The City of Wayland, Michigan, has enhanced its downtown atmosphere through an innovative outdoor audio solution, bringing music and live sound to its shopping districts and community gathering spaces. When city planners sought to create an immersive outdoor experience for residents and visitors alike, they turned to Technomad and their local authorized integrator, Media Technology Solutions, for a weatherproof “town audio system” that could withstand Michigan’s varied climate while delivering exceptional sound quality.
The installation combines of Technomad’s PowerChiton amplifiers, chosen specifically for their robust weatherproof design and versatile deployment capabilities, the best-in-class weatherproof Vernal 15 loudspeakers, and robust audio-over-IP streaming technology that distributes low-latency audio across the downtown core. The compact yet powerful audio systems deployed on light poles (and pulling electrical power from them) serve multiple purposes throughout Wayland’s downtown area, providing background music for shoppers, supporting audio distribution for walking and biking events, and delivering clear sound reinforcement for live bands performing at the city’s main intersection.
The system leverages Unifi’s Site Manager platform, enabling real-time monitoring of network connectivity across all light poles where the amplifiers and loudspeaker clusters are are installed.
The system’s flexibility allows it to adapt to various community needs, from providing subtle background music during regular shopping hours to supporting full-scale live performances during special events. This versatility has proven particularly valuable during the city’s various seasonal celebrations and community gatherings at the main intersection, where local bands can now perform with professional-quality sound reinforcement.
The installation demonstrates how modern audio technology can enhance public spaces while remaining practically invisible to the casual observer. The audio clusters’ compact design allows them to blend seamlessly with existing light pole infrastructure, maintaining the downtown area’s visual appeal while delivering high-quality audio throughout the space.
This innovative approach to urban audio has transformed Wayland’s downtown experience, creating an inviting atmosphere for shoppers, pedestrians, and event attendees alike. The system’s reliability, weather resistance, and network monitoring capabilities ensure that the City of Wayland can continue to provide exceptional audio experiences for its community throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions or event requirements.