Danley Loudspeakers Set The Tone In Backyard Setting

When Glenn Hogan, founder, president, and CEO of Hogan Real Estate, hatched a wild plan for the 2.5-acres backyard of his grand residence in Louisville, Kentucky, he called on Phantom Theater and Sound to coordinate an outdoor sound system that would fulfill all of his expectations.

The company built a 360-degree stereo system using four Danley Sound Labs SM-60F loudspeakers and one Danley TH-221 “CineMonster” subwoofer.

Howard McGurty, the founder of Phantom Theater and Sound noted that in addition to the obligatory swimming pool, Glen’s backyard now contains: an artificial turf putting green; a large hot tub nestled amid boulders; several combination torch/fountain sculptures; a flat-screen television that retracts into a boulder; land- and light-scaping that make the backyard regal in daylight and otherworldly at night; and a sound system and dance floor situated front and center.

The dance floor is forty feet in diameter and composed of interlocking patio bricks. The Danley equipment is located twenty feet away and hidden inside bushes and landscaping effects that are visually concealing, but not acoustically.

The nearly five-hundred pound Danley TH-221 “CineMonster” subwoofer rests at the base of the array, and the four Danley SM-60F full-range boxes sit above it in an exploded 360-degree cluster.

All five of the boxes are fully weatherproofed and ready for northern Kentucky’s meanest storms. The full-range boxes are oriented such that the dance floor and the putting green get a true left/right balance, while all points adjacent on either side get a reversed image.

Three QSC RMX-Series amplifiers provide power. A testament to the raw fidelity of the Danley designs, Phantom Theater and Sound was able to install the system without any DSP.

McGurty happened upon Danley Sound Labs after researching the origins of a Servo-Drive subwoofer that had caught his attention. “Tom Danley designed the Servo-Drive subwoofer a long time ago,” he said. “I was pleased to learn that he’s still innovating. I traveled to Danley’s Gainesville headquarters with [Phantom Theater and Sound principal] Joel Flaugher to examine his latest inventions. We were impressed by the fidelity and power of the new Danley designs and knew they would be perfect for Glenn’s phenomenal backyard.”

Hogan celebrated the completion of his new backyard with a party that coincided with the running of the Kentucky Derby.

Although his guests enjoyed all of the amenities, Hogan reported that it was the sound system that generated the greatest awe and interest.

In addition to phenomenal fidelity and output that averaged 115 dB (with face-melting bass!) on the dance floor, an installed Sonos system contributed to the guests’ captivation.

With the Sonos system, users could stream any song whatsoever using a dedicated controller or – more fun – their smartphones. “It sounded absolutely phenomenal,” reported McGurty.

Danley Sound Labs

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