In the summer of 2017, Entertainment Cruises, now Hornblower Cruises and Events commissioned the Odyssey Chicago River. The boat’s construction began in a Florida shipyard. The vessel then traveled the Tennessee, Mississippi and Illinois rivers to a dry dock on the Calumet River, where the final preparations were made. After seeing OSA’s work at the iconic Chicago landmark, Navy Pier, the cruise line approached OSA to design and install an audio system for both the interior and the exterior observation deck of the Odyssey Chicago River.

The glass walls would create a listening environment of poor acoustics with high levels of reverberation, if the right sound reinforcement system was not chosen. OSA Director of Integrations Brandon Gardner knew that they would have to limit the sound reflections off the glass. “The main speakers are the d&b 16C column loudspeakers. They are a passive cardioid column speaker, which had to be used to limit excessive rear LF reflections off the back of the speaker, basically lowering how much sound bounces off the glass walls.” At the time of design and install, d&b audiotechnik was the only manufacturer offering a passive cardioid column speaker.

When Entertainment Cruises set out to build the Odyssey Chicago River, their desire was to create an unforgettable experience for their guests. Stepping on board the boat, from the graceful service and exquisite dining to the glitzy visual impact of the glass-enclosure to the crystal-clear acoustics that OSA installed, Entertainment Cruises succeeded!