UE BOOM speakers and Lindsey Stirling master the tides of technology

Lindsey Stirling's hit video 'Master of Tides' draws attention to the small but powerful UE BOOM waterproof speakers.

Electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling stands among the innovative performers eager to share the spotlight with technology.  Ms. Stirling’s “Master of Tides” video has grabbed the attention of more than a million viewers with both her music and the consumer electronics she used to pull off the live show. 

Her performance, shot at The Americana at Brand in Glendale, Calif., in July and released on YouTube this month, used 20 UE BOOM wireless, waterproof speakers placed strategically around a fountain. Inexpensive Bluetooth speakers, such as the $199 UE BOOM, often work well for indoor listening, but lose their voice in open areas. UE sponsored this live performance in the hopes of convincing people that its speakers could rise above the din.

“I thought [the sound quality] was pretty good,” says Raul Roa, a Los Angeles photographer who shot his own, unofficial video of Ms. Stirling’s performance, which he posted on YouTube. “It was loud and crisp like the regular music they play at the Americana at Brand. They always have music on and actually I didn't notice any difference from the good quality that's already there.” 

UE (Ultimate Ears), a brand of Logitech, has made custom-fit professional earphones since the 1990s, but it wants to break into premium speakers and earphones for consumers.

The 360-degree speaker comes clad in acoustic skins with plasma coating, making it water and stain resistant, according to the company. 

UE BOOM connects to smart phones wirelessly over Bluetooth, allowing people to switch songs, adjust volume, accept phone calls from up to 50 feet away, and take turns playing songs from two different devices. Its rechargeable battery will 15 hours on a single charge.

The cylindrical design – roughly the dimensions of a water bottle – allows users to stand it up, lay it down, clip it to a backpack, or, in the case of the “Master of Tides” video, hang it to a tree.

Stirling has made a meteoric rise as a classically trained violinist known for electronic big beats, dance, and her use of 3-D projection mapping animation ­– all of which were evident in the “Master of Tides” performance.

This seems to be part of a bigger trend of showcasing the technology in live shows.

Last month, we wrote about how the new Marvel Universe LIVE show has an arsenal of innovative stage technology that includes 3-D projection mapping and effects that fire off with pinpoint accuracy thanks to an infrared tracking system incorporated into the production. elements.

However, the technology used in the Marvel show is not generally available to the public, whereas the UE BOOM targets regular shoppers.

The video was shot live in a public space with an unwitting audience that was milling around until Stirling, dressed in tricorne hat and an outfit straight from the pages of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” begins to tune-up her electronic violin.

A director hidden away nearby gives a command to bring the UE BOOM speakers online and with the tap of a smart phone.