L-Acoustics loudspeaker system extends touring-style sound to 177-foot superyacht

Background and context

Table of Contents

A 177-foot superyacht designed by Delta Design Group has become the latest platform for touring-grade audio, following a multi-deck loudspeaker installation by Montana Pro Audio (MPA). The vessel, which accommodates up to 16 guests and 14 crew, is the second yacht owned by the same client to receive a system from the Montana-based integrator.

The project grew out of the owner’s experience at a private event in Montana, where MPA supplied the sound system. That engagement led first to an installation on a smaller 114-foot yacht and, subsequently, to a more ambitious brief for the larger vessel: provide consistent, high-level audio coverage across all decks in a demanding marine environment, without dominating the yacht’s design.

To meet those requirements, MPA specified a distributed system built entirely around L-Acoustics loudspeakers and subs, selected for their compact size, weather resistance and ability to deliver what the client described as a concert-like listening experience on board.

Key announcement

MPA has completed the first phase of the installation, covering the yacht’s exterior social and entertainment areas. The Sun Deck is equipped with two Soka inWall loudspeakers, six X4r units and two SB10r subwoofers. The Owner’s Deck uses two X6i, two X4r and one SB10i sub, while the Main Deck features two additional Soka inWall, two X4r and a ceiling-mounted SB10r for even coverage.

A notable element of the design is in the lower stern’s boat garage, which doubles as a beach club. Here, two X8i loudspeakers and one SB10i sub are mounted on the underside of the overhead garage door. When the door is raised, the system is positioned to serve guests using the swim platform and surrounding water.

All exterior zones can be fed by a deployable DJ setup that can be moved between decks. The system comprises a pair of Syva mains, two Syva Low units, a KS21 subwoofer and an X8 used as a DJ monitor. Patch panels located throughout the vessel provide left-right and sub feeds, as well as connectivity for an Allen & Heath digital stage box, allowing visiting DJs to connect on any deck or in the boat garage.

A second phase, planned for 2027, will extend L-Acoustics coverage to the yacht’s interior spaces, including the main salon, dining room, media room, owner’s suite, gym and wheelhouse. The project also calls for a further deployable system on the bow for events at the front of the vessel.

Industry impact

For the event and AV integration community, the project illustrates how touring-style systems are being adapted to high-end residential and marine settings. It highlights increased expectations from private clients for consistent, high-SPL audio that can support both background listening and DJ-led events without dedicated nightclub spaces.

The installation also underlines the growing importance of weather-resistant pro audio equipment in non-traditional venues. L-Acoustics enclosures with IP-rated construction enabled MPA to deploy products outdoors without extensive custom weatherproofing, a factor Fisher says helped keep the project on schedule in the face of humidity, salt air and exposure to spray.

Inside the yacht, the system design prioritises extended frequency bandwidth rather than maximum sound pressure levels, reflecting a shift in how some integrators approach smaller luxury spaces. Using manufacturer presets to trade a few decibels of headroom for broader bandwidth allowed MPA to tailor output to intimate rooms while maintaining impact.

Why this matters

While superyachts remain a niche market, the technical challenges involved—distributed audio across multiple decks, harsh environmental conditions and strict aesthetic constraints—are increasingly relevant to a range of outdoor and hybrid event spaces.

The project shows how AV teams are collaborating more closely with vessel engineers and designers to integrate cabling, speaker placement and structural considerations from the outset. In this case, the yacht’s engineering crew helped identify viable cable routes and structural limits, while L-Acoustics provided detailed Soundvision modelling to predict system performance in each zone.

For manufacturers, the installation reinforces the demand for compact, architecturally sympathetic loudspeakers that can shift between background ambience and event-level output. For integrators, it offers a reference point for delivering flexible, deck-agnostic DJ and playback systems that can support a variety of guest experiences.

Further technical information on the Soka, Syva and X Series products used in this project is available via the L-Acoustics official website at https://www.l-acoustics.com.