Audio Spotlight enhances the sound, safety and design in a new museum

Holosonics’ patented directional speaker technology is seamlessly employed throughout a variety of exhibits in the recently unveiled Istanbul Cinema Museum to bring an immersive as well as safe, touchless sound experience to visitors of this highly celebrated cultural destination. A total of ten AS-168iX Audio Spotlight directional sound speakers were installed to enhance the museum’s interactive exploration of Turkey’s film industry.

Audio Spotlight speakers are a smart and popular choice for museums. Emitting sound beams as precise as a beam of light, the speakers can be used in areas that are close together because while the listener is immersed in sound, the surrounding area is quiet. Plus, their inherently touchless design delivers personalized audio experiences without requiring any physical contact by the listener, which today is an indispensable quality. The Istanbul Museum opened in February 2021, when the highly transmissible Omicron variant was causing COVID infections to surge.

In one area of the museum where visitors can discover the history of certain camera models and the movies made with those cameras, four AS-168iX speakers are used in kiosks that are close to each other. Each speaker is angled so that the sound beams up towards the listener at each kiosk but cannot be heard by visitors at the surrounding stations. 

In another installation, three AS-168iX speakers were mounted to the ceiling in front of a large screen where three separate movies are projected simultaneously. The speakers direct the soundtrack for their corresponding visual to a specific listening area, so listeners can have a personalized audio experience without the distraction of hearing the soundtracks for the other projections.

Another example of a creative and efficient application of Audio Spotlight’s directional sound is the museum’s interactive greenscreen exhibit. Here, visitors enjoy casting themselves into iconic films, complete with a personalized audio experience. Two AS-168iX speakers direct the audio for their scene to the stage so that it does not disturb the other visitors in other areas of the museum. 

The museum’s high-profile opening in February 2021 was attended by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy, prominent Turkish actors and actresses, and world-famous celebrities like Jason Stratham and Guy Ritchie. The opening followed an extensive two-year renovation of the Atlas Theater, the historical building that houses the museum. The renovation was part of a wider project to establish the Beyoğlu district, the area that links renowned sites such as Atatürk Cultural Center and the Galata Tower, as a cultural hub. 

Showcasing Neoclassical influences in its impressive ceiling decorations, marble fireplaces, and plaster reliefs, the museum’s restoration and the integration of modern technology was a delicate balance. Thankfully, the Audio Spotlight’s “speaker surfaces blended in with the exhibit seamlessly to provide a clean overall look. From the perspective of design, having a unit that blends in with the overall design was crucial,” Alpay stated. With their adaptable design, unparalleled directional sound technology, and inherently touchless features, it’s clear why Audio Spotlight speakers are the preferred choice for museums today.

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PRODUCT USED IN THIS INSTALLATION

ADVANTAGES

• Sound for specific displays - and quiet elsewhere.

• Several soundtracks in one room - without disturbing others or interfering with one another.

• Untethered sound delivery, without the need for messy headphone wires or unsanitary handsets.

REVOLUTIONARY SOUND AIDS PUBLIC HEALTH

Holosonics’ Cristofer Osden is featured in the October 2021 edition of Installation. In this issue, Cris explains how the global pandemic continues the push for touch-free sound technology, and how demand for products like Holosonics’ Audio Spotlight speakers have skyrocketed not only because they provide an exceptional user experience, but due to their completely sanitary nature.