Splash House, renowned Palm Springs-based party organizers, partnered with Chicago-based technology company Echo Barrier and audio-visual equipment and rental service Eighth Day Sound Los Angeles to create a huge wall of 72 sophisticated noise-reducing acoustic barriers in an effort to mitigate the noise levels and reduce nuisance complaints from the after-hours parties at the Palm Springs Air Museum following each of their pool party weekends.
As the centerpiece of a sophisticated sound-control system, Echo Barrier acoustic barriers were used to build the gigantic curtain of noise reducing technology that limited noise complaints and improved the sound quality at the popular event. The 7,000 pass holders could party the night away while residents in nearby neighborhoods were spared significantly from the unwanted noise nuisance.
For seven years, the Palm Springs’ annual, two-week Splash House summer festival resulted in dozens of noise complaints each year. For the 2021 event, coordinators made a commitment to do something dramatic to improve the noise control and enhance the ticket holders’ level of enjoyment. They put a significant investment behind the effort.
The Splash House party takes place across four venues with live music on poolside stages, party rooms, and balconies. The after-hours show at the Palm Springs Air Museum, located near the Escena neighborhood, presented the biggest noise-control challenge of absorbing the sound traveling across Gene Autry Trail into the residential area. In order for Splash House to use the museum, approval of the sound-suppressing efforts was required in advance.
Event coordinators and executives at Eighth Day Sound Los Angeles reached out to Echo Barrier to help create a sophisticated solution that would enhance the enjoyment of the attendees while minimizing the noise complaints. Together, they built a wall of 72 sophisticated sound absorption panels inside the Palm Springs Air Museum.
How Acoustic Barriers Improve Noise Control
Temporary noise control systems allow event organizers to maximize volume and enhance enjoyment at festivals and live music events—without causing distress to people in the nearby neighborhoods. By harnessing sound in all the right places, they go one step further than just noise control—they can actually improve the sound quality at live events by minimizing sound reflections and noise from nearby stages.
Each acoustic panel from Echo Barrier is lightweight and easy to assemble on large structures. The advanced sound absorption technology reduces sound energy by up to 99%. The cutting-edge acoustic barriers are used worldwide and have been tested and proven to provide up to 43dB noise reduction.
Failure to comply with strict anti-noise regulations could mean penalty fines, or even the closure of music events. That’s why event organizers are turning to Echo Barrier’s acoustic experts for effective noise control. The simple, cost-effective solutions help to build better relationships with local communities, dramatically reducing complaints, and in some cases allowing organizers to extend the hours of their event.
Acoustic barriers are lightweight, easy to install, provide flexibility for the site layout, are durable in all kinds of weather and reduce sound by up to 99%. Logos can be added to provide more brand awareness at the event. The barriers are designed for easy transportation, quick installation, and fast disassembly. Based on their ability to be connected with each other, easily forming a giant barrier wall, Echo Barrier technology was easily the best tool for the job. Alternative noise control panels are less flexible in design, heavy, and difficult to hang.
Acoustic Barriers Are the Centerpiece of a Sophisticated Sound-Control System
The huge curtain of state-of-the-art acoustic barriers was the centerpiece of the sound-reducing system that also included constant digital mapping and monitoring of the sound-meter decibel levels.
In addition, the speaker systems on the stage on the tarmac behind the air museum were elevated and pointed downward toward the crowd. The audience and the concrete helped with the efforts to absorb the sound waves. Low frequencies were still likely to leak from the venue, so lower-frequency speakers were aligned to allow the frequencies to decay as they left the venue.
Splash House was required by the City of Palm Springs to keep the noise below 60 decibels. This was accomplished by directing all the speakers in the sound system toward the wall of acoustic barriers. The extra effort helped to stop any sound leakage from leaving the venue and protected the surrounding neighborhoods from excessive noise. When the Air Museum doors were open, all the speaker enclosures were positioned to face the acoustic barrier curtain from the outside, creating a “big bass trap” in the museum and away from the Escena residents.
The efforts and the investment paid off. There were only 11 noise complaints from all four venues (including Saguaro Palm Springs, the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, and Margaritaville Resort) during the first weekend of the 2021 festival—a dramatic improvement from the more than 50 complaints in 2019. The festival was canceled in 2020 because of COVID-19.
Event coordinators were determined to learn all they could about noise control, and with the help of experts at Echo Barrier and other partners, they achieved the significant reduction in noise complaints while continuing to provide a fun and unique house-party experience for the more than 7,000 attendees.
Learn more about how Echo Barrier noise-reducing technology can help event coordinators mitigate noise and provide an enhanced experience for attendees.