Key Things to Know
- CH Projects partnered with Caneno Systems and 1 SOUND to design a custom audio system for Born & Raised, a downtown San Diego steakhouse.
- The 10,000-square-foot restaurant seats about 200 to 250 guests across its main dining room, bar and rooftop.
- The main dining room uses Cannon C6i loudspeakers, Level L35 ceiling speakers and SUB28 subwoofers concealed in banquet seating and furniture.
- The rooftop runs marine-grade Cannon C6 loudspeakers and WSUB45 subwoofers built for the coastal environment.
- The 1 SOUND Custom Shop supplied custom wood finishes and polished gold grilles to match the restaurant’s interior.
What Did Born & Raised Set Out to Achieve?
Born & Raised set out to refresh its audio system without disrupting the restaurant’s carefully curated design. The downtown San Diego steakhouse treats every detail of the guest experience as intentional, from the architecture and interior to the menu and service. The venue needed audio that could shift from relaxed jazz or hip-hop during dinner to higher-energy playlists later at night, all while staying visually discreet within the space designed by Basile Studio.
How Was the System Designed Around the Architecture?
The system was designed around the architecture through close collaboration among CH Projects, Caneno Systems and 1 SOUND. The three worked together to build a distributed audio system tailored to the restaurant’s layout, acoustics and aesthetic goals.
Beyond system design consultation, the team used the 1 SOUND Custom Shop to select custom wood finishes and polished gold metal grilles that match the warm materials found throughout the restaurant.
The loudspeakers were built to feel like an extension of the interior rather than an addition to it.
What Loudspeakers Power the Main Dining Room?
The main dining room runs a distributed deployment of Cannon C6i loudspeakers around the space, with discreet Level L35 loudspeakers set into the ceiling for coverage through the center of the room. To add low-frequency support without taking up floor space, SUB28 subwoofers sit concealed within banquet seating and custom furniture. This distributed approach keeps the listening environment consistent across the room, so music stays immersive without becoming overpowering. Guests hear balanced coverage at the bar, in a dining booth or anywhere else in the restaurant.
How Does the Rooftop Extend the Audio Experience?
Courtesy / 1 SOUND
The rooftop extends the audio experience with marine-grade Cannon C6 loudspeakers and WSUB45 subwoofers that carry the same high-fidelity performance outdoors. Finished in custom exterior wood through the 1 SOUND Custom Shop and equipped with marine-grade stainless steel A4 316 components, the loudspeakers were built to withstand the coastal environment while matching the outdoor aesthetic. The setup creates a smooth transition between indoor and outdoor spaces, giving guests the same refined sound across the entire venue overlooking downtown San Diego.
Why Does the Design Matter for Hospitality?
The design matters for hospitality because it shows how integrated audio can strengthen a venue’s atmosphere without competing with it. By combining discreet loudspeaker placement, custom finishes and a distributed design tailored to the architecture, CH Projects, Caneno Systems and 1 SOUND built a system that supports the restaurant’s shifting energy through the day, from intimate dining to lively evening service. The result stays virtually invisible within one of San Diego’s premier dining destinations while delivering the performance a high-end environment demands.
