Name: Sound Camel
Price range: $$$

Sep302023

Stomp & Step Wildfire Relief Fundraiser

When Canadian folk rock musicians Rhindress asked us to livestream their Stomp & Step Wildfire Relief Fundraiser at OK Corral Cabaret in Kelowna, we were so excited to support the cause and donate our time to help broadcast the show on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram.

The 2023 McDougal Creek fire was the largest wildfire in West Kelowna history affecting over 10,000 residents who were forced to evacuate their homes and resulted in the destruction of 189 properties and over 340 homes − eclipsing the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park fire in Kelowna which consumed 239 homes.

More than 500 firefighters from municipalities across British Columbia and the U.S. battled the McDougal Creek blaze from the ground and air for over 3 weeks. Every trip to Kelowna reminds us of how lucky we have been be able to work out of our Westside Rd. shop which has been affected by three wildfires since we opened in 2019, including the White Rock Lake fire that got as close as 2km from the property.

Thanks to Jim and Kim Rhindress’s efforts and the support of the community the fundraiser brought in $21,885 to the Central Okanagan Foundation 2023 Wildfire Response Fund. We had a ton of fun behind the scenes supporting the live music and positive energy. Below are a few shots of the night.

Feb272024

Church Acoustic Panels

MatBlog 0

We were so pleased Father Thomas Arackal from Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lumby reached about about improving the resonance in the sanctuary. The historic gathering place was built in 1923 and in 2023 Father Thomas organized extensive interior renovations including a new public address (PA) system to help members hear his sermons. With the new addition, the increased sound pressure reverberating through the tall sweeping arches created long delays that made speech hard to interpret.

After a site visit, our solution was to install 17 straw coloured acoustic panels at early reflection points along the side walls and above the nave to absorb unpleasant frequencies and blend in with the existing wall colour.

Panels were placed at the same height throughout the church, in line with the bottom of the Sanctions of the Cross on the side aisles. Additional panels were placed in the north and south transepts to absorb corner reflections.

A simple clap test was used to evaluate the before and after and although we usually recommend at least 10% coverage with acoustic treatments on the walls and ceiling, we all agreed the 2% coverage in the church punched above its weight class.

Sound Camel manufactures acoustic panels for churches and is available to visit your church or any location in the Okanagan for an on site acoustic consultation. Acoustic panels last a lifetime and can make a considerable improvement for the comfort of patrons. Below are a few pictures of the Sacred Heart Church installation.

Jan202024

LaCasa Market & Kitchen

MatBlog 0

When a neighbour was telling us about their experience at the opening night of ‘Bravo Ragazzi Italian Eatery’, as it was known at the time, having a very reverberant space that was hard to hear in we immediately rushed over 5 acoustic panels to show off how they could help their opening weekend be an even greater success. When we arrived we met owner Ryan Hargreaves who serendipitously was looking up acoustic absorption solutions as we walked in. Ryan is amazing, helping to supply Westside Road communities with a much needed local market and kitchen and graciously purchased the panels on the spot.

Now rebranded as LaCasa Kitchen, the eatery is located at LaCasa Market & Liquor at LaCasa Cottage Resort in West Kelowna, which is just 5 minutes down the road from our Sound Camel shop. The LaCasa cantina has become a hotspot for Westsiders and tourists to hang out and catch live shows from local musicians like Jeff Piattelli which is why great sounding acoustics goes a long way.

Below are a few pictures of the installation.

Oct42023

Sicamous Royal Canadian Legion Acoustic Ceiling

MatBlog 0

When the Sicamous Legion reached out about reducing the reverb in their live music area downstairs we were excited to visit such a historic building and form a game plan to create a more comfortable space for patrons.

Acoustic tiles were originally installed when the Sicamous Royal Canadian Legion was built in 1945 but as the building’s footprint expanded, with the addition of a pool hall and other structures, so did unpleasant reverberation zones. The main culprit we wanted to squash was the dinning area in front of the bar − favoured by regulars for the view of the stage and proximity to amenities, but hard to hear and enjoy the show.

Our solution was to clad the ceiling with black acoustic panels to blend in with the existing ceiling tiles while working around lights and vents. We installed 15 black ceiling clouds using our locking cleats to secure them in place.

Sound Camel is pleased to announce we now offer acoustic panel installation in the District of Sicamous with monthly deliveries of acoustic treatments like these ceiling mounted acoustic panels at the Sicamous Royal Canadian Legion.

Below are a few pictures of the installation.

Sep112023

Christina Lake Golf Course

MatBlog 0

When Christina Lake Golf Course reached out about deadening the sound in their restaurant we suggested first installing acoustic panels on the tallest wall where sound is focussed from the angle of the ceiling.

Our goal was to improve speech intelligibility for customer comfort by using panels that lock in place, which is perfect for busy restaurants.

As general rule of thumb, 20% coverage creates the ideal space for sound intelligibility and general comfort in a restaurant. Most restaurants have a reverb time of over 3 seconds. This means sound bounces around the room for 3 seconds after the server takes your order, for example, which makes conversations hard to hear. In a restaurant, a reverb time of 1 second is recommended. A simple clap test can give you an idea of how long the sound lingers in your space.

The club choose 14 fir colored acoustic panels to start and we delivered and installed them while they continued operating.

Sound Camel is pleased to announce we now offer acoustic panel installation in the Kootenays with monthly deliveries of acoustic treatments like these wall mounted acoustic panels in Christina Lake Golf Club. Our acoustic panels absorb sound in all frequencies and it’s amazing to see the difference even a handful of panels makes to a space.

Below are a few pictures of the installation.

Christina Lake Golf Course Acoustic Panels

Update [October 17, 2023]

We’re so pleased so have been invited back to clad the Christina Lake Golf Course restaurant with 10 acoustic ceiling panels and 4 additional acoustic wall panels above the dining area and bar. The new panels really help to even out the sound inside the clubhouse and will make dinner events and parties a lot more manageable.

If you have a space that could benefit from more balanced audio, we’d love to chat!

Christina Lake Golf Course Acoustic Ceiling Clouds

Christina Lake Golf Course Acoustic Ceiling Panels

May252023

Vancouver Acoustic Panels

MatBlog 0

Sound Camel is pleased to announce we now offer acoustic panel installation in Greater Vancouver with weekly deliveries of acoustic treatments like these colorful acoustic panels in Yaletown Law’s downtown Vancouver office.

The owner wanted to brighten up their boardroom and 3 offices while adding sound privacy between spaces and a more professional environment for client meetings and phone calls.

We initially hand-delivered 11 acoustic panels in various colors, like Stream, Blue Spruce and Teal and installed them the same day. Below are a few pictures of the results.