The folks at Serious Audio Video were big fans the Cuban fare at Hoboken, N.J.’s La Isla.
So the Union City, N.J.-based integration firm was happy to provide its services when the popular Cuban restaurant opened a new, more upscale location earlier this year.
Then came the obstacles.
La Isla wanted light outdoor music to welcome diners as they approached the new restaurant, says Serious Audio Video president Casey Johnston. “However, the landlord would not allow any external speakers on the building. Also, the city has an ordinance for outdoor facing speakers that limits volumes and times outdoor music can be played.”
Still, the customer wanted that music.
“That’s when it hit us,” Johnston says. “‘Remember those SolidDrive speakers we demoed and thought were cool? That would be perfect!'”
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So instead of front facing speakers, La Isla has MSE Audio’s SolidDrive speakers attached to the prominent front window of its new location.
How good can the sound quality be? Johnston says the solid drive solution performs exceptionally well. “We were suspect of the solid drives’ real world performance on a large store front glass window, but it sounds amazing—clear, crisp and full.”
The installation, meanwhile, was “extremely easy,” says Rick Truocchio, Serious Audio Video’s director of operations. “Just connect the lead wires, peel the label and stick it on.”
Serious installed a full audio system in addition to the unique solid drive solution, including Sonos control of music in each of the restaurant’s zones and Community in-ceiling loudspeakers throughout. It was in the installation of those traditional speakers, ironically, where challenges arose.
“We had to put in two concrete anchors in the 25-foot ceiling that attached to stainless-steel aircraft cables, then to the speaker itself,” Truocchio says. “This was to ensure the speakers would never fall, even if the ceiling grid fell.”
