dBTechnologies Sound Drives 13 Acres of Fear at Miami's Sounds of Screams

Sounds of Screams is an immersive Halloween entertainment experience created by Sounds of Screams LLC, a company operating as part of a consortium of businesses led by Logistic Events Corp., LEC Investment Group, and LEC Media Group. It takes visitors through five scripted haunted houses, then out into scare zones, carnival rides, and live entertainment spread across 13 acres at the Miami-Dade County Fair & Expo Center. Audio is part of each setting: it establishes the atmosphere inside the houses, supports 240 live actors, and carries the experience through the outdoor grounds. More than 190 dBTechnologies loudspeakers serve those spaces, while a separate VIO L1608 system provides sound for performances on the outdoor main stage.

LEC Media Group played a key role in the project's audiovisual production, acquiring the park-wide audio systems and developing its immersive sound experience, including all the soundscapes and effects. dBTechnologies USA's senior applications engineer Andy Tindall supported the audio design and deployment of loudspeaker systems for the haunted houses and outdoor areas. The installation draws from dBTechnologies' OPERA, VIO, and IS Series, supported by SUB Series subwoofers. The loudspeakers are integrated throughout the themed environments so the audio could work alongside the scripts, scenery and actors, becoming an integral part of the performances.

"When we created Sounds of Screams, we wanted every haunted house and every space throughout the park to have its own identity and atmosphere. Sound is essential to that experience -- it builds tension, brings our stories to life, and gives our actors another layer to work with as they interact with guests," says Eli Gonzalez, director of operations at LEC Media Group.

The five houses move through distinct settings: the breached laboratory of The Infected; the courthouse, village, and Witch House of Witch Trials of 1692; the Latin American legends of Mitos y Leyendas; the wrecked roadway of a collapsed civilization in Dead End; and the maze-like rooms of the serial-killer-themed, adults-only SOS House. Each story calls for its own terrifying soundscape. Loudspeakers positioned throughout the attractions place effects and soundscapes within the action, supporting the actors as the haunted houses play with different levels of fear, psychological tension, and close-range encounters.

OPERA 10 loudspeakers provide full-range coverage in the indoor scare tents, with SUB 612 and SUB 615 subwoofers adding low-frequency impact. Distributed through individual scenes, these systems give the sound design a presence along visitors' paths while keeping the technology from distracting from the experience.

One of the most creative audio system applications was implemented in the House of Myths, where VIO X205 loudspeakers created 13 independent audio zones within a single haunted attraction. The house features nine distinct experiences inspired by myths and legends from different countries, each requiring its own unique sound environment. Designing and integrating so many separate audio zones within the same structure was a technical challenge, especially in maintaining each soundscape's individuality and impact without interfering with the adjacent scenes. Visitors move seamlessly between different stories and environments, with sound playing a fundamental role in building suspense, enhancing storytelling, and creating a more immersive experience throughout the attraction.

dBTechnologies passive IS Series speakers handle sound reinforcement in the outdoor areas, with their weather-resistant IP55 rating making them suitable for the environment. IS210T and IS26T-WP Series loudspeakers were deployed across the general themed areas and park grounds. This distributed system carries the audio experience into the open-air spaces between attractions, where costumed performers, rides, and the midway are active simultaneously. IA3204D amplifiers power the IS Series loudspeakers in the park-wide installation.

A new dBTechnologies VIO partner in Florida, Limitless Production Services, supplied a complete touring-level audio package for the outdoor main stage. The all-VIO system comprises 16 modules of dBTechnologies' newest line array, the compact, three-way active VIO L1608, flown in a left-and-right configuration, with two additional modules serving as front fills. Four VIO S218 and two VIO S118R subwoofers deliver low-frequency reinforcement, while two VIO X310 side-fills and six ultra-low-profile VIO W10 stage monitors round out the VIO line-up. This complete package gives the park a dedicated, high-performance PA as the main stage hosts a variety of demanding, energetic live concerts and performances.

"With 13 acres to cover, we needed a system that could deliver everything from subtle, eerie details to powerful, consistent sound across the outdoor grounds," Gonzalez explains. "The dBTechnologies systems have given us the coverage, flexibility, and impact to bring that vision to life, from the unsettling soundscapes woven throughout the haunted houses to the powerful system driving our main stage, while allowing the audio to remain an integral part of the experience rather than a distraction from it."

The project "was an opportunity to become the park's official audio partner and contribute to an ambitious entertainment experience that required a comprehensive sound solution across multiple environments," comments Nico Dres, vice president at dBTechnologies USA. From immersive soundscapes inside the haunted attractions to the powerful VIO L1608 line array system supporting live performances on the main stage, the goal was to provide the technology, expertise, and flexibility needed to bring the park's creative vision to life. "dBTechnologies loudspeakers are known for their clarity and power, but in this project, we wanted them to deliver something beyond great sound: an unforgettable experience that sends chills down every visitor's spine," concludes Dres.

Sounds of Screams opened September 24 and runs through November 1.