The Result

The L-Acoustics sound system has elevated Nobu Toronto to a new level of sophistication, providing a rich and engaging sonic backdrop that complements its world-class cuisine and elegant ambiance. The discreet installation of the X Series enclosures and SB10i subs ensures that the powerful audio performance is felt, not seen, blending seamlessly with the venue’s luxurious design. The system’s versatility has been proven during high-profile events, including the Toronto International Film Festival and Fashion Toronto, receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback. The ability to seamlessly transition from curated background music to event-grade sound reinforcement for DJs has solidified Nobu Toronto’s position as a premier destination in the city’s refined nightlife scene.

Project photos

Nobu Toronto represents the next level of sophistication, and it achieves that thanks, in part, to the same kind of sound you’d find at the best concerts, which comes from L-Acoustics.

 Corry McGibbon

President of The 192 Group

Tech Brief

• Loudspeakers:
  • 22 x X8 coaxial enclosures
  • 1 x X12 coaxial enclosure
  • 25 x 5XT ultra-compact speakers
• Subwoofers:
  • 12 x SB10i ceiling-mounted subwoofers
• Amplified Controllers:
  • LA7.16i amplified controllers
  • LA4X amplified controllers

Main System

5XT

X8

X12

SB10i

Electronics

LA4X

LA7.16i

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Adlib deploys comprehensive K1/K2 system for chart-topping British indie artist arena tour

LONDON, UK – May 2025 – BRIT Award-winning artist Sam Fender has successfully completed the first leg of his tour with sold-out arena shows across the UK and Ireland, with L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor Adlib supplying a custom-designed K Series system.

The Liverpool-based audio specialist deployed the powerful K1/K2 configuration to meet the sonic demands of Fender’s anthemic guitar-driven sound while seamlessly integrating with the tour’s ambitious production design, featuring a massive 28-metre-wide video wall. Fender is now set to continue his momentum with stadium and festival dates across the UK & Europe this summer.

The tour marks a significant milestone in Fender’s relationship with L-Acoustics, building on his experience with the system during headline festival appearances. “K1 has been the preferred choice of PA for Peter Fergie, Sam Fender’s long-standing Front-of-House Engineer, during headline festival slots, so it made sense to move to L-Acoustics when logistically we could make it work,” explains James Coghlan, Systems Engineer for the tour.

Soundvision Software: The Key to Complex Arena Coverage

The L-Acoustics Soundvision software proved essential in addressing the tour’s complex design challenges. “Soundvision checks almost all of my boxes as a System Engineer,” Coghlan states. “Being able to quickly model our rooms in 3D using the tools within Soundvision and the SketchUp plugin means I can spend more time on the PA design. Using the 3D SPL mapping in broadband and band-limited views and also the probes, we can see how the SPL distribution changes for every seat in the house.”

Coghlan particularly praised the latest version’s improvements: “The SPL mapping is significantly faster than in previous versions, letting me get to a great PA design even faster. Being able to sync my Soundvision model with my Network Manager file saves me countless hours over the duration of the tour.”

K Series Flexibility Overcomes Production Challenges

The system design had to accommodate extensive production elements while ensuring consistent coverage throughout each venue. “Like most modern productions, the creative elements of the show have got bigger and more expansive. Designers want the entire audience to be able to see their creative visions. That means our job is to get the speakers out of the way while still providing consistent coverage,” Coghlan notes.

To address these challenges, Adlib’s solution, specified in collaboration with Coghlan, consisted of main hangs of twelve K1 with four K2 down per side, complemented by side hangs of sixteen K2. Eight KS28 flown subs per side, complemented with twenty ground-stacked KS28, provided comprehensive low-end reinforcement. The setup also included a further twelve Kara per side as upstage fills, six Kara as centre-fill, eight A10 for lip-fill and three A15 for out-fill per side. For larger venues, a delay system comprising four hangs of eight K2 was deployed to ensure consistent coverage from front to back.

“To work around the large video wall, we had to hang the PA slightly higher than I would have liked, but the K2 we had as down-fill worked seamlessly under the K1” says Coghlan. “The same challenges affected the centre hang, having to trim this higher than the ideal. But because of Kara’s great high frequency density compared to the size of the box, we had plenty of headroom, even in such a small hang.”

Consistent Sound from Front Row to Back Seat

“As with every show, we want the entire audience to hear the same show, from the front row all the way to the back seat,” Coghlan explains. “To help both production design and coverage considerations, we carried a delays package for the larger shows, giving us the option to reduce the size of the main hangs slightly to help improve the sightlines while providing better coverage to the high-level sections at the back of the arenas.”

The L-Acoustics system received high praise throughout the tour. “As always, the L-Acoustics system performed brilliantly and the only feedback we’ve had has been great,” Coghlan concludes. “Fergie has had a brilliant time on it, and I’m sure K1 will continue to be at the top of his PA spec for his upcoming stadium shows.”

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Caram Costanzo creates intimate, immersive experience at Resorts World to deliver an unforgettable residency by an iconic artist

LAS VEGAS, Nevada – April 2025 – Janet Jackson is pop royalty, a mega-star who has sold over 180 million records worldwide throughout her four-decade career. With multiple Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe Awards to her name, plus myriad other accolades for her infectious dance hits and beloved acting roles, she is undeniably one of the world’s most influential and enduring entertainers. When Jackson announced in late 2024 that she would be following up her 94-show Together Again world tour with an intimate 10-date Las Vegas residency at Resorts World Theatre – home to a permanently-installed L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal Immersive Sound design – tickets quickly sold out. Due to overwhelming demand, Janet Jackson: Las Vegas has been extended with six May shows, giving more fans the chance to experience her magnetic performance style through L-ISA spatial audio technology in a show that feels simultaneously intimate and explosive.

Engineering the Immersive Soundscape

Los Angeles-based producer and FOH engineer Caram Costanzo, known for his decades-long work with Guns N’ Roses, continues to handle the house mix for Jackson’s residency, a role he assumed in May 2024, before her Together Again tour. Will Foley, who also joined her audio crew at the same time, is similarly reprising his duties as systems engineer for the spectacular production.

“When I learned about Janet’s Resorts World residency, I immediately embraced using L-ISA’s full capabilities,” Costanzo recalls. “I quickly worked with David Brooks from L-Acoustics to arrange learning time with the technology. At the L-ISA Studio in Westlake Village, with James Rudder, we built the show template, stepping back from my left-right tour mix to fully explore the immersive surround sound capabilities. Janet’s music is perfect for L-ISA – her stellar, high-powered studio productions demanded we create that same standard within the L-ISA environment.”

Costanzo’s primary objective was to create a powerful yet elegantly clear audio experience for the audience. “L-ISA’s greatest attribute is that it gives the mixer and audience the most sonic clarity available today – more so than any other audio system available from any manufacturer.”

Although many of the songs from the Together Again tour were carried over, some featured new arrangements in the set. “The staging and production are redesigned for the massive 152-foot-wide stage. The show is an over-the-top Las Vegas performance, and the criteria was to create a sight-and-sound spectacle for the entire audience,” he adds.

Matching Movement to Sound

At Resorts World, Janet Jackson’s electrifying celebration of her four-decade career meets Las Vegas’ most advanced sound technology. “A full band on stage makes the show engaging and authentic,” Costanzo describes. “Every musician is at the top of their game, making them a joy to mix. Matching the incredible visuals sonically is a challenge – my main objective is to ensure the audio’s integrity and clarity remain commanding. In addition to using multiple snapshots, I frequently mix the subgroups throughout the show to create subtle dynamics and highlight dramatic moments. I also mirror visual movements like lasers and video within separate snapshots, reinforcing what people are seeing to what they hear.”

Mixing the show on a DiGiCo Quantum3³⁸ console – Costanzo says he “loves its clarity; you can really create your own sound with it” – “The L-ISA software is very intuitive and well crafted. We feed 64 inputs to the L-ISA Processor II through individual channels and groups. The system is remarkably consistent between shows. When returning for February’s second leg, I resumed January’s settings within just minutes. The reliability and precision are outstanding.”

Building a Multi-layered Sound Experience

“My experiences with L-ISA have been wonderful since first listen as it’s easy to create a special song-by-song experience across the field. The theater’s seven frontal arrays allow me to create a template within the seven-array soundscape and then add instrumentation and effects on a song-by-song basis. I then incorporate the rear surrounds or effects, mults, and especially adding more sonic intensity when appropriately called for. Everyone has been very positive comment-wise within Janet’s camp, and Janet is happy with what she’s hearing out front and the feedback she’s been given.”

“Audience response has been overwhelmingly positive as well,” he continues. “I give credit to the entire audio crew – including systems engineer Will Foley and Brandon Andreasen, the venue’s head of audio – as well as everyone I’ve worked with at L-Acoustics. They’ve all been critical in the process of creating a whole new audio experience for listeners. L-Acoustics has truly set the standard for immersive sound experiences with L-ISA. It’s an incredibly innovative environment, and if I had my way, I would only mix on this L-ISA system moving forward!”

Critics Praise the Sonic Innovation

This isn’t merely legendary artistry meeting audio innovation; it’s a transformation in three dimensions, where every beat, breath, and whisper finds its perfect place in space – and audiences aren’t the only ones taking notice.

Essence magazine praised: “The (L-ISA sound) system transformed the concert, making it feel as though Jackson’s music surrounded every member of the audience.”

Ebony magazine noted: “The L-Acoustics sound system heightened the experience – when she rose above the crowd on platforms during ‘That’s the Way Love Goes,’ it felt as if she were singing directly above you, creating a rare intimacy within the 5,000-person capacity venue.”

And according to Forbes: “Janet Jackson’s new Las Vegas residency isn’t just a concert – it’s an experience. We’re talking next-level, immersive, mind-blowing technology that puts you right in the heart of her performance. It’s more than just hearing music; it’s feeling it. And at the core of all this magic? The L-ISA Hyperreal sound system.”

Inside Las Vegas’ First L-ISA Installation

Three years ago, the 5,000-capacity Resorts World Theatre, operated by Concerts West/AEG Presents, became home to the first fixed install of L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology in Las Vegas. Having hosted residencies by Carrie Underwood, Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and others, the sophisticated venue uses more than 200 L-Acoustics loudspeakers to comprise an immersive aural environment that stands out on the Las Vegas Strip.

Montreal-based Scéno Plus served as the theatre designer, further overseeing the venue’s technology, while L-Acoustics Certified Provider (CPi) Solotech integrated the 7.1 audio system with design support from the L-Acoustics Application team. The system consists of an L-ISA Scene setup of seven arrays of 14 K2 enclosures flown across the stage width, left-right out-fill arrays of 12 Kara, plus two center-flown arrays of eight KS28 subs each. Twenty-four KS21 subs are located under the stage, and 16 5XT five-inch coaxials are positioned across the stage lip, functioning as spatial front-fills thanks to an L-ISA algorithm. Many A10i Wide enclosures provide delay and seven channels of surround for each of the three balconies, with additional A10i found in the lighting booth. A combination of LA12X, LA4X, and LA2Xi amplified controllers drive the system, which also uses the L-ISA Processor II. Eleven P1 processors enable the bridging of Milan-AVB, AES/EBU, and analog audio with the time-aligned redundant signal distribution.

The extended run of Janet Jackson: Las Vegas at Resorts World Theatre comprises six shows set to take place on May 21, 24, 25, 28, 30, and 31. For more details on the residency, visit: https://www.rwlasvegas.com/entertainment/janet-jackson

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Intersonic delivers comprehensive audio solution as part of major technical renovation at prestigious Finnish cultural institution, innovatively repurposing existing L-Acoustics systems for an eco-conscious approach

HELSINKI, FINLAND – April 2025 – Helsinki Music Centre, home to Finland’s two most prestigious orchestras, has completed a significant technical renovation featuring an L-Acoustics L Series loudspeaker system as its centrepiece. The audio upgrade, part of a larger renovation that included lighting systems and new mixing consoles, provides superior coverage and clarity in the venue’s challenging acoustic environment while elegantly overcoming previous architectural and sight line constraints.

Sustainable sound solutions: upgrading while preserving

The 1,700-seat concert hall, which hosts approximately 1,500 events annually across its various spaces, presents unique challenges for amplified performances. Hosting international artists, television productions, and radio broadcasts in addition to classical music, the hall requires a solution that could deliver clear, controlled sound throughout its unusual 360-degree seating configuration.

“The reverberation time in the hall is quite long, which is a challenge for events with amplified sound,” explains Jori Tossavainen, Head of the studios at Helsinki Music Centre. “Our goal for this upgrade was to improve coverage, achieve clarity throughout the space and to better manage noise pollution especially for the seating areas beside and behind the stage.”

The installation, executed by L-Acoustics Certified Provider Intersonic, demonstrates a commitment to sustainability by intelligently repurposing the venue’s previous L-Acoustics systems. The existing Kara system, previously in the main left-right positions, was repositioned to manage rear coverage in the 360-degree configuration. Additionally, the venue’s original Kiva system, which predated the Kara installation, was redistributed to improve coverage in the balcony areas – creating an economically and ecologically conscious solution that maximises value while minimising waste.

 Precision engineering: overcoming architectural challenges

 A key challenge in the venue’s sound system evolution has been negotiating architectural constraints with acoustic needs. The earlier Kiva system had been positioned above a high acoustic canopy approximately 15 meters above the stage – an architecturally driven decision that created severe coverage issues, particularly for front rows. The subsequent Kara system improved matters by being positioned below the canopy but still had to be placed well in front of the stage and over the audience due to size limitations.

“The main goal was to move the PA rigging points to a better place,” notes Tossavainen. “Since L2 is so much smaller, while delivering even better SPL and coverage, we could place it below the canopy and position it properly over the stage rather than the audience – which also had the benefit of clearing sightlines for the lighting and video teams.”The comprehensive solution now features 22 discrete loudspeaker arrays throughout the venue. The main system consists of two L/R arrays of one L2 over one L2D to cover the main parterre seating area. Two arrays of four Kara II cover the side seating while two further arrays of six Kara II each cover the rear audience area. Twelve arrays of three Kiva distributed throughout the space provide even coverage for the balcony sections. Low frequency extension is provided by a centrally flown hang of four KS28 subwoofers, which can be operated in either standard or cardioid mode depending on event requirements. The system is powered by four LA7.16i, one LA12X, three LA4X and seven LA8 amplified controllers.

Inherent cardioid design: managing noise in complex environments

The L2’s inherent cardioid capabilities have proven particularly valuable in controlling sound in the challenging 360° seating arrangement. “The main challenge in this hall with 22 speaker hangs is the noise pollution when they combine together,” explains Pauli Molnar, Sales Manager at Intersonic. “The inherent cardioid capability of L2 is helping us significantly with the long reverb time, especially in the low-mids and lows. It really reduces the noise pollution and makes the sound much clearer.”

The team initially deployed the system in cardioid mode but later switched to supercardioid to better serve side-seated audience members who sit significantly closer to the arrays than those in rear positions.

A key advantage of the L Series system was its smaller form factor compared to alternatives. “When we first saw L2, I thought, ‘That is not for us,'” admits Siitari. “But when we reviewed the Soundvision modelling, it was like, ‘Wow, this can’t be real.’ It fits so nicely in this auditorium and it’s so compact.”

Advanced Adaptability: Software-controlled precision

 The versatility of the L Series system has already proven valuable beyond standard concert applications. In a recent television production at the venue, engineers utilised Soundvision software and LA Network Manager to electronically adjust the D-min settings on the L Series. This allowed them to precisely remove coverage from approximately ten front rows where a catwalk and discussion area had been built, creating a clean cut-off point for high frequencies without any physical adjustments to the rigging.

“It worked scarily well,” notes Oliver Siitari. “I could see the exact point where I wanted the sound to start in Soundvision’s detailed CAD integration, and it was like cutting with a knife—the high frequencies all of a sudden came back exactly where needed. Previously, we’d have to mute the lowest speakers and try tilting arrays, which was neither as fast nor as efficient.”

The subwoofer arrangement provides additional flexibility, with four KS28 hung in the centre of the venue that can operate in either cardioid or omnidirectional mode depending on the seating configuration and program material. “Especially with subs, 360-degree venues are difficult in many ways,” adds Siitari, Head of Sound at Helsinki Music Centre. “But hanging them all in the same place in the dead centre works best in this hall.”

Seamless Integration: Performance meets Aesthetics

 While some stakeholders initially expressed concerns about visual impact, particularly regarding the positioning of subwoofers in front of the venue’s newly installed, visually striking pipe organ, the overwhelmingly positive feedback from engineers and audiences has validated the design decisions.

“The coverage and tonality from the L2 has been exceptional,” confirms Tossavainen. “People who have mixed here before and return now have given nothing but positive feedback. There’s a lot happening that’s invisible to the naked eye — like dramatically improving clarity and definition throughout the hall — that’s been a big part of the success. I think we’re now at a point where all teams, including those previously concerned about visual impact, recognise the value of the system, and the results speak for themselves.”

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Regional Australian venue invests in its future with a versatile and rider-friendly professional sound system.

NOWRA, Australia – April 2025 — Located on the banks of the Shoalhaven River, two and a half hours south of Sydney, the 900-cap Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre has solidified its reputation as a premier venue in regional Australia by installing an L-Acoustics Kara II sound system. This upgrade supercharges the venue’s technical offering, with a professional audio package that’s rider-friendly and versatile enough to handle the entertainment centre’s full array of events, from theatrical performances, dinners, and awards nights right up to large-scale concerts.

A Decade in the Wilderness

After 13 years living with an aging PA system that was mostly bypassed by touring productions, Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre sought a solution that would deliver superior, consistent sound across all audience areas, accommodate both flat-floor and tiered seating configurations, meet the expectations of touring professionals with a rider-friendly system, and future-proof the venue’s audio infrastructure for years to come. “As a multi-purpose venue, we needed a system that could handle everything from quiet theatre shows to high-energy rock concerts,” says Tobes Colvin, Technical Coordinator at Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre.

Kara II For Coverage

In collaboration with Australian L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor, Jands and installer/integrator, The P.A. People, Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre selected an L-Acoustics Kara II system for its even coverage, clarity, and flexibility. As no architectural plans were available, Jands conducted an extensive site survey to gather data and used L-Acoustics Soundvision sound design and mapping software to design an optimal solution.

The comprehensive L-Acoustics professional sound system includes main arrays with left and right hangs of eight Kara II loudspeakers per side, four Kara II loudspeakers as centre-fill providing seamless front coverage, and a powerful subwoofer configuration featuring three SB18 per side in cardioid configuration to minimize stage interference, plus four additional ground-stacked SB18 for extended low-end impact. The setup is complemented by two A10 Focus per side as delays ensuring full rear coverage, six X8 coaxial loudspeakers for front-row clarity, and LA4X amplified controllers delivering precise DSP control and consistent performance.

“The system is perfectly tuned to meet L-Acoustics’ exacting standards,” says Brendon Vitiello, Head of Audio at the venue. “Touring engineers can now plug in their desks and get to work without any concerns.”

The Audience Experience

Since the installation, feedback from visiting audio professionals and touring crews has been overwhelmingly positive. The L-Acoustics system delivers a pristine, natural response that enhances performances and streamlines production workflows. “The biggest difference is in just how efficient we now are,” says Colvin. “Touring crews no longer have to bring their own PAs, cutting down on setup and pack-down time significantly. It’s a game-changer for us and our clients.”

Versatility The Key

Regional Australian venues like the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre need to have ‘versatility’ bred into their DNA. You can routinely have a Top 40 rock band in on one evening and a preschool ballet recital the next – it’s the reality and the remit of being a community facility. The new L-Acoustics Kara II loudspeaker system goes a long way to attracting top-level performers and keeping the faith with regional audiences – responding to the needs of any engagement with a top-shelf PA that offers optimal coverage, regardless of the audience configuration. Whether for a theatre production, a corporate event, or a rock concert, the Kara II system provides excellent sound quality, cementing the venue’s reputation as a leader in regional entertainment.

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Cutting-edge L-Acoustics system withstands challenging coastal conditions while delivering
exceptional live sound performance

Novalja, Croatia – March 2025 – With an enviable location on Croatia’s celebrated Zrće Beach, Papaya Beach Club has electrified the European music scene since 2002. This iconic nightlife mecca catapulted to global fame, when it clinched the 10th spot on DJ MAG’s prestigious World’s Best Clubs list in 2022. For over two decades, Papaya has pulsated with the rhythms of legendary festivals and A-list DJs, from Tiesto to Calvin Harris to Paul Van Dyk. The titans of electronic music have graced its decks as Papaya Beach Club has carved its place in dance music history, cementing its status as Croatia’s ultimate party paradise.

And now, the iconic club has partnered with L-Acoustics to install a state-of-the-art professional sound system. “Our vision was to transcend the limitations of rental equipment and create our own dedicated future-proof audio system,” explains Luka Udovičić, Production Manager at Papaya Beach Club. “We sought a system that would allow us to showcase our creative potential for performance acoustics and ensure we remain at the cutting edge of audio technology for years to come.”

The decision to install the L-Acoustics A Series was driven by the brand’s reputation for excellence and the superior service provided by the L-Acoustics Certified Partner for Croatia, Dicroic. “In professional audio, L-Acoustic’s reputation stands unparalleled for transforming the listening experience,” Udovičić emphasizes. This partnership allowed Papaya to transition from relying on rental equipment to owning a cutting-edge system tailored to their unique needs.

Designing an audio system for Papaya Beach Club presented unique challenges. The venue’s open-air layout, proximity to the sea, and exposure to strong winds demanded a solution delivering exceptional sound while withstanding harsh environmental conditions. Udovičić reflects on these challenges “Our location is both our greatest asset and our greatest adversary, we required a system robust enough to withstand the ravages of the sea, and precise enough to deliver crystal-clear sound across our expansive space.”

Dicroic, tasked with the system design, leveraged L-Acoustics Soundvision software to create a bespoke solution. The software’s precise modeling capabilities were instrumental in optimizing speaker placement and performance, especially given the venue’s distinctive white shell-shaped stage and multi-level layout.

Udovičić explains that the design process was made more difficult due to the stage height. “We were strict about pinpointing speaker locations. Each component was strategically positioned to create a harmonious sound field that defies our open-air challenges.” The resulting installation is a testament to the versatility and power of L-Acoustics.

The system comprises 16 A15i Focus and two A15i Wide line array speakers, complemented by four KS21 and eight KS28 subwoofers for robust low-end performance. Six X12 and two X8 speakers serve as fills for the elevated VIP areas, ensuring uniform coverage throughout the venue. DJ monitoring is provided by two A15i Focus and two KS21 per side. The system is powered by four LA12X and eight LA4X amplified controllers.

Feedback on the new system has exceeded expectations. “Our new L-Acoustics system provides partygoers with the sonic clarity, power, and reliability required for world-class performances,’ says Udovičić.  This upgrade ensures that Papaya remains at the forefront of Croatia’s music scene, offering an unparalleled audio experience to its diverse and discerning clientele.

As Papaya Beach Club enters a new era of sound excellence, the L-Acoustics professional sound system stands ready to enhance every performance, from after-beach fun to spectacular night parties and renowned festival events, further cementing the venue’s status as a global entertainment destination.

For more information about Papaya Beach Club, visit www.papaya.com.hr. To learn more about L-Acoustics’ innovative audio solutions, visit www.l-acoustics.com.

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Firehouse Productions brings in the firepower for a “who’s who” lineup of top musical artists and celebs at SNL50: The Homecoming Concert

NEW YORK CITY – March 2025 – A 50th anniversary is a once-in-a-lifetime milestone, but in the fleeting world of television, even a decade on air is a rare achievement. So when Saturday Night Live prepared to celebrate its golden anniversary, perfection was the only option.The high point of the show’s multi-event commemoration was SNL 50: The Homecoming Concert, broadcast live on NBC, SNL’s longtime network home, and streamed on Peacock from Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, as well as at select IMAX Theaters at Regal Cinemas, on February 14.

As much known for its musical performances as for its comedy, SNL has been a unique and progressive stage for music throughout its 50 years, with performances by icons of every era of those years as well as a launchpad for new voices. Artists returning to recreate the magic for this singular event included Bonnie Raitt, Cher, Dave Grohl, David Byrne, Jack White, Jelly Roll, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, and Ms. Lauryn Hill. Appearances by SNL comedy alumni counted John Mulaney, Dave Chappelle, Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Robert De Niro, with the ensemble hosted by one-time cast member Jimmy Fallon, who performed The Blues Brothers hit, “Soul Man.”

“For my career and for that of everyone who worked on that show, we knew we were not going to be around for SNL’s 100th anniversary,” says Mark Dittmar, VP of Sales for Firehouse Productions, which handled the live-sound reinforcement for the three-hour event. “So it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work on a show that has absolutely crazy amounts of music, and at the same time huge amounts of sketch comedy, musical comedy, and dialog. Every note, every lyric, every word of every bit had to sound great and be totally intelligible to everyone in the house. And it was.” And that was due to the combination of DiGiCo consoles at front of house and monitors and an L-Acoustics concert sound system specially designed for the event.

Firehouse Productions brought in some pretty big guns for the show: two each DiGiCo Quantum3³⁸ consoles for monitors and Quantum7 consoles for front of house, abetted by a dozen SD-Racks. These managed a mind-boggling total of seven 56-channel splitters between house and broadcast sound.

The event’s L-Acoustics loudspeaker concert sound system was equally expansive, comprising two hangs of 14 K2 each, one hang of 16 Kara II for the center channel, two hangs of nine KS28 subs each, twin stacks of three KS28 for ground subs, 16 Kiva for front-fills, and four ARCS II for out-fills. The system, designed using L-Acoustics Soundvision software and managed by LA Network Manager on a Milan-AVB network, accommodated a turntable stage that enabled one artist to perform as the next one was setting up, with interstitial comedy and sketch performances taking place on a third performance area downstage left.

The pairs of Quantum7 and Quantum3³⁸ desks were split between each half of the turntable, with the third stage sharing their worksurfaces. The DiGiCo consoles’ flexible workflows gave the mixers – FOH engineers Jason Crystal, Jamie Pollock, and Dan Gerhart, with Mike Bove and César Benítez mixing monitors – what they needed to mix a diverse range of music genres and performances on the fly.

“DiGiCo is the industry standard for a lot of performers, and the power of these desks is enormous,” he says. “The Quantum7 is unparalleled with the number of inputs and outputs it can handle. We had a total of seven 56-channel splitters feeding all of the I/O SD-Racks for this, so there was a huge amount of inputs and outputs that were being shared among these desks and at monitors, feeding over 40 in-ear mixes and 30 monitor wedge mixes, plus three sets of stereo side-fills. It was a huge amount of equipment and it takes a very big desk to accomplish that. Our engineers who were mixing the show are all intimately familiar with the DiGiCo line, specifically the Quantum desks, and they’re very fast on them. That power is what allows them to work so fast.”

Importantly, says Dittmar, the DiGiCo consoles’ onboard processing contributed greatly to the production’s efficiency. “That’s what keeps us from having to patch in a lot of extra hardware, which slows the programming,” he explains. “The more you have outboard, the slower everything goes. The more stuff that you can keep in the desk, the faster they can patch and make changes and do what they need to do.”

As smooth as the final show production was, Dittmar says it was the rehearsals that were truly intense, and that that was where the DiGiCo desks’ capabilities really shone. “The pace of rehearsals is tougher than the pace of the actual show because that’s when you’re building things, you’re figuring things out,” he says. “A band is telling you that their input list changed, so we have to be able to be very, very fast with our ability to integrate those changes. This is the moment when it all comes together. From that, we build the snapshots that will make up the final show, and DiGiCo excels at that – being able to route things quickly and successfully. If all of a sudden we need dialog from a comedy act in the ears of someone on the upstage side, because they are going to have to react to the end of that comedy routine, we have to able do that quickly and accurately. So it’s never just the band on the turntable at the moment – it’s the entire show and everything that’s going on around it. And DiGiCo lets us manage that.”

The L-Acoustics loudspeaker concert sound system was equally stellar in its performance. It was, first and foremost perhaps, up to the task of filling an iconic space. Radio City Music Hall was designed as an acoustically perfect environment for music, and the venue’s management is extremely and understandably selective when it comes to allowing temporary systems to be deployed there.

“Radio City’s just such an amazing sounding place, it was imperative to have a system that performed well both musically and coherently,” he says, calling it “an honor and a spectacular experience” to bring an L-Acoustics system into that venue, and crediting Radio City’s tech staff for their help in doing so. “Dialog needed to be at the right levels of volume and intelligibility. This audience was one of the most reactive I’ve ever seen in my career – and intelligibility is vital to getting that level of reaction to comedy bits. At the same time, fidelity is paramount for music. With L-Acoustics, we had both.”

And with that combination of DiGiCo desks and L-Acoustics concert sound system, the audience at Radio City Music Hall that night got the show of a lifetime.

For more information on SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, visit www.peacocktv.com/stream-tv/snl-50-the-homecoming-concert. Firehouse Productions can be found online at www.firehouseproductions.com.

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Historic cultural centre delivers enhanced acoustics for diverse performances with professionally designed sound system from Bestec Audio

HOKKAIDO, Japan – March 2025 – Established in 1977 as a community hub for artistic and cultural engagement in northern Japan, the Sapporo Education and Culture Center—affectionately known as ‘Kyobun’—has enhanced its 360-seat Small Hall with an L-Acoustics professional sound system upgrade. After operating with increasingly outdated technology for over two decades, the venue partnered with L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor Bestec Audio to design and install a versatile solution that would support everything from formal ceremonies to theatrical performances.

First Impressions Aid Upgrade Choice

“I first experienced L-Acoustics in 2017 when Bestec Audio provided a Kiva II as a reference speaker for a mixing control board demo,” recalls Mr. Takada, Stage Manager, Business Department of the Sapporo City Arts and Culture Foundation. “The pristine sound from such a compact box impressed me immediately, and I knew then that L-Acoustics would be the ideal choice when we were ready to upgrade our Small Hall.”

The aging system’s critical maintenance issues—including dependence on obsolete PC software for amplifier control with no replacement options—created an urgent need for modernization to keep the Small Hall competitive alongside the Center’s larger performance spaces and conference facilities.

Precision Engineering for Versatile Performance

Bestec Audio designed a professional sound system centered around L-Acoustics A Series and X Series technology. The main system comprises a single proscenium centre array of one A10i Focus atop two A10i Wide with a KS21i subwoofer with side arrays of two A10i Focus atop one KS21i, both hidden behind screens. Panflex horizontal directivity adjustment provides precise coverage throughout the venue.

Two 5XT coaxial boxes are embedded in the stage lip for front-fill, while a pair of X8 provide out-fill. Two X8 boxes permanently rigged on each side backstage provide monitoring for performers, with an additional X12 and four X8 enclosures available as a foldback system. 

Permanently rigged X8 boxes backstage and mobile X12 and X8 enclosures provide stage monitoring.

For theatrical productions and music performances requiring additional impact, two mobile ground stacks—each containing two A10i Focus speakers on top of two KS21i subwoofers—can be positioned on either side of the stage. The entire system is driven by LA4X and LA2Xi amplified controllers.

Exceptional Clarity in Every Seat

“Although the hall is rather reverberant, the clarity has improved dramatically,” notes Ms. Kanamura from Horizon Art Co., Ltd., who manages audio in the Small Hall. “Previously, the sound felt harsh when you were close to the side speakers, but now the experience is comfortable whether you’re close or far away. This consistency applies across all event types—from lectures to music and dance performances—regardless of sound pressure level.”

The system’s performance has proven particularly impressive in challenging situations. “The side speakers are hidden behind a screen in the wall. There are times now when a speaker with a microphone stands directly in front of them, yet we do not encounter any feedback issues,” explains Mr. Takada.

Expanding Creative Possibilities

“The Education and Culture Hall focuses on performing arts such as opera and ballet. With our rejuvenated Small Hall complementing our larger venue, we can now stage a diverse range of performances across both spaces. The brand-new system benefits speech-oriented presentations while creating new opportunities for smaller cultural productions and event organizers,” concludes Mr. Takada.

For more information on the Sapporo Education and Culture Center, please visit www.kyobun.org. Learn more about Bestec Audio at www.bestecaudio.com

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New central Milan Manager platform simplifies access to the brand-agnostic network management software

BACKNANG, Germany and MARCOUSSIS, France – March 2025 – Following the successful launch of Milan Manager at InfoComm 2024, d&b audiotechnik and L-Acoustics announce the launch of milanmanager.com, a dedicated website for accessing this innovative network management solution. The platform serves as a unified resource for audio professionals and manufacturers seeking to implement Milan-AVB networks across various applications. The website provides a centralized, manufacturer-neutral location where all users can download Milan Manager software free of charge.

The launch of a dedicated Milan Manager website coincides with the release of Milan Manager V2.0. This major upgrade includes many new features, the most significant being the addition of an advanced offline mode that enables the pre-configuration of Milan-AVB networks using an embedded library of certified products. Designs can then be saved as a file for future use or directly applied to the devices once they are connected to the network.

The introduction of milanmanager.com and Milan Manager V2.0 marks a significant step in promoting the widespread adoption of Milan-AVB technology. Recently recognized by Mix magazine with the Best of Show award, the Milan Converged Media Network specification and certification continues to demonstrate its value to the professional audio community. This initiative demonstrates both companies’ commitment to fostering an open ecosystem that benefits the entire professional audio industry.

“The launch of milanmanager.com represents a milestone in simplified network management,” said Genio Kronauer, Executive Director of R&D, Technologies and Platforms at L-Acoustics. “This dedicated platform demonstrates our commitment to making Milan-AVB technology accessible to the entire professional audio community.”

“By providing a neutral, centralized resource for Milan Manager, we’re fostering broader adoption of Milan-AVB networks across the industry,” said Matthias Christner, Head of R&D Systems & Technologies at d&b audiotechnik. “This platform will serve as a foundation for continued collaboration and innovation.”

d&b audiotechnik and L-Acoustics remain actively committed to receiving feedback from the professional audio industry, particularly members of the Avnu Alliance. This ongoing dialogue ensures Milan Manager continues to evolve to meet the needs of the broader professional audio community.

Milan Manager continues to be free to use and provides essential features, including automatic device discovery, streamlined network configuration, and real-time status monitoring. The software’s intuitive interface allows users to efficiently manage Milan-AVB networks of any scale while maintaining optimal performance.

For more information and to download Milan Manager, visit: https://milanmanager.com/

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The largest basketball arena in the Big 12 conference and one of the largest campus b-ball arenas in the US now has next-generation L-Acoustics professional sound system to match its scale

PROVO, Utah – March 2025 – Brigham Young University’s Marriott Center in Provo, Utah has the largest seating capacity of any basketball arena in the Big 12 Conference and the eighth-largest seating capacity of any on-campus basketball arena in the United States, accommodating nearly 18,000 fans. What’s also big about the Marriott Center is its sound, as its quality has always been an important part of making the venue desirable for both fans and ballplayers. Over a decade ago, the University installed an L-Acoustics Kara PA system there that added a heightened sonic dimension for the BYU Cougars men’s and women’s basketball teams that call the venue home. In 2024, the Marriott Center did it again, this time installing a new L-Acoustics K2 system in time for the new college hoops season.

“The venue has sounded great for over a decade, but they wanted it to sound even bigger,” says Bryce Stettler, AV System Designer and Project Engineer at Poll Sound, the Salt Lake City-based integration firm that handled both projects. He notes that BYU was intimately familiar with L-Acoustics sound quality, given the arena’s prior Kara system, plus a dV-DOSC system installed at BYU’s 1,200-seat DeJong Concert Hall in 2009. “They wanted a more full-range sound to accommodate more kinds of music and L-Acoustics K2 was the perfect choice.”

The new professional sound system was primarily designed by Brad Streeter, Director of Audio Visual Services at BYU’s Office of Information Technology, in consultation with L-Acoustics engineers, and installed by Poll Sound, which also assisted with commissioning, tuning, and calibration. “Our primary motivation for upgrading to the K2 was headroom, particularly for sporting events, to be able to get above the noise of the crowd – led by BYU’s ROC [Roar of Cougars] student section – without overdriving the system. The additional headroom was needed without sacrificing sound quality and intelligibility,” says Streeter, adding that the arena is a multi-use facility that hosts a wide range of events, including a weekly campus-wide devotional, University commencement, music concerts, and dance performances.

The latest L-Acoustics installation comprises eight arrays of nine K2 each, which address the arena’s lower bowl seating below the concourse and are powered by LA12X amplified controllers. Coverage of the seating above the concourse is handled by 16 delayed arrays of one Kilo over five Kiva, each powered by recently-upgraded LA4X, while two arrays of six repurposed Kara enclosures flown adjacent to the central scoreboard cover the court floor. The system is rounded out by a pair of P1 processors, which feed signals to the amps and speakers over Milan-AVB.

Although most of the Kara from the previous system have been repurposed at other venues on campus, the delay speakers and subwoofers from the earlier installation remain in place. Speaking of low end, Stettler notes that K2’s ability to reach effortlessly down to 35 Hz has added tremendously to basketball’s bass-heavy culture there. “So much full range coming from each one of those arrays has been really helpful in maintaining the low end everywhere,” he says. “We’re actually getting a lot more low frequency reinforcement from the K2.”

The Marriott Center needed more impact for music and sound effects for games, as college basketball has become as much about entertainment as it is sport, but Stettler points out that the venue is also used for a number of other applications, such as live events, and those especially needed enhanced speech intelligibility. “In addition to impact for the games, they were also looking to enhance the sound of events held there,” he says, “so it was a big deal to keep it to where speech was really intelligible, especially for larger crowds.”

Brad Streeter, who also designed the professional sound system for Brigham Young University’s School of Music Building, competed in 2023, says the school has its own engineering team that has the depth to design the audio for venues such as these, as well as the ability to do much of its own systems integration, relying on Poll Sound as a partner for these kinds of larger projects. For the new system update at the Marriott Center, he says they were able to largely follow the same design as the previous system, for box location and positioning. “What’s great about L-Acoustics is that we knew what to expect from the new system, in terms of coverage and performance quality, even before it was installed thanks to Soundvision and our prior experience with Kara,” he says. “We knew going in that the K2 system would sound and perform great, which really gave us confidence in making this investment.”

Stettler says the Marriott Center is emblematic of college sports venues becoming more attuned to sports as a form of entertainment, with the need for more full-range sound. “We’ve spent a lot of time educating our bigger university clients as to the difference in a premium system like L-Acoustics, and now they’re starting to realize that there is a big difference in that,” he says. “They’re becoming a lot more aware of the brands that have become important in entertainment and that are finding their way into sports, more recently at the college level. This is a market that wants the same kind of sound that you come to expect from concert tours and professional sports, and L-Acoustics certainly provides that.”

For more details on BYU’s Marriott Center, visit https://ur.byu.edu/marriott-center. Poll Sound can be found online at www.pollsound.com.

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