambient clarity and the subs filled the space with plenty of low-end. Plus, the VUE e-class is very installer friendly. I love that all the mounting hardware is right in the box, and they look amazing too.”
Rounding out the My Yard Live experience is the main stage, which supports a packed calendar of events that includes live musical performances and DJs representing a broad spectrum of genres. Versatility and sound quality at any volume were the main goals here, and once again VUE delivers.
Getting it done is a pair of VUE h-12 high definition two-way systems as mains, with hs-25 dual 15-inch ACM subwoofers handling the low end. Monitor duty comes courtesy of four VUE hm-108a compact monitoring system. All three h-Class systems on the main stage feature onboard VUEDrive electronics, which deliver copious amounts of power and system access via SystemVUE software.
“My roots are in sound and event production, so I know that getting the Music right is essential to delivering a unique and memorable experience,” concluded CEO Mark McLarry. “We couldn’t be happier with our loudspeaker selection and all the support we’ve received from both VUE and AVKing. Whether running as background or full throttle, the VUE speakers deliver every time.”
