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EAW helps historic Mabel Tainter Theater preserve its heritage with custom-crafted sound system
31/08/2026
Avolites D7 installed at Heaven London
26/08/2026
Aalborg Musikkens Hus favors Robe
14/08/2026
Tallinn College of Music and Ballet chooses DiGiCo Quantum 338 and Quantum 225 for building upgrades
10/08/2026
King’s Theatre Edinburgh upgrades with Robert Juliat
The King’s Theatre in Edinburgh, Scotland, built in 1906, has just emerged from a 4-year heritage redevelopment with major alterations to public and technical infrastructure. Home to a wide variety of entertainment from drama to dance, musicals to family shows, live music to pantomime, the redevelopment aimed to modernise facilities for audience, artists and technicians whilst protecting the historic character of the building.
As part of its technical upgrade and ongoing migration to LED fixtures, Bristol-based SLX supplied two Robert Juliat Arthur LT 800 W LED long-throw (4°-10°) followspots and eight Bizet 671SX (11°-26°) 500 W LED tunable white profiles, which were installed in the newly created followspot box and upper circle bridge positions.
“We needed a more powerful profile fixture for the new FOH lighting positions which, at 25 m from the stage, are further than we had before”, explains Heather Rolland, Senior Technician at the King’s Theatre. “As a major receiving house, we wanted a brand that would be instantly acceptable to all incoming productions.”
Rolland coordinated a shoot-out of top manufacturers’ products from the new lighting bridge, during which time SLX’s Ruari Cormack introduced her and her team to the RJ Bizet profiles. Capital Theatres first became aware of Bizet on a visit to the Robert Juliat factory in July 2025 when their Head of Electrics, Graham Raith, alongside Live Technology learned more about how Robert Juliat are pioneering colour and LED technology.
The King’s Theatre team included Rolland, Raith and John Robb, Capital Theatres Group’s Technical Director who led the King’s Theatre project. The Bizet profile was presented by Avril Cook, Product Specialist at Live Technology, RJ’s exclusive distributor for the UK, with Robert Juliat’s Product Manager Ludwig Lepage in support.
The team was careful to specify Bizet’s tunable white version to give them the broadest options going forward. “At the moment we want Bizet to imitate tungsten, but as lighting progresses in future it will be called on to be different things for different designers: to look like an LED source, to deliver more punch, to be tuned up for camera etc.”, shares Rolland. “Bizet will future proof us as technology develops and, as extra outputs are required, it’s handy to know we have eight on the bridge.”
Rolland already knew she wanted Arthur LT followspots to replace their old 1,200 W HMI RJ Super Korrigan units. “We found the Super Ks were no longer bright enough with the bigger, brighter rigs that were coming in before we closed”, she says. “Arthur LT was top of my wish list. It was always going to be a choice of manual followspots for us. Followspotting is a craft for live performance with an organic connection to the performer. There is an element of anticipation from the operator, and the disconnect caused through the data lag of an automated system doesn’t work for theatre in our view.”
“The Arthur LTs were a sensible choice and natural progression from the Super Korrigans”, she concludes. “The extra throw distance, increased power and LED source meant they are a ‘copy and paste’ from our original model, but bigger and with a more planet-friendly engine.”
Both the Arthur LTs were accessorised with Telrad sights, also available from Robert Juliat with a dedicated fixing kit. The King's Theatre officially reopened to the public with an open weekend on August 1 and 2, followed by the Edinburgh International Festival and a full programme of touring productions from September.
Pictured: Ruari Cormack, Heather Rolland, John Robb, Avril Cook, and Ludwig Lepage. (Photos: Ruari Cormack/Julie Harper/SLX)
Frontline equips Theater De Storm with large Robe lighting package
Theater De Storm in Winterswijk, Netherlands, has been a client of Martijn Klein Gebbink of Frontline Audio & Vision for twenty years, and last year, he delivered a package of 124 Robe lighting products, including twelve Esprite moving lights fitted with the HCF (High Colour Fidelity) LED engine, eighty T11 Profiles, twelve TX1 PosiProfiles and twenty T15 Fresnels.
The theatre has three halls - two used for theatre and concert productions and one for parties. The main hall seats 609 and the smaller one 219. The venue stages a host of different received shows, averaging six or seven a week. The new lights were part of a major LED upgrade and followed a shootout conducted some time earlier by Klein Gebbink, resulting in Robe being the chosen brand.
“We needed to replace the old profiles, PCs and fresnels”, says head technician Sander Wilderink, who has been working there eight years and works alongside Jocelyn Waalderbos, both of them taking care of all things technical, including lighting. The previous Profile zooms had covered a range of 17-43 degrees, which has now been expanded to 5-50 degrees with the T11 Profiles.
Additionally, for illuminating bands and musical shows in the main hall, the team decided on the Esprite HCFs. Originally, explains Wilderink, they thought that the TX1s would work in these rear positions, as the fixture is designed to operate both as a moving head profile or as a static but repositionable profile, but then realised a different type of luminaire would be a better choice. The Esprite HCFs also work as general back lighting, whatever the style of show onstage.
Wilderink also notes they wanted luminaires utilising the European style of focus methodology - with both plano convex lenses mounted facing each other on one side of the fixture. Most incoming shows will typically bring their own production lighting rigs to use above the stage and will utilise the house bridge, tower and side lighting. They can hook in their own consoles via DMX or sACN.
Klein Gebbink designed and installed a new power and data wiring infrastructure for the theatre which was part of this upgrade - after consulting with all those working there as to their specific needs. Now, wherever one might need to plug in a light, there is power and a DMX cable, which was all part of the master plan, including the installation of LSC Control Systems’ APS (Advanced Power System) power distribution.
This is one of the largest Robe installations that Frontline has supplied and installed to date. The company works on all sorts of projects involving lighting, video and audio and is also a rental company, with Robe LEDBeam 350s in its inventory, among other lights. The installation was completed within four weeks, during which time Theater De Storm ran on an interim setup - for seamless operation - before the final switchover.
Pictured (left to right): Twan Schipper from Robe Benelux distributor Controllux, Theater de Storm technicians Jocelyn Waalderbos and Sander Wilderink with Frontline Audio & Vision’s Martijn Klein Gebbink. (Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke/Theater de Storm)
Le Théâtre de Laval goes LED with Robert Juliat
Le Théâtre de Laval in North Western France has recently completed a project to modernise its lighting equipment. Adopting a sustainable approach, the theatre opted for a retrofit solution: converting existing equipment to LED rather than discarding their well-maintained fixtures. Audiolite, one of Robert Juliat distributors in France, supported the Theatre in this endeavour.
The three-year investment combined technical requirements, lighting design and low environmental impact. To uphold these criteria, and to address the gradual obsolescence of its halogen lighting inventory, Le Théâtre de Laval decided to convert more than seventy Robert Juliat profile spotlights to LED technology, retaining their existing optics, thereby extending the lifespan of equipment that is still fully operational.
Opened in 2007 following five years of reconstruction, and labelled Centre National de la Marionnette (National Puppetry Centre) since 2022, Le Théâtre de Laval is a multidisciplinary cultural venue offering a wide range of performances: dance, theatre, music and hybrid, innovative forms.
Rolled out between 2023 and 2025, this modernisation project covered the entire lighting system of the 580-seat Grande Salle Barbara Hendricks. The process involved forty-six Robert Juliat Sully 4C coloured-LED retrofit modules and twenty-eight Bizet 500 W variable-white lamp houses which converted the Theatre’s existing 1 kW RJ 600SX and 2 kW RJ 700SX profile spotlights respectively.
To complement these upgrades, the Theatre also purchased twenty Robert Juliat Dalis 860 LED cyclights. The stage, with a 20 m high by 16 m wide proscenium, now benefits from 8-colour mixing LED light sources offering a wide colour spectrum. The old halogen lamp houses from the 700SX units were not discarded - they were donated to other theatres, enabling them to refurbish their own equipment in turn.
Christophe Duteil and Ronan Le Gall, the Theatre’s lighting specialists, say they use the Sully 4C profile spotlights in full raw mode for dance and theatre. The Bizet lamp houses, meanwhile, have made it possible to convert the theatre’s traditional 700SX profile spots. Featuring a 500 W variable white LED light source, they offer remote adjustment of the colour temperature from 3,000 K to 6,300 K.
“The new Bizet profile spots are installed front of house and above the stage, whilst the Dalis cyclorama lights provide the stage with a wash of light - a feature that is particularly valuable for the theatre’s dance productions”, says Le Gall.
(Photos: Le Théâtre de Laval)
www.audiolite-sonorisation.com
Moorestown Friends School upgrades auditorium audio with Martin Audio Torus
Moorestown Friends School is a coeducational Quaker day school in Moorestown, New Jersey. Founded in 1785, it serves students from age three through to Grade 12. The school’s 48-acre campus was recently bolstered by a newly installed Martin Audio Torus sound system in its main auditorium.
To facilitate the upgrade, the school turned to New Jersey-based live event and system integration specialists Starlite. “We’ve been proud to partner with Moorestown Friends School on multiple projects over the years, providing professional AV, rigging, and lighting solutions tailored to their needs”, says Starlite’s Nick Minieri. “When it came time to upgrade their ageing sound system, in particular to enhance both sound quality and consistency of coverage, the school once again called on us.”
Starlite recognised the acoustic challenges of the space, which features wide, curved reflective surfaces and cavities along its rear wall. These challenges led to Starlite’s first deployment of Martin Audio’s Torus constant curvature line array, a system specifically designed to overcome such difficult acoustic environments. “We have used Martin Audio speakers in the past but this was our first deployment of the Torus Series”, confirms Minieri.
The final system design comprises two flown hangs, each featuring two Torus T1215 and one Torus T1230 array elements. “Having the consistency of the array we were able to focus on tuning the room and not ‘correcting’ the EQ of the boxes themselves”, notes Minieri. The main arrays were supplemented with a Martin Audio SX218 dual-18-inch subwoofer.
“Sub is often a requirement for the theatre spaces that we work in so the soundscapes that our end users create are immersive and utilise the entire frequency spectrum”, explains Minieri. “It also means that the venues can support a traveling music group or host events such as their own battle of the bands.”
The entire system is powered by a pair of Martin Audio iKon IK42 amplifiers. For this project, the iKon amplifiers were also utilised for their onboard DSP to handle all room tuning. “This was fantastic to eliminate a failure point and have the ability to save our customer the extra cost of a dedicated audio DSP processor”, says Minieri.
The final installation represents a future-proof upgrade. “We were confident we could deliver a system to support the school’s performances, assemblies, and community gatherings for years to come”, concludes Minieri. “Thanks to the Martin Audio Torus system, the school now benefits from full-range sound to every seat in the house.”
(Photos: Martin Audio)
EAW helps historic Mabel Tainter Theater preserve its heritage with custom-crafted sound system
With hand-carved woodwork, hand-painted stenciling, angled surfaces and a uniquely shaped auditorium originally designed for Vaudeville theater, The Mabel Tainter Theater in Menomonie, Wisconsin, built in 1889, is both visually stunning and acoustically unconventional. Today, it hosts everything from plays and musicals to concerts, weddings and community events.
The venue’s previous system, a point-source setup installed in 2007, struggled to keep up with the demands of modern productions. “It was difficult to get any meaningful gain before feedback with actor microphones”, says Spencer Berndt, Technical Facilities Manager at The Mabel Tainter. “And balancing the pit with the stage was always a challenge. I could make certain things quieter, but I couldn’t make the actors or pit any louder.”
Systems Engineer and Integration Designer Jonathan Harlfinger, of Metro Sound & Video, says he immediately recognized the AC6 as the right fit. “When I saw these speakers debut at a trade show, I told Spencer, ‘These would be a fantastic fit’,” he states. “We’ve used them in large cathedrals and smaller contemporary churches, and they’ve always performed well. The size, the performance, the flexibility - it all made sense for a space like this.”
The AC6 also needed to visually disappear into the venue’s ornate proscenium. That meant custom paint. Working closely with Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW), the team embarked on a meticulous color-matching process using Rosco’s Metallix paint line. After testing multiple blends, they landed on an 80-percent bronze, 20-percent gold mixture that matched the surrounding woodwork under the venue’s lighting conditions.
Then came the stenciling. Berndt enlisted local artist Wade Lambrigsten, owner of Vintage Sign Shop, who handles much of the venue’s decorative work, to recreate the building’s historic stencil pattern directly onto the speaker grills. EAW shipped the grills separately so the artwork could be applied before final assembly. “It was a dance”, Berndt laughs. “But absolutely worth it. In low light, you almost can’t even tell the speakers are there. People who come to shows don’t even notice visually that we installed a new system.”
Beyond aesthetics, AC6 has dramatically improved the venue’s sound fidelity and flexibility, according to Harlfinger. For Berndt, the upgrade has unlocked entirely new workflow possibilities: “One of the biggest things is that I can finally use area microphones”, he says. “Before, stage sound was such a big issue. Now I can capture more of the space, create a better stereo image and actually mix the pit without worrying about feedback.”
AC6’s Adaptive technology, paired with EAW’s Resolution software, gives The Mabel Tainter control over where sound goes inside its auditorium. Coverage can be shaped and adjusted to match the room’s angled surfaces and varied seating areas, directing sound to the audience and away from reflective surfaces that have long worked against the space’s acoustics.
(Photos: EAW)
Montreal’s Place des Arts installs Arthur LT LED followspots from Robert Juliat
Place des Arts, Canada’s largest performing arts center, has modernized its followspot inventory with the purchase of Robert Juliat Arthur LT long throw LED followspots, supplied by ACT Entertainment.
A current Robert Juliat Cyrano followspot user, Place des Arts recently upgraded to the Arthur LT fixtures in two of its busiest venues. The installation includes four Arthur LT units at Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier, the Montreal-based center’s largest theatre, and two units at Théâtre Maisonneuve.
“We have always been a Robert Juliat user”, comments Guy Levesque, Technical Manager for Infrastructure and Equipment at Place des Arts. “The challenge wasn’t finding a brand we trust, it was finding an LED followspot that had the power and quality we require for our venues.”
Responsible for the lighting, audio, video and stage equipment at Place des Arts’ six performance spaces, Levesque understands the demands of venue infrastructure. Followspots are often positioned significant distances from the stages and must deliver consistent performance across a wide variety of productions. Television broadcasts, in particular, impose stringent requirements on brightness, beam quality and consistency.
Over the years, Place des Arts evaluated numerous alternatives as the industry shifted toward LED technology. While benefits such as reduced maintenance, lower power consumption and longer operational life were clear, many solutions failed to match the output required for large-scale theatrical applications. That changed when the team tested the Arthur LT.
As a publicly funded cultural institution, environmental responsibility is also an increasingly important consideration for Place des Arts. The reduced energy consumption of the Arthur LT aligns with broader organizational objectives while lowering operating costs and helping the organization meet its sustainability goals. Additionally, unlike traditional lamp-based followspots that require periodic lamp replacements, the Arthur LT significantly reduces maintenance requirements and minimizes downtime.
Pictured: Guy Levesque (Technical Manager, Place des Arts), Benoit Dubord (Head of Lighting, Place des Arts) and Jarku Tang (Asst. Head of Lighting, Place des Arts). (Photos: ACT Entertainment/Robert Juliat/Place des Arts)
Lightware UCX delivers campus-wide connectivity to Leiden University
Leiden University’s new Campus Spui, located in the heart of The Hague, Netherlands, opened in February 2026 following the transformation of a former department store into an academic hub. The campus brings together around 4,000 students from partner institutions such as TU Delft, the Open Universiteit, LUMC and Universiteiten van Nederland.
To support teaching, collaboration and flexible room use across the new site, Leiden University required a standardized AV infrastructure that could be used by staff and students in every space. The primary goal was to create a consistent AV experience across campus, supporting spaces ranging from large lecture halls and classrooms to self-study areas, offices, and meeting hubs.
Thijs van Veen, AV Project Leader at Leiden University, led the design, specifying a range of Taurus UCX devices from Lightware to facilitate teaching and collaboration experiences. The Dante-enabled Taurus UCX-4x2-HC30D universal matrix switchers feature in larger lecture halls and hybrid classrooms, while Taurus UCX-4x2-HC30 units are installed in standard classrooms, offices and smaller spaces. “We’ve also implemented a custom welcome screen to guide users in selecting their input, making the system even more intuitive”, says van Veen. Installation was carried out by systems integrator Adaptable.
The UCX allows lecturers and students to connect laptops to the AV equipment in each space. With 4K video, audio, control signals and power delivered over a single cable, users can begin teaching or sharing content with minimal setup time required. The system also supports switching between devices, allowing multiple teaching resources to be used at the same time. “The USB 3.1 Gen 1 connectivity is a key part of the system, offering power and data delivery at speeds up to 5 Gbps and video capabilities up to 4K @ 60Hz at 4:4:4”, explains van Veen.
The UCX forms the core of every educational room across the campus. Large lecture halls and hybrid classrooms, which require additional hardware to meet their specific audio and AV needs, use Taurus UCX-4x2-HC30D switchers with Dante/AES67 support, while standard classrooms, offices, and smaller study spaces use the UCX-4x2-HC30. Lightware’s Taurus TPX-4x3-TX20-RX107-bundles are used selectively where cabling constraints exist, while UCX remains the primary platform.
The UCX units integrate seamlessly with the university’s Q-Sys audio system, managing DSP, sound distribution, and reinforcement. This ensures consistent audio and video across different room types, while allowing hybrid participants to see and hear content as effectively as those in the room. BYOD integration also allows students and lecturers to share content in real time.
“Teachers have been very positive about UCX’s USB-C charging capabilities, because it means they can leave their heavy chargers at home or at their desk”, says Colin Staphorst, AV Technician at Leiden University. “That’s the part of the system they really notice; everything else works so seamlessly in the background they don’t even need to think about it.”
The Lightware system is quickly becoming the university-wide standard, with over sixty percent of the institution now using the standardized setup. “We plan to expand further in the future”, notifies van Veen. “Eventually, the UCX and TPX will be the only signal management devices used in 376 educational spaces.”
(Photos: Lightware)
Avolites D7 installed at Heaven London
Heaven, one of London’s most iconic gay nightclubs, has recently installed a new Avolites D7 console in its main room, delivered via technical production and installation specialist Subfrantic, to provide flexible lighting and pixel control for the main room, a high-energy dance environment open seven nights a week.
Located under the Charing Cross railway arches on Villiers Street at the core of London’s West End, Heaven has been a safe space and entertainment hub for London’s LGBTQ+ community since its opening in 1979. It occupies three-and-a-half arched tunnels, with a total capacity of 1,725, and is known for a musical mix of electro pop, techno and dance, often with live bands and drag acts for additional flair.
The console upgrade project was led by the venue’s head of lighting, Shane Finucane, and regular programmer/operator Dan Sanders, who were looking to upgrade the previous Avolites Sapphire Touch console that had been installed around ten years ago. The old console needed replacing with faster and more contemporary technology, and this coincided with Avolites revealing its portable “next gen” D7 range, complete with all the futureproofing and functionality they sought.
Sanders has been an Avolites user for three decades, so is already very familiar with Avo’s Titan software architecture, and the two smaller rooms at Heaven also run on a Titan T1 setup. The main room demanded a potent console for programming the often complex looks and sequences needed to enhance the dance music experience, and a platform that worked for guest LDs.
Running lights at the club is a completely hands-on experience for Sanders who mostly freestyles, and while he doesn’t need a massive amount of programming macros, he does utilise every last flash button to craft this syncopated style of operation. He likes to play his console like a classic keyboard. “I like a certain level of tactility and granularity on these, so you know exactly what to expect when you’re playing arpeggios - exactly how much muscle power to apply, etc.”, he enthuses.
He finds that this fluid and kinetic workflow is vital, especially for lighting trance and heavier dance genres, where multiple lighting effects can be applied simultaneously to offer the best visual effects down on the dancefloor. “Everything is in these faders, including a degree of separation so the lighting rig effectively becomes like an orchestra of performers and instruments”, he says.
Feeling the atmosphere as the night progresses is also vital, Sanders notes, as this can shift quite dramatically depending on groups that are coming and going from the dancefloor, and all lighting operators need to be tuned in to this. He says he appreciates the D7’s playback touch screens and the Active Playback Window, usually having twenty or thirty open on the centre screen when running a show, plus running virtual playbacks for haze, video wall intensity and the group master. He uses the ten macro buttons along the bottom for his strobe bumps, and he also adds his own sixteen-button InTech MIDI trigger pad to playback effects out of sight of the window.
Heaven’s D7 is currently controlling approximately fifty intelligent lights, primarily Robe Pointes and LED washes, and it also triggers the five video walls and lasers. On top of that, there are thirty-six channels of incandescent lighting.
Avolites has been a key component of Subfrantic’s rental inventory since the late 1990s, with Pearls, Tigers, Sapphires and Arenas and now their first D7-215 available for shows and events. This D7 is the first lighting console that Subfrantic has sold to Heaven, but their initial encounter with the club was back in 2005, when the company purchased Heaven’s then-old PA system and repurposed it for another client.
(Photo: Sarah O’Gorman)
Tateside delivers design-led AV integration at Maslow’s Kensington
Maslow’s operates three premier private members’ houses across London, blending modern coworking spaces with boutique gyms, wellness studios and hospitality-led environments. The group recently opened Maslow’s Kensington.
With AV playing an essential role in shaping the atmosphere and day-to-day functionality of the new site, Tateside was appointed to deliver a networked audio system, building on an existing relationship across Maslow’s other locations. “We designed a fully networked background audio system throughout the social and wellness areas, along with BYOD setups in presentation spaces and meeting rooms”, explains Jack Cornish, Technical Director at Tateside.
The open-plan living room, which functions as a bar, dining area and presentation space, is equipped with a discreet presentation system comprising a drop-down Epson laser projector, in-ceiling projection screen, video switching, Airtame wireless presentation and Apple TV, managed through a 5-inch Q-Sys control panel.
“The living room’s semi-exposed ceiling and architectural rafts required careful coordination”, says Cornish. “The projection screen was concealed above the raft detail, while the projector was positioned between the rafts to minimise its visual impact.” The audio design was also carefully planned. Four Martin Audio loudspeakers were mounted on drop rods to provide main coverage, supported by Sonance pendant speakers positioned between rafts.
“Finding space for low-frequency reinforcement was more challenging, as the room’s layout left little room for traditional subwoofer placement”, Cornish details. “To overcome this, we specified 1 Sound floor subwoofers, which were integrated into discreet joinery locations - two concealed within a retro-style joinery pieces and two positioned beneath a plinth detail with scalloped wood finish.”
The upstairs Orangery mirrors the living room’s presentation capabilities. “Whether using the projector downstairs or the TV upstairs, we wanted to ensure staff had the same user experience”, says Cornish. This focus on accessibility continues across the building’s nine meeting rooms. On entering each room, users are greeted by a custom-branded Airtame splash screen, while a USB-C cable at the table allows them to connect their own device and automatically switch the room into video conferencing mode, with the camera, microphone and loudspeakers routed back to their laptop.
“As a coworking space, BYOD capability is incredibly important”, continues Cornish. “Rather than forcing users into a specific room system, the AV setup supports whatever they bring, giving members and visitors the freedom to run meetings through their own preferred platforms.” Across the meeting rooms, Tateside combined Neat Bar 2 and Neat Bar Pro systems with Ashton Bentley extenders, Airtame wireless presentation and automatic switching, supported by iPad booking panels.
Tateside also delivered audio across the building’s wellness areas. In the gym, Sonance pendant speakers are supported by an Audac compact architectural subwoofer to bring greater energy and impact, while Sonance in-ceiling speakers provide a more restrained, instructor-led listening experience to the yoga-focused studio. Both areas feature Audac NWP300 Dante Bluetooth plates, allowing instructors to connect their own devices, with Pragma Someo wall-mounted volume controls integrated back into the Q-Sys system for simple adjustment.
Upstairs, the pied-à-terre and adjoining coworking area required a more understated background audio approach, with Sonance pendant and in-ceiling speakers maintaining a consistent feel across the building.
(Photos: Tateside)
XLR deploys L-Acoustics K3 in Wallonia’s largest live music venue
OM, a venue located in Seraing, Belgium, on the banks of the Meuse just outside Liège, is the largest live music space in Wallonia. Opened in October 2023, its main room holds up to 1,700 people and programmes everything from metal and jazz to techno and hip-hop.
According to Venue Director Fabrice Lamproye, installing an appropriate audio system has been a challenge - the technical brief demanded festival-grade SPL and full-bandwidth coverage in a space where neither visual bulk nor subwoofer sprawl were acceptable. L-Acoustics Certified Provider XLR was brought on board to deliver the project. Their proposed solution: L-Acoustics K3.
“As someone from Liège, I come to OM almost every week as a punter”, says XLR CEO Louis Lukusa. “I was personally invested in getting this right.” XLR has over fifteen years’ experience deploying L-Acoustics across Belgium and Luxembourg, distributing across theatres, cultural centres, clubs and bars.
OM’s brief was to design and deploy a system that would perform consistently across every genre. It had to be high-spec enough to satisfy the expectations of international touring productions, all without visually dominating the design of a relatively intimate space. K3 turned out to answer both requirements: rated 40 Hz to 20 kHz with no external subwoofer dependency, it delivers full-range output in a package compact enough to disappear into the room.
“We didn’t have to rely on additional subwoofer deployment to fill out the low end”, Lukusa notes. Fabrice Lamproye, OM’s team coordinator and booking agent, adds: “We’ve been working with L-Acoustics for years now, we have another system in a smaller venue that we’re really happy with, and that’s why we opted for K3 at OM.”
With K3 selected, XLR moved into the design phase using L-Acoustics Soundvision, modelling the system to verify the coverage predictions and refine the speaker positions. OM’s 1950s industrial design means that its acoustic environment can be challenging, and being able to model and plan for this in Soundvision before a single cabinet was hung made a significant difference, according to the team. “With eight K3 per side, we could cover 100 percent of the audience area without a single delay speaker”, says Lukusa. “We achieved about 3 dB distribution across the full audience and a sound integrity figure of almost 93 percent.”
The main system centres on two hangs of eight K3 per side - the install variant of K3, specified here for its permanent rigging credentials. Subwoofer coverage is delivered by four KS28 per side, flown alongside the main arrays rather than ground-stacked. The side-hung configuration serves the venue’s electronic programme well, supporting the kind of stereo bass imaging that these genres demand. A pair of X12 address the near-field in-fill areas, while four A10 Wide are deployed as front-fills. Six LA12X supply amplification.
“We wanted to bring the feeling of a big festival into a mid-size venue, and that’s exactly what we’ve done”, Lamproye concludes.
Pictured: Johnny Marr performing at OM. (Photos: Alexandre Aretz/Goldo)
Wilminktheater and Muziekcentrum Enschede upgrade with Robe
The Muziekcentrum is one of three entertainment venues operating on the same site in Enschede in the eastern Netherlands, and recently, the old house orchestral lighting has been replaced with sixteen Robe T1 Profiles and sixteen T1 PC moving lights, all delivered by Robe’s Benelux distributor, Controllux.
Wilminktheater is the theatre space in the same complex. Head of lighting Paul de Vries has been there since 2008, when it first opened, and he collaborates closely with Robin Bijker, head of technical for the Muziekcentrum. The Wilminktheater has a capacity of 1,000, and the Muziekcentrum concert hall building can accommodate 1,800 people standing and 800 seated.
These latest lights - which boosted the existing Robe products on the site - were purchased primarily to provide special orchestra lighting for the concert hall space. The Phion - Orkest van Gelderland en Overijssel is one of the symphony orchestras regularly using the Muziekcentrum for rehearsals, concerts, and choral recitals, and this was the first orchestral venue in the Netherlands to use moving LED lights for this specific purpose.
Before the T1s arrived, the orchestra was lit with a series of aging MultiPARs which had been in place for around twenty years. The fact that the T1s have a host of multipurpose features was a bonus for the pop concerts that are also staged in the venue, but “suitable for orchestra” was the first criterion.
Previously, when concerts were staged in the Muziekcentrum, de Vries and the crew would purloin lights - including their existing Robe products - from the Theatre venue’s lighting rig for the evening. That included the Theatre’s own Robe T1 Profiles, which were installed in 2018, CycBar 15s, which arrived in 2021 and LEDBeam 350s purchased in 2023. The Muziekcentrum also already had some Robe moving lights in situ, in the form of sixteen T2 Profiles that were added in 2023 for front lighting, together with another eight T2s that are part of the theatre house rig.
Previously, the orchestra’s musicians were not convinced about LED sources, says de Vries. “Like many in theatre, they initially thought outputs were low and the CRI was simply not hitting the mark”, he explains. “But of course, LED technology has advanced massively in the last five years, so when we showed them the T1 output and the CRI, they were impressed.”
The Wilminktheater en Muziekcentrum Enschede in-house team light all the orchestral shows themselves, and their lighting rigs are used by the vast majority of the incoming “received” shows in all venues. Additionally, they also stage their own productions for which all technical elements are delivered in-house by a technical team of fourteen, covering all departments and disciplines.
Activities across the three venues on this site and two more in Enschede city centre - that are also administered and run by the Wilminktheater Muziekcentrum Enschede organisation - account for around 670 diverse shows and events annually.
(Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)
Canada’s La Salle Odyssée multi-venue arts complex installs three Solid State Logic Live mixing consoles
La Salle Odyssée, an 830-plus-seat venue located within La Maison de la Culture de Gatineau in Canada, underwent a major upgrade in 2024, during which almost its entire complement of technical equipment was replaced. On the audio side, the venue’s in-house technical team selected three Solid State Logic Live mixing consoles to handle the wide variety of entertainment that passes through the venue annually.
“We host all kinds of performances, ranging from local to international productions”, says Joel Vaillancourt, Technical Director at La Maison de la Culture de Gatineau, a multi-venue arts and entertainment complex situated just north of Ottawa. “Whether it’s comedy, vocal performances, theatre, dance, circus acts, or jazz, country, pop, and symphonic music - and even live podcasts - we’ve got it all.”
Vaillancourt and his technical team carried out their due diligence before determining that an SSL Live L550 Plus, L350 Plus and L100 Plus, along with a Live Remote Tile, met their requirements. “We put the console to the test by comparing it head-to-head, in real-world conditions, with top-of-the-line models from five other major manufacturers”, he explains. “SSL products outperformed the competition across all our key criteria.”
The three Live consoles were selected to cover a range of applications at the venue. “The SSL L100 Plus is for tight spaces and our small cabaret events, the L350 Plus is mainly for front-of-house, and the L550 Plus is for when we need a monitor mix or for more demanding events”, says Vaillancourt. In the main Odyssée Hall, the console primarily drives the P.A. system in left/right or LCR configurations, and sometimes in surround sound, depending on the requirements. “However, we also use smaller, more portable left/right systems, floor monitors and in-ear monitors”, he adds.
According to Vaillancourt, SSL Live’s onboard DSP capabilities are so comprehensive that the venue has no need for outboard processing. “We’re perfectly happy with what’s included in the console”, he concludes. The consoles are integrated with three X-Light Bridges, three SB 32.24 Dante Analogue Stageboxes, and two SB 16.12 Dante Analogue Stageboxes, and are connected to a dedicated Dante network reserved exclusively for audio. All the SSL equipment was supplied by Perfecson, a sales, integration and service company also located in Gatineau.
Solid State Logic will be holding live demonstrations every day at the PLASA Show 2026 (September 6-8, Olympia, London).
(Photo: Solid State Logic)
ADJ powers interactive entertainment at Calgary’s PinPointe Social
When PinPointe Social opened its doors in Calgary, Alberta, it set out to create something beyond a traditional darts venue. Combining next-generation interactive gaming, dining, handcrafted cocktails, and a vibrant nightlife experience, the venue offers guests an immersive social destination where technology and entertainment converge.
Inspired by entertainment venues in Las Vegas, PinPointe Social was created by serial entrepreneur Barry Ehlert. Bringing together audio, video and lighting systems that integrate seamlessly was essential to Ehlert’s vision. The task of designing, supplying, and installing the AVL system fell to Calgary-based Digital Media Integrations, led by Dustin Milne. An extensive ADJ lighting system helps establish the venue’s energetic atmosphere. It also integrates directly with gameplay and transforms the space into a nightclub destination on weekends.
“Leading Edge Construction was the primary general contractor and then they subbed out the electrical to Calibre Electric”, says Milne. “We’re good friends with the guys at both of those companies and have worked with them for a long time on numerous other projects. Calibre brought us in because they understood out of the gate that there was a need for a very technical, extensive layout of AVL equipment, and that’s our speciality.”
“We provided and installed all the audio, video and lighting equipment as well as the network infrastructure”, he continues. “It’s a full sACN network, with five four-port Obsidian nodes and a dedicated DMX universe for each darts suite. We then collaborated with the guys from the venue who developed their own games system which we integrated with the show control system to allow the games to trigger lighting, video and audio cues.”
PinPointe Social features twelve private darts suites equipped with real dart boards and camera-tracked scoring technology, offering guests eight different game modes. Lighting plays a key role in enhancing the action, with every suite fitted with a pair of ADJ Focus Spot 5Z moving head fixtures that respond dynamically to gameplay events.
“We didn’t have tons of ceiling height in this place but still wanted to keep everything as high up as we could”, explains Milne. “The Focus Spot 5Z is pretty small, but it’s still got lots of output. It also has two color wheels, a separate gobo wheel, two prisms and two frost filters, so we can do a lot with just two lights in that suite for lighting cues based on the gameplay.”
Beyond the individual darts suites, Digital Media Integrations also designed a comprehensive lighting system for the venue’s central social space. During the daytime and early evening, the fixtures provide subtle ambient illumination that complements the venue’s aesthetic. Later in the evening, however, the space transforms completely. Under the banner of “NightShift by PinPointe Social”, the venue hosts live DJs every Friday and Saturday night from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m., turning the central area into a nightlife destination. To mark the transition, Milne and his team programmed a time-coded introductory show sequence featuring synchronized lighting effects and atmospheric haze generated by a pair of ADJ Entourage haze machines.
“I have visited many high-end lounges in Vegas over the years and wanted to bring an experience like that to Calgary where we have one concept by day and a whole other by night”, says Ehlert. “The ADJ fixtures - together with the design Digital Media came up with - delivered that. We have daytime operating presets and then we can trigger the ‘NightShift’, a button DMI programmed that gives us a 6-minute lighting show that’s all synchronized to the video walls and audio track.”
For the main room spots, Milne selected ADJ’s Focus Spot 6Z moving head fixtures, the larger sibling to the Focus Spot 5Z. “For lighting the main area, which becomes the dancefloor late at night, we took a step up to the 6Z” comments Milne. “It’s that bit brighter and adds an extra gobo wheel. Those fixtures allow us to create energy on the dancefloor with piercing beams and sharp pattern projections.”
The main rig also incorporates ADJ Focus Flex L7 moving head wash-beam fixtures. “We make use of the Focus Flex L7 in different ways throughout the venue’s operating day. During the daytime, we have them set on a nice warm white and zoomed in tight to serve as downlighters that add to the atmosphere of the space. At night, we make use of their pixel-mapping capabilities to inject further energy that enhances the DJ sets.”
Working alongside Milne as Lighting Designer and Programmer, Joseph Wolff was responsible for creating a both the daytime scenes and “NightShift” transformation time-coded lightshow. “The venue is designed to host everything from corporate events to birthday parties and group outings, before transitioning into a high-energy club environment later in the evening”, says Wolff. “Built on an Onyx NX2 console with Dylos integration, the system gave me the flexibility to develop layered looks and themes that adapt to the room’s changing energy.”
“The compact size of the Focus Spot 5Z and Focus Spo 6Z fixtures, combined with their fast pan and tilt, made them an ideal choice for the space, allowing for dynamic movement and impactful looks without overwhelming the room”, he furthers. “The Focus Flex L7 washes added color rendering and smooth coverage, helping to tie everything together visually. One of the most rewarding parts of the project was programming the ‘NightShift’ transition. We’re also continuing to build on that experience with additional custom-programmed lighting for bottle service.”
(Photos: ADJ/PinPointe Social)
Aalborg Musikkens Hus favors Robe
Musikkens Hus (House of Music) in Aalborg, Denmark, offers a 1300-capacity main concert hall, a 600-capacity recital hall, plus numerous practice rooms and is home to the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra and The Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg. Its music programme offers approximately 300 concerts and live performances a year, including orchestral, choral and classical, as well as acoustic and amplified rock and pop shows. The venue additionally hosts a range of corporate and business events.
The moving lights in the main hall are now all Robe: a combination of T1 Profiles and T1 Fresnels with LEDBeam 350s. The LEDBeams were delivered this year by Robe’s Danish distributor, Light Partner. Musikkens Hus production director Peter Klokker Iversen (pictured) and head of lighting Jonas Kjærulff have made all the decisions related to which lights to specify, which started with twelve Pointes in 2016. They joined the inventory as part of a rock and roll package to offer appropriate lighting for the rock and pop gigs.
The T1 Profile investment of fourteen fixtures happened in 2019, and this was specifically for providing front and key lighting for whatever action was happening onstage in the main hall. When they started looking for a wash light, it made sense to stay with the same family of lights and purchase the T1 Fresnels, which arrived in 2024. “The colour continuity was a perfect match”, notes Klokker Iversen.
Before making a new technical investment, Klokker Iversen and Kjærulff will look closely at technical riders and at the extras being brought in by different productions, as well as keeping an ear to the ground generally out there in the industry, and a combination of these factors led them to purchase the forty LEDBeam 350s.
(Photos: Louise Stickland/Paul Clarke)
Renkus-Heinz C Series delivers sound at Mahindra University auditorium
Mahindra University, private university in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, offers courses spanning engineering, law, media and design. An integral part of the campus is the Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam Auditorium, a multipurpose space developed as part of a wider campus expansion and used for events, musical performances, seminars and daily classroom lectures.
To support both teaching and cultural programming, the university installed a Renkus-Heinz C Series point source system. The design brings together two passive CX151B Complex Conic loudspeakers, ten compact, passive coaxial CX61B loudspeakers and ten DRS18-2B subwoofers, creating a full-range reinforcement solution that provides even coverage, controlled output and intelligibility throughout the 1,100-seat space.
System design and specification were led by Sriram B.R., Design Director at AV consultancy firm Sonics, with CMPPL responsible for integration. Alphatec, Renkus-Heinz’s local distributor, supported setup and commissioning, while Audio-Technica microphones improved voice capture and audience interaction. “Before the new system was installed, students had to share microphones during lectures and sessions, so improving voice reinforcement was an important consideration”, says Sriram.
“The auditorium is an enclosed, air-conditioned space with no windows, making acoustic control especially important”, he continues. “We worked closely with the architects to ensure loudspeaker placement met both acoustic and aesthetic requirements. By integrating the system around the stage and proscenium area, with key elements mounted high above the front of the stage, we were able to direct sound precisely into the raked seating area while maintaining clear front-to-back coverage and minimizing visual impact. The compact C Series form factor made this easier.”
Acoustic containment was also central to the design. “It was imperative that the sound stayed within the auditorium to avoid excessive sound spill”, says Narasa Raju, Manager at Tech Mahindra. “The new system ensures every note and every word can be heard clearly within the room, without leaking into surrounding areas of the campus.” System control is managed via Dante and a touch panel with presets, allowing university staff to operate the room. “Only a small amount of training was needed, and staff now benefit from smooth day-to-day operation”, Raju notes.
Beyond the loudspeaker system, the auditorium was equipped with a wider AV infrastructure, including wireless microphones, a pass-around microphone, mixing, DSP, switching, video systems, screens and cameras to support teaching, presentations and event production.
The auditorium remains future-ready, with the audio system providing a foundation for planned enhancements such as a large video wall. The university is also considering further development, including building two additional smaller halls. “Based on the performance of the auditorium system, we would definitely consider Renkus-Heinz again for future AV rollouts at the university”, says Raju.
(Photos: Renkus-Heinz)
KV2 Audio powers upgrade at Lisbon’s K Urban Beach Club
Located on the banks of the Tagus River, K Urban Beach Club in Lisbon, Portugal, operates as a restaurant, cocktail bar and nightclub, offering both indoor and outdoor spaces including a dancefloor, terrace and swimming pool. The venue recently upgraded its sound system, choosing KV2 Audio gear.
As one of Lisbon’s premier nightlife attractions, the club welcomes a mix of local and international guests, all of whom expect an immersive musical experience. Combining a relaxed beach lounge with intense nightclub energy, K Urban Beach Club required an audio solution that could support its wide range of events. With the existing sound system beginning to show its age, Urban Beach’s owners decided it was time for a more powerful and future-ready replacement.
Following an initial evaluation of KV2’s portfolio and detailed exchanges of technical specifications, venue plans and requirements, the project progressed to an on-site assessment. KV2 sent system engineer Jakub Suchomel to assess the club environment.
“We performed an in-depth analysis of the venue’s architectural and acoustic challenges, which provided critical insights into the requirements for audio design”, says Suchomel. “The result was the official selection of KV2’s point-source solutions for Urban Beach’s audio upgrade, establishing the foundation for the first phase of the project.”
“The plan grew to include a complete transformation of the club’s main dance floor”, Suchomel continues. “The new audio system included a broad selection of KV2’s portfolio, featuring the SL Series at the main PA in a quad double-stereo configuration.”
In the club’s main room, four SL412 wide-dispersion loudspeaker systems were deployed. At the sides of the main room, four ESD15 boxes provide flat, full-range reproduction, optimised for live output, while the peripheral areas were fitted with four ESD8 passive two-way units and eight compact ESD6 loudspeakers.
Twelve ES1.8 subwoofers, powered by dedicated VHD32000 amplification, provide controlled low-frequency performance. The loudspeaker system is supported by a network of KV2 amplifiers, including four ESP2000s, six SL3000s and three VHD3200s.
In the second room, two SL412 loudspeakers were installed alongside the existing audio infrastructure, including subwoofers, monitoring system, and amplification. “The second room upgrade was intentionally designed as a phased approach”, says Suchomel. “The club benefits from improved audio quality, without having to replace the entire system all at once.”
This was also the case for the DJ monitoring system which reuses parts of the original sound system as a temporary solution to fit the customer’s requirements. “Further modernisations are already being considered, with additional KV2 components expected to be introduced as the project progresses”, Suchomel concludes.
(Photo: KV2 Audio/K Urban Beach Club)
„MegaPark“ Mallorca installiert neues Beschallungssystem von Meyer Sound
Der „MegaPark“ auf Mallorca - ein Clubkomplex, der während der Saison täglich tausende internationale Besucher empfängt und ein Programm aus Live-Acts, DJs, Tagespartys und Abendshows bietet - hat in eine neue Beschallungslösung investiert.
„Bei unserem vorherigen Soundsystem hatten wir ernsthafte Probleme mit Schallemissionen“, erklärt Daniel Morales, Sound Engineer im „MegaPark“. „Daher suchten wir nach einer Lösung, die mehr Kontrolle bietet und trotzdem hohe Pegel und überall eine gleichmäßig gute Coverage erreichen würde.“
Mit einer dezentralen Meyer-Sound-Installation aus Ultra-Family-Lautsprechern, 2100-LFC-(Low-Frequency Control)-Elements, MM-4XP- und MM-10XP-Systemen sowie Galileo-Galaxy-Prozessoren wurde ein System realisiert, das auf viele individuell kontrollierbare Beschallungspunkte setzt.
„Wir wollten die Lautsprecher näher ans Publikum bringen, um die Schallabstrahlung nach außen zu reduzieren und gleichzeitig mehr Klarheit auf den Flächen zu erreichen“, sagt Morales. „Deshalb haben wir uns entschieden, viele Lautsprecher verteilt zu hängen, statt mit einer einzigen großen Main-PA zu arbeiten.“
Der „MegaPark“ ist kein klassischer Clubraum. Vom Eingangsbereich über die zentrale Partyfläche bis zu den VIP-Zonen muss die Beschallung jeweils anders arbeiten und dennoch als zusammenhängendes System funktionieren. Eine zentrale Rolle spielt dabei die AVB-basierte Systemstruktur. Sie ermöglicht es, zahlreiche Lautsprecherpositionen effizient einzubinden und einzelne Audioelemente unabhängig voneinander zu kontrollieren. „AVB war die Lösung“, sagt Morales. „Dass wir jedes einzelne Audioelement im gesamten System unabhängig kontrollieren können, hat uns sehr geholfen.“
Bereits im Eingangsbereich, intern „Mega In“ genannt, beginnt für die Besucher die akustische Erfahrung des „MegaPark“. In diesem Bereich kommen acht Ultra-X40, zwei Ultra-X23, zwei 2100-LFC und ein Galileo Galaxy 408 zum Einsatz. Die Ultra-X40 liefern eine breite und konsistente Coverage, während die zusätzlichen Ultra-X23 gezielte Coverage-Aufgaben übernehmen. Die beiden 2100-LFC schaffen das Bass-Fundament. Über Galileo Galaxy 408 wird die Zone tonal abgestimmt und in das Gesamtsystem eingebunden.
Die „MegaPark Area“ ist der akustische und atmosphärische Mittelpunkt des Komplexes. Hier finden die primären DJ-Sets, Live-Auftritte und Showelemente statt. In diesem Bereich nutzt das Venue ein großflächig verteiltes System aus 52 Ultra-X23, ergänzt durch zwei 2100-LFC und vier Galileo-Galaxy-408-Prozessoren. Die hohe Anzahl an Lautsprechern ermöglicht eine gleichmäßige Verteilung der Energie über die gesamte Fläche hinweg und reduziert die Notwendigkeit, einzelne zentrale Systeme mit besonders hohen Pegeln zu betreiben.
In den VIP-Bereichen steht anstelle eines maximalen Pegels eine ausgewogene Musikwiedergabe auf kontrolliertem Niveau im Vordergrund. Die Beschallung soll präsent sein, ohne den Raum zu dominieren, und sich möglichst unauffällig in die Architektur integrieren. Dafür nutzt der „MegaPark“ sechzehn MM-4XP, vier MM-10XP und drei MPS-488X.
Die kompakten MM-4XP ermöglichen eine diskrete Platzierung in sensibleren Bereichen. Die MM-10XP erweitern Dynamikumfang und Tieftonwiedergabe, damit die VIP-Zonen akustisch in das Gesamterlebnis eingebunden bleiben. Die MPS-488X-Power-Supplies vereinfachen die Versorgung der MM-Lautsprecher.
(Fotos: Meyer Sound)
Tallinn College of Music and Ballet chooses DiGiCo Quantum 338 and Quantum 225 for building upgrades
Tallinn College of Music and Ballet (MuBa) in Estonia has chosen DiGiCo Quantum 338 and Quantum 225 consoles as teaching aids, and also for concerts and gala performances, at the college. MuBa was opened in 2022, teaching children from age ten onwards. Children learn a variety of skills, from dance and music to technical skills and music technology.
The audio system is fully networked to allow connectivity throughout the school. The staff at the college are able to utilise the existing S31 mixing console that can be wheeled wherever it is needed, opening the whole building up as an impromptu performance space. The college also utilises wireless microphones and Bluetooth speakers to explore every possible opportunity for staging.
“Our new Quantum 338 and 225 consoles are mobile, so connectivity via Dante is really important to us”, explains Andres Olema, Sound Studio Manager at MuBa. “Most of our digital ecosystem is built in Dante, so the ability to instantly transport signals all over the facility between the consoles and other equipment is mandatory.”
The school benefits from a large music studio, black box theatre and a large concert hall. Children can board or attend as day students. There are also gyms and a pool, to ensure they are able to remain fit while studying. As Rene Keldo, Lead Music Teacher at MuBa, notes, no two days are the same.
“We chose DiGiCo because it is very important to teach students modern technology, not history lessons”, says Tiit Terask, Director of Audio Sky and supplier for the MuBa refurbishment. “Our new consoles are one of the best and most flexible platform choices for a mixing console available.”
Olema adds: “The interconnectivity of our two DiGiCo consoles is crucial and the gain tracking function makes life a lot easier. Usually, we have the Quantum 338 doing FOH and the 225 as the streaming console, in receive-only mode in our studio down in the basement. If the FOH engineer suddenly needs to change gain values, communicating that could take some time and might create some problems, but gain tracking eliminates that issue. It is also easy to enable or disable this function per channel, so the streaming engineer always has quick and complete control over it.”
(Photos: DiGiCo)
Hazelwood High School theaters modernized with Elation lighting and Obsidian control systems
New Elation professional lighting and Obsidian lighting consoles have helped revitalize theater spaces across the Hazelwood School District in the greater St. Louis area. Installed by Schillers Audio Visual, the upgrades at Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East, and Hazelwood West High Schools have transformed each theater into a flexible venue for performances, educational programs, and community events.
Hazelwood Central High School received the largest installation, including forty KL Profile FC LED framing fixtures, fourteen Fuze Wash 500 full-color LED Fresnels, four KL Panel LED soft lights, and an Obsidian NX2 for lighting control. Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West feature the same fixture families and control platform in smaller quantities, creating consistency across all three venues.
Serving as senior project manager and lighting designer, Mike Buehrle led the project for Schillers. With roots stretching back more than 130 years, Schillers’ AV integration division has served the region for four decades. Having worked with Elation and ADJ products for more than thirty years, Buehrle drew on long-standing relationships and product knowledge to design a system that modernized the aging theaters while simplifying operations. “I’ve trusted Elation products for decades because I know the equipment and I know the people behind it”, he states.
Schillers had previously upgraded the audio systems in all three theaters and serves as one of the school district’s preferred integration partners, having completed numerous technology projects throughout the district offices and schools. Schillers’ mission was relatively straightforward: eliminate outdated dimmers and aging discharge fixtures - and the bulb replacements that come with that - and equip them with a future-proof LED system.
The modernization represented the first significant lighting upgrade in the Central theater since 1974. Schillers removed legacy discharge fixtures, dimmer racks and obsolete infrastructure, replacing them with direct power distribution and an LED-based system that reduces maintenance while future-proofing the venue. The new LED system gives them color-changing capability, improved output, and more flexibility without touching the rig.
Buehrle collaborated with Elation representative Kraig Knight during fixture selection, ultimately choosing the KL Profile FC. “Kraig helped us find the optimal solution, and the KL Profile FC helped solve a lot of problems”, says Buehrle. “Its zoom system means the school no longer has to deal with lenses or move fixtures every time their needs change. They can change the beam angle and focus anywhere they need from the console instead of climbing up to adjust equipment.”
At Hazelwood Central, the KL Profile FC fixtures are positioned across two front-of-house catwalks, while Fuze Wash 500 fixtures provide overhead stage coverage. KL Panels installed along the rear wall allow designers to illuminate a back curtain, adding dimension. At East and West, the KL Panels are used to light backdrops and scenic elements. Rigged eight to ten feet off the wall in all three theaters, Buehrle says that having the ability to light up the background is crucial.
Because Hazelwood Central sits adjacent to the district administrative offices, the venue serves as more than a school theater. In addition to student productions, it hosts district meetings, speaking engagements, and community events, making it one of the district’s busiest gathering spaces. “They wanted it to be the pinnacle forum, and this lighting system gives them the flexibility to handle just about anything”, says Buehrle.
The theaters also play an important role in production arts education, giving students hands-on experience programming professional-grade lighting and audio systems. Each installation was completed in approximately two weeks, with Schillers providing training on the system, including the Obsidian NX2 console and access to Obsidian’s online educational resources.
The project was completed with the support of Schillers sales manager David Wyne, who brought Buehrle in to design both the lighting and the sound for the space, and AV department manager Mike Chitwood, who helped guide the design and implementation of the lighting and audio systems.
Philips MediaSuite TVs deliver entertainment and energy savings in guestrooms at The Chancery Hotel Dublin
A range of Philips MediaSuite TVs,provided by PPDS, has been selected to deliver “next generation” entertainment and experiences to all 150 guestrooms at The Chancery Hotel in Dublin, Ireland.
Already a certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Hotel, The Chancery Hotel’s owners continue their commitment to setting new standards for visitors, whether for those in its restaurant, in the cocktail bar, in the wellness hub, or in one of its guestrooms.
Teaming up with VDA Telkonet, one of the largest players in the field of smart room technology for hospitality, the Philips MediaSuite TV (55HFL5214U) was identified as the only global offering capable of meeting The Chancery Hotel’s ambitions for quality, versatility and sustainability, according to the owners.
Becoming the latest in a growing number of hotels and resorts around the world switching on to Philips MediaSuite, a fleet of 150 TVs were installed. All Philips MediaSuite TVs feature built-in casting, a technology PPDS was the first to introduce back in 2019. Guests have the freedom to cast their personal content - films, music, gaming and more - using their own devices, via their preferred streaming platforms, directly onto the hotel TV without extra hardware or software configurations.
All Philips MediaSuite TVs are integrating with VDA’s Micromaster room management system, enabling full control of in-room facilities, including lighting, HVAC, and blinds. In addition, the TVs now offer opportunities to communicate messages, including facilities, menus and other marketing, directly to guests, helping eliminate paper in the room, and further contributing to energy savings for the hotel. Philips MediaSuite TVs also receive regular software updates, allowing the hotel to benefit from the latest features and functionality.
“Many four- and five-star hotels are turning to Philips MediaSuite as these TVs are the best in the market for energy efficiency - roughly thirty to forty percent more energy efficiency compared to our nearest competitors”, states Kendra Ingram, UK Business Manager at PPDS. “It’s something we take seriously, and we’re delighted that more establishments, like The Chancery Hotel, are taking this seriously, too.”
(Photo: PPDS)
Coda Audio sound system installed at Piast Gliwice Stadium
The Piotr Wieczorek Municipal Stadium is home to professional football club Piast Gliwice, who compete in the Ekstraklasa, the top division of the Polish football league. The Stadium underwent a complete reconstruction in 2010, which included the building of four fully-covered, all-seated stands. In order to meet the demands of a contemporary match-day environment, the Stadium authorities recently invested in a new sound system for the ground.
Audio specialist Tommex was engaged to design, supply, and install the system, which as well as providing audio for announcements to every seat in an often noisy environment, could also deliver audio for the music playback and DJ sets which are now a strong feature of the match-day experience.
Tommex deployed Coda Audio G515-Pro loudspeakers to achieve complete coverage of the stadium. Mounted in the roof areas of the stands - harnessing Coda’s horizontal U-bracket accessory (A15HG) - the system uses the marine-grade (MG1) weatherproofed versions of the loudspeakers, which are driven by Coda Audio’s Linus DSP amplification (Linus 12C and Linus 6.4i).
(Photos: Michal Buksa)
The Rosetta Room equipped with RCF sound system
Located in the heart of downtown Mesa, Arizona, The Rosetta Room has quickly established itself as a new destination for live music and community events, powered by a sound system from RCF.
Housed in a historic mid-century building, the 6,300-square-foot venue features a 400-capacity all-ages concert hall designed to host everything from national touring acts and emerging local artists to DJ nights, cultural events and community gatherings across genres including punk, metal, indie, hip-hop and electronic music.
The Rosetta Room was created as a sister venue to Mesa’s Nile Theater, expanding the city’s cultural landscape while providing a modern, accessible space for performances and events. “At the Nile, we’ve been part of the downtown Mesa music scene for more than sixteen years”, says Michelle Donovan, owner and talent buyer for The Rosetta Room and The Nile Theater. “Our basement venue, the Underground, is a hundred-year-old space that people love, but because there is no elevator in the facility, it’s not accessible to everyone.”
“We wanted to create something that offered a different experience - something more polished and welcoming while making sure everyone in the community could have access and be part of the shows we host”, she continues. “So, we found a building two Octobers ago that would house the Rosetta Room, and we just started the build out and we eventually opened in May of 2025.”
To deliver consistent sound quality across that variety of performances, Donovan tasked front-of-house engineer Jason Hinkle and sound engineer Bryan Greenberg with identifying the right PA for the room. The sale and installation were handled by Sal Davi, principal owner of Phoenix-based Wave Maker Concepts, LLC, a long-time RCF user and sound reinforcement provider.
“I reached out to Sal and RCF for us”, says Hinkle, who also tours with Portland-based metalcore band Dying Wish. Davi recalls: “I told them there are several PA systems on the market that won’t deliver the level of audio quality required for these performances from the bands you are booking in the Rosetta Room - RCF is the system I recommend.”
“Sal brought in a demo system so we could hear what it actually sounded like in the room”, adds Hinkle. “He also had some key people from RCF there to answer any questions we might have. After getting a demo of the RCF system, it became clear it was the right system for this room.”
The venue’s ground-stacked PA system features eight RCF HDL 28-A active line array modules (four per side) paired with two RCF Sub 8008-AS dual 18-inch subwoofers (one per side). The system is mixed on a Midas M32 Series digital console, with microphones from Shure and SE Electronics, while lighting throughout the venue is provided by fixtures from Shehds.
Room geometry was a major factor in the system design. The stage measures just 29 feet wide, while the room extends close to 100 feet deep with relatively low ceilings. Due to structural load limitations associated with the venue, the RCF system was deployed in a ground-stack configuration.
Headroom was another priority for a venue hosting high-energy touring acts. “In club environments, sometimes guest touring engineers push systems harder than they should”, says Hinkle. “With this system we have plenty of headroom. If you push those HDL 28s past about sixty percent, you’re already in seriously loud territory, so the system is usually just cruising rather than being pushed to its limits.”
Davi adds: “As an interesting side note, after demonstrating the system for Jason, Bryan, Michelle and their team, and ultimately supplying the RCF solution for The Rosetta Room, I was confident enough in its performance to invest in the same system for my own production inventory.”
“Through my company, we provide production services for the City of Phoenix, and we deployed that RCF rig for a Fourth of July event attended by approximately 20,000 people, utilizing four HDL 28-A modules per side with four Sub 9006-AS units”, Davi concludes. “We’re continuing to put the system to work, with plans to deploy it at upcoming events around Arizona.”
(Photos: RCF)
Le Pin Galant upgrades to L-Acoustics L2 after three decades with DV-Dosc
Le Pin Galant, a performing arts center located in Mérignac, France, has completed an audio upgrade featuring L-Acoustics L2, marking the venue’s continued partnership with L-Acoustics after more than thirty years with its legacy DV-Dosc system. The 1,400-seat auditorium welcomes nearly 100,000 visitors annually for a diverse program of music, dance, comedy and theater.
The upgrade became a priority when Fimalac Entertainment, a European entertainment venue operator, took over the management of Le Pin Galant in 2025. The venue’s technical team had clear objectives: maintain the audio quality they’d achieved with DV-Dosc while embracing technology that would meet the demands of modern productions. Le Pin Galant turned to Audio Pro, L-Acoustics Certified Provider and system integrator for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, to design and implement the solution.
“The complexity of the project demanded meticulous planning, and we relied heavily on Soundvision throughout the design process”, explains Philippe Chassereau, Audio Pro’s Sales and Purchasing Manager. “Soundvision has been an essential tool for us for years.” Audio Pro used the 3D sound design tool to configure speaker placement, as well as amplifier setup, including equalization and delay settings.
The installed system centers on L-Acoustics’ L Series, with one L2 and one L2D enclosures per side for the main left and right hangs. Eight flown KS28 subwoofers deployed in two stacked cardioid configuration provide controlled bass to enhance musical performances without overwhelming the space during speech-focused events. A central hand of one A15 Wide and one A15 Focus add clarity for speech-heavy events while two Syva and two Syva Low provide in-fill. Eight X6i handle front-fill coverage.
The system is powered by four LA7.16i, two LA12X, and four LA4X amplified controllers, with system processing managed through two P1 processors. The networking infrastructure includes four LS10 audio network switches and one LC16D format converter. The LC16D serves to expand connectivity, acting as a bridge between the Milan-AVB network and legacy digital connections, and enabling signal distribution to additional rooms and wedge amplifiers throughout the venue.
The team chose Milan-AVB as the primary protocol. With L-Acoustics network devices, the entire system can be managed directly through LA Network Manager.
(Photo: L-Acoustics)
Evolve Install picks Martin Audio CDD for Arc Canary Wharf
To create a soundscape capable of moving seamlessly from calm, unobtrusive daytime ambience to DJ-driven evening sessions, Arc - a community-focused wellness centre located in Canary Wharf, London - turned to integrator Evolve Install and Martin Audio’s CDD Series loudspeakers.
“It’s a very fresh concept, there hasn’t really been anything like it in the UK on this scale”, says Elliot Patterson of Evolve Install. Focussing on contrast therapy - the alternation between intense heat and cold exposure to activate the body’s natural stress and relaxation responses - the venue features a communal sauna seating up to 65 people, multiple ice baths, and a lounge area for relaxation and socialising.
Music plays an essential role throughout the venue, but it was in the lounge - a square room, with seating arranged in a circle for breathing exercises and meditation - that Patterson’s team faced their most specific acoustic challenge: designing a sound system capable of shifting seamlessly between gentle background music for wellness sessions and the powerful output demanded by DJ sets.
“It’s a multi-functional area that needs to be calm and relaxing during the day but capable of a big, immersive sound at night”, he explains. “They have sessions called ‘Arc After Dark’, which are evening socials where DJs come in on certain nights.” The “Arc After Dark” events - blending contrast therapy with immersive soundscapes and aromatherapy - transform the venue into a sauna party for up to 95 people.
To meet the audio demands, Evolve Install specified a combination of four Martin Audio CDD6 loudspeakers, supported by a compact Martin Audio SX210 subwoofer.
(Photos: Martin Audio)
Caldas Novas shopping center equipped with DAS Audio systems
Shopping Singapura is a new commercial center in Caldas Novas, Brazil, featuring restaurants, retail spaces and outdoor areas. Inspired by the urban aesthetics of Singapore, its design creates an open and dynamic environment with a constant flow of visitors and multiple activity areas.
The venue required uniform coverage across large semi-open spaces, with sound blending naturally into the overall visitor experience. To achieve this, twelve OVI-12 systems from DAS Audio were strategically installed.
The installation was carried out by AEV Projetos, responsible for the system integration, design and implementation, with equipment supplied by Harmonia Musical, DAS Audio’s distributor in Brazil. Founded in 2010, AEV Projetos specializes in audio, video, stage lighting and acoustics projects.
The audio system supports the daily activity of Shopping Singapura, from general announcements to background music in outdoor and semi-open areas.
(Photos: DAS Audio)