As one of Lisbon’s most respected cultural institutions, Culturgest sought to expand the creative potential of its flagship Emílio Rui Vilar Auditorium, a 612-seat performance space known for its detailed wood architecture and refined acoustics. The venue, located in the Caixa Geral de Depósitos headquarters, already featured a high-quality cinema surround speaker system, but its engineering team aimed to evolve that infrastructure into a flexible, immersive audio environment capable of supporting live concerts, theatrical productions and experimental performances.

In collaboration with Audium and FLUX::, Culturgest became the first venue in Portugal to implement a fully immersive live sound system using FLUX:: SPAT Revolution. The system integrates a SPAT Revolution engine running up to 64 channels from the mixing console, routed via Dante and AES67 to the house speaker systems. Thirty-six surround speakers from the existing setup were reconfigured to handle rear, top and side channels, while the LR system used for traditional events was integrated into the immersive configuration. The entire setup was tonally matched to ensure transparent performance and cohesion between operation modes.

FLUX:: engineers worked closely with Audium and Culturgest’s in-house team to commission the system and provide extensive onsite training. The configuration supports multiple modes for live productions, including up to 32 active audio objects or reverberation-only simulations for acoustic performances. “Culturgest asked for an immersive system, and after a thorough analysis of the available options, FLUX:: SPAT Revolution was the main choice for this demanding venue,” said Tiago Laires of Audium. “In the end, and although we had a high level of expectation for SPAT, both Culturgest and I were blown away by the impressive result.”

The integration of SPAT Revolution has transformed Culturgest’s live production capabilities, allowing artists and engineers to explore new spatial soundscapes and audience experiences. “The expectations were high, but I can say that, after almost a year using SPAT Revolution, the expectations were largely exceeded,” said Ricardo Guerreiro, Culturgest’s In-House Sound Engineer.

Since installation, Culturgest has hosted a range of performances using the immersive setup—from orchestral concerts to experimental electroacoustic works. Artist and Composer Suse Ribeiro credited SPAT Revolution with unlocking new artistic freedom, noting that it allowed her to move beyond her initial design concepts to achieve exceptional technical and creative results.

Through precise integration, advanced networking and deep collaboration between FLUX:: and Audium, Culturgest has emerged as a leader in immersive live audio in Portugal, setting a new standard for how technology and artistry converge in contemporary performance venues.

https://www.culturgest.pt/en/

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HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM — HARMAN Professional Solutions, in collaboration with AV integration partner Ba Sao Audio, recently deployed one of the region’s first large-scale spatial audio deployments for live theater. The production CHÀO celebrates Vietnamese heritage through traditional music, narrative design and immersive technologies, all powered by a fully integrated HARMAN Professional Solutions system across the brand portfolio, including JBL Professional, FLUX::, BSS, and others.

Conceived by Nguyễn Khắc Anh, CEO of Ba Sao Investment, with technical direction by Vũ Hữu Thắng, CHÀO reimagines Vietnamese heritage through a compelling fusion of traditional music, dynamic visuals, and immersive sound design. The performance features an original orchestral suite with 30 traditional Vietnamese instruments, supported by a massive 150-square-meter LED screen and synchronized lighting.

From a technical standpoint, CHÀO posed a unique challenge. The performers and the audience occupy a shared acoustic environment, with no stage monitors or in-ear systems. This required precise spatial mixing and system tuning to maintain instrument fidelity while avoiding feedback. Ba Sao Audio deployed a 20.4-channel immersive sound system to deliver a fully three-dimensional sound experience, anchored by FLUX:: SPAT Revolution to provide precise spatial positioning and real-time control of sound sources throughout the venue.

“This collaboration has enabled us to create a powerful and engaging experience for audiences,” said Vũ Hữu Thắng, Technical Director, Ba Sao Audio. “Working with HARMAN’s integrated solutions allowed us to meet the technical demands of the production while supporting its creative goals.”

The immersive system was supported by 20 JBL AC18/95 loudspeakers for full-range coverage and four JBL STX818S subwoofers for powerful, well-controlled low-frequency response. Crown CDi Drivecore 4|600 and MA9000i amplifiers handled power and system control while 49 AKG microphones, including the C214, C519M, C411PP and C451B models, were chosen for their ability to capture the detail and texture of traditional Vietnamese instruments. Mixing and routing were managed using a Soundcraft Vi2000 digital mixing console paired with a 64-channel Dante stagebox. System processing and spatial audio rendering were handled by BSS Soundweb BLU-806 and BLU-BOB2 processors together with the SPAT Revolution real-time Immersive audio engine.

“This project exemplifies how our end-to-end solutions can elevate cultural storytelling,” said Amar Subash, VP & GM, Professional Solutions, APAC, “CHÀO is a model for how immersive technologies can preserve and amplify tradition in a way that’s both modern and moving.”

The result was a seamless fusion of tradition and innovation, setting a new benchmark for immersive cultural performance through integrated AV systems. Audiences were fully enveloped in sound and story, experiencing Vietnamese culture in a way that was both emotionally resonant and technologically groundbreaking.

ABOUT HARMAN PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS

HARMAN Professional Solutions (pro.harman.com) engineers and manufactures audio, lighting, and video and control products for entertainment and enterprise markets, including live performance, audio production, large venue, cinema, retail, corporate, education, government, hospitality, broadcast and more. With leading brands including JBL Professional®, AKG®, Martin®, AMX®, Soundcraft®, BSS Audio®, Crown®, dbx Professional®, and Lexicon Pro®, HARMAN Professional delivers powerful, innovative and reliable solutions that are designed for world-class performance. HARMAN Professional Solutions is a Strategic Business Unit of HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

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SHIGA, JAPAN – The esteemed Biwako Hall in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, celebrated for hosting some of the country’s premier opera and classical performances, has become the first performing arts venue in Japan to install the cutting-edge SPAT Revolution Wave Field Synthesis immersive audio system powered by HARMAN’s FLUX:: technology. This revolutionary system enables an auditory experience that positions sound precisely on stage, creating a fully immersive environment that enhances the audience’s engagement, regardless of seating location.

Located 20 minutes from Kyoto on the shores of Lake Biwa, the 1,848-seat Biwako Hall is renowned for its diverse programming and its unique acoustics tailored to classical performances. The installation of the SPAT Revolution reflects Biwako Hall’s commitment to innovation in the performing arts. The system upgrade enhances the hall’s Front of House (FOH) package, introducing five main frontal sound points and a front-fill system to the space.

“This project represents a significant advancement in immersive audio for Japan’s live performance spaces,” said Hugo Larin, Senior Business Development Manager for FLUX::, HARMAN Professional Solutions. “The integration of SPAT Revolution in Biwako Hall demonstrates HARMAN’s commitment to elevating the audio experience in premier cultural venues, aligning cutting-edge technology with Biwako Hall’s esteemed legacy in the performing arts.”

The integration of the SPAT Revolution immersive engine enables Biwako Hall’s sound engineers to create a lifelike audio experience by positioning sound sources, such as performers and instruments, as objects in a virtual space. Sound outputs are then distributed through both the proscenium speakers and an array of eight front-fill speakers, creating the sensation that sound emanates directly from specific stage positions. The immersive system, controlled via a tablet PC, allows for seamless management and adjustment of sound objects and acoustics from anywhere in the hall, optimizing the mixing process beyond the FOH console integration to SPAT Revolution.

“Biwako Hall has long been known as a leader in Japan’s opera and classical music scene, and the addition of SPAT Revolution solidifies its standing as a cutting-edge performance venue,” said Mr. Masahito Oshitani, Audio Technical Manager, Biwako Hall. “This installation not only exemplifies our commitment to immersive sound solutions but also provides audiences with an unparalleled sensory experience, underscoring Biwako Hall’s dedication to artistic excellence.”

With the SPAT Revolution now in place, Biwako Hall is positioned to deliver an exceptional audio experience, setting a new benchmark in Japan’s live performance industry. The addition of this immersive audio system underscores Biwako Hall’s reputation as a pioneer in the performing arts and reinforces HARMAN’s dedication to transforming the auditory experience for live events worldwide. Furthermore, this installation showcases the cross-brand compatibility and seamless integration capabilities of HARMAN’s immersive audio technologies, laying the groundwork for future enhancements.

ABOUT HARMAN PROFESSIONAL SOLUTIONS

HARMAN Professional Solutions engineers and manufactures audio, video, lighting and control (AVLC) products for entertainment and enterprise markets, including live performance, audio production, large venue, cinema, retail, corporate, education, government, hospitality, broadcast and more. With leading brands including JBL Professional®, AKG®, Martin®, AMX®, Soundcraft®, BSS Audio®, Crown®, dbx Professional®, and Lexicon Pro®, HARMAN Professional delivers powerful, innovative and reliable solutions that are designed for world-class performance. HARMAN Professional Solutions is a Strategic Business Unit of HARMAN International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. For more information, visit http://pro.harman.com/.

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CHICAGO – At its Spring 2024 opening, Flyover in Chicago became the newest of Flyover Attractions’ immersive indoor flying rides, joining existing installations in Las Vegas; Vancouver, Canada; and Reykjavik, Iceland, that transports guests to the planet’s most epic places through exhilarating flying journeys. Located within Chicago’s landmark waterfront Navy Pier, the multi-sensory experience, which incorporates leading drone technologies along with impressive aerial shots and first-person narratives, showcases the city from perspectives never seen before.

Flyover’s signature Chicago journey will be shown on an impressive 65-foot spherical screen with flight motion seats engineered to swoop, dip and turn, giving guests the feeling of flight. The attraction will transport 61 guests at a time, with complete sensory immersion using wind, mist and scents, as fliers hang suspended.

The breathtaking ride employs a massive number of audio sources, which are controlled and dynamically spatialized by the advanced audio object and Wave Field Synthesis features of FLUX:: SPAT Revolution immersive audio software, then played through a highly customized system of JBL loudspeakers in a nearly spherical configuration.

The FLUX:: software and JBL Professional loudspeakers are supplemented with Crown amplifiers, BSS loudspeaker processing, and control systems from HARMAN Professional, who also supplied extensive support and expertise to the project. Designing and building an attraction like Flyover is a highly complex undertaking, so the thrilling sonic world of Flyover Chicago is the work of a team of experts from several companies working closely together.

Immersive Entertainment
An extensive presentation occurs primarily in its own immersive theatre, which features a 10-foot diameter, circular “lollipop” screen in the center (serving guests on both sides), plus an elliptical screen wrapping 360 degrees around the audience. Sound designer/mixer Tim Archer of Masters Digital programmed SPAT Revolution to control the soundtrack, which plays through a system designed by Wels, Austria-based Kraftwerk Living Technologies (KLT), who also designed the main flight ride audio system.

Speakers are placed behind the perforated screens, with each side of the venue featuring the same speaker configuration: eight JBL COL800 column loudspeakers inside the lollipop facing out (for a total of 16 cabinets), and six JBL AC18/26 compact two-way loudspeakers behind the wraparound screen (for a total of 12). Low- frequency support is provided by four ceiling-mounted JBL ASB6115 subwoofers.’

Crucially, these are not arrays in which every loudspeaker receives the same signal; SPAT Revolution sends a discrete signal to each loudspeaker in order to implement Wave Field Synthesis and other reproduction techniques. Still, A source such as dialogue may need a large contribution of speakers for coverage or perceived sound size reasons, a situation which can create its own problems.

“When you’ve got eight speakers that are not in a simple array and all are receiving the same content, how do you get away with not having comb filtering?” asks Archer. “The answer is that you run the signal through SPAT. I pop one track of dialogue into SPAT and WFS spreads it across the eight columns. And you can be almost around the side of the lollipop before you lose the character of the sound; it’s extremely wide. WFS is killer. It’s a game changer.”.

A ring of 10 more AC18/26s mounted above the audience (five on each side of the room) acts as the primary source for presenting the music from composer Elliott Wheeler.

The Main Flight Ride
For the flight ride, guests are seated on one of three separate moving platforms which are vertically “stacked” in the room. Presenting realistic, well-balanced sound to every guest was the biggest challenge facing both Archer and KLT’s Philipp Hartl, responsible for Sales | Lead Audio System Design & Optimization.

“There’s three platforms, and that’s critical. We’re talking about people above, in the middle, and below,” reveals Archer. “That is probably the main thing that makes this mix so unique: traditionally, we are all based in the idea that the person mixing is on the same plane as the rest of the audience. You normally don’t have people located on three different planes.“

“But at Flyover Chicago you do, so the guests are having three different experiences. Since everybody’s not got the same visual perspective, they should not get the same audio perspective.” Complicating things further was the sheer number of moving elements, which defined a massive mix process. “I am sitting down with just over a thousand tracks, about 600 for music and about four hundred and change for sound effects,” Archer reports.

With the platforms in constant motion, object audio was the only way to place a source and have each person hear it properly. Two guests viewing the same visual element from different platforms need separate mixes that accurately localize the sound for their positions…while the platforms continue to move. Traditional multichannel mixes simply cannot accomplish this. For this reason, localization in SPAT Revolution is not viewed in terms of routing sounds into loudspeakers, but, rather, sending them to “pan points” or virtual speakers to synthesize artificial wavefronts.

What’s more, some musical events relate to visual elements, necessitating moving music sources through space, too. “I’ve got a trumpet player on top of the Wrigley Building, and when the camera flies by him, his trumpet sound has got to whip past us,” Archer details. “Every single thing in the mix moves.” To facilitate this, composer Wheeler and his engineer went to the trouble to deliver the music to Archer already in the form of a SPAT Revolution session.

In his sound system design, Hartl faced the same issue of trying to supply sound appropriately to three continuously moving platforms. “As a practical matter, it’s not possible to achieve the exact same coverage at every seat on each platform,” Hartl explains, “so one of the really tricky things was to find a middle way to tune the speakers that minimized the amount of compromise made at any individual seat.”

Hartl used 34 JBL AM7215-series high power two-way loudspeakers, deployed in four different vertical layers, plus four JBL ASB7128 dual 18-inch subwoofers to furnish prodigious amounts of low-frequency effects. As in the pre-show theatre, SPAT Revolution rendered a different signal feed for each loudspeaker. To ensure clear rear localization, a pair of JBL Control 23-1 ultra compact speakers is mounted on each seat back. Once the content was generated and the system tuned, the presentation was implemented in a show control system for playback by Miami-based Smart Monkeys.

Teamwork is Key
Bringing such an immensely complex project to a successful conclusion involves plenty of tweaking and problem-solving. As a central contributor to the project, HARMAN gave close support to all the teams involved, with Flux’s Hugo Larin being particularly deeply involved in the design and programming of the immersive audio. “Hugo’s involvement was what got the show across the line,” compliments Eric Sambell, Flyover’s Global Director of Construction and Entertainment. “He was knowledgeable and really jumped in, even with issues that weren’t directly involved with SPAT, like some aspects of design and workflow. It was a really great
value-add.”

Teams from Flyover and all of the vendors reported tremendous cooperation and support from all parties, which made a difficult, stressful project actually fun. “It was great to see the different companies work together and not against each other, which was the case at Flyover,” enthuses Hartl. ”We learned from each other, and that was the best thing which could have happened there.” Archer was just as impressed.’ “The spirit of collaboration started right with the management of Flyover, who assembled teams of people that could and would work together.”

In the end, of course, the effort is not about the sophisticated systems or even the teams, but providing the guests an amazing experience, as Sambell highlights. “The technology has to be so good that it disappears, like it isn’t even there, so that guests enjoy a seamless experience from the moment they walk in the door to when they walk out afterwards,” he asserts. “We don’t want guests thinking about the technology or where they are, we just want them to be present in what’s happening.”

From Construction to Immersion

The magic of Flyover is made possible through planning, collaboration and massive amounts of hard work. In this episode, Flyover’s construction and integration team explore how an old IMAX theater on Navy Pier became a one-of-a-kind immersive experience.

Connect with your curiosity, amplify your senses and feel inspired to explore. Our flight journeys transport you over iconic global destinations, so you can experience the world from a whole new perspective. Sit suspended in front of a massive spherical screen and feel the unmistakable thrill of flight, while mists, winds and scene-setting scents deepen your immersion.  

Harman Pro Case Studies – Flyover in Chicago, USA

The post Flyover in Chicago Takes Off With Help From FLUX:: SPAT Revolution and JBL Professional appeared first on FLUX:: Immersive.

In order to bring to life a chapter of the Mala ancestral story, Madison AV worked closely with Auditoria Systems and the Aṉangu people to elevate storytelling to a level never seen before through the deployment of drone technology, lasers, projection lighting and a HARMAN immersive audio system for the Wintjiri Wiṟu Experience in Uluru, Australia.

“HARMAN delivers immersive audio solution for the world’s first multimedia storytelling experience on the Indigenous Aṉangu people; an immersive experience which includes drones, laser projection and an immersive audio solution pairing JBL loudspeakers with the SPAT Revolution spatial technology“

Jeff Shoesmith from Madison AV mentioned that HARMAN products were chosen due to their proven track record of installation in very demanding weather conditions. JBL loudspeakers were also found to be able to provide consistent frequency dispersion for accurate spatial imaging. Separately, SPAT Revolution was selected for its very powerful spatial engine with almost limitless options, and adapted very well to the layout of the system by providing accurate spatial imaging along with great sounding spatial reverberation.

 “The project’s audio system was designed to complement the immense visual canvas that the night time sky provided for the drones with the score and narration played back over an immersive system surrounding the audience,” shared Luis Miranda, Audio Visual Consultant from Auditoria. “A six-channel frontal loudspeaker system using the JBL AWC series and an additional six channels of JBL Control 25AV rear loudspeakers were used to allow for accurate placement of sound images. The show was mixed on site using the SPAT Revolution spatial audio engine, which provided the necessary reverberation due to the system being installed outdoors with no natural reverberation available.”

One of the biggest challenges for this project was the installation of this system in the middle of the Australian desert which had to be done in a very remote location with limited weather shelter, temperature control or access to facilities. They also had to bear in mind that the system had to be robust so that it could be left outdoors in extreme weather conditions for years with little maintenance.

A spokesperson for Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia mentioned how the SPAT Revolution audio spatial technology transcends the limitations of traditional stereo and surround sound formats which intensifies storytelling and captivates the audience.

“HARMAN is extremely honored be able to play a part in the world’s first of its kind cultural and multimedia sensorial experience,” said Amar Subash, VP & GM, HARMAN Professional Solutions, APAC. “As one of the first large scale immersive installations of JBL and Flux::, we have only scratched the surface in terms of the many incredible applications of immersive audio in leisure attractions.”

https://pro.harman.com/news/voyages-indigenous-tourism-australia-tells-mala-ancestral-story-through-state-of-the-art-flux-spat-revolution-technology

The post Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia Tells Mala Ancestral Story Through State-Of-The-Art FLUX:: SPAT Revolution Technology appeared first on FLUX:: Immersive.

La Fabuleuse Histoire d’un Royaume, the unique historical theatrical extravaganza production on the creation and evolution of the Saguenay Lac-St-Jean in Quebec, Canada, celebrates their 35 years in show with an immersive upgrade of their sound system.

The show, seen by more than 1 300 000 spectators and with nothing less than 150 volunteer actors who take the stage representing up to 12 roles each, is a spectacular production featuring fire, water, helicopters, cannon shots, horses and other animals in an unprecedented sound and visual performance, taking place at the Théâtre du Palais Municipal in La Baie, Saguenay, the largest stage in Quebec with a capacity of up to 2300 spectators.

Deployed by LSM Ambiocréateurs, one of the most influential creators of scenic atmosphere in eastern Quebec, a new Immersive live sound system driven by the SPAT Revolution spatial audio mixing software, using Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) advance reproduction technique, was installed. The installation empowers the sound designers with the tools required to create and mix an outstanding world-class immersive experience, bringing this reputed legendary theatrical show to the next level.

In 2019, the entire production team headed by Jimmy Doucet, the new show director, wondered what could bring La Fabuleuse to another level to celebrate its 35th anniversary. The complete renewal of the soundtrack and how it was diffused seemed obvious. From then on, a monumental work of analysis, meeting, collaboration, research and then recordings, editing in the studio and in the venue, assembly, calibration and programming was put in place throughout these three years to achieve the result we know today.

“This new immersive system gives an incredible depth to our show. The music, sounds, and lyrics now come from where the action actually is taking place on our very large stage, which gives a much better understanding of our many tableaux. In several parts of the show, the system gives the spectators the impression of being transported on the stage with the actors, and with that becoming a part of the action.”, said Jimmy Doucet.

Serge Lachance, CEO of LSM Ambiocréateurs, Sound Designer, Mixing Engineer, and Operator of the show, took the La Fabuleuse project under his wings. First as a technical equipment supplier (sound, lighting, video, rigging)  for 14 years, and as a sound designer and operator for the show during the last 7 years.

The show runs through a Midas Pro 6 console with an extended loudspeaker configuration from CODA Audio installed in the theater, and previously the show was set on a standard 5.1 system controlled by the surround panning on the very same Midas console, with only 24 channels of playback. The upgrade, and the installation of the new immersive sound system, now with a new soundtrack and over 200 audio tracks introduced significant challenges due to really short deadlines, and with the supply challenges of the last year (due to covid), still the installation was presenting a surprisingly pleasant end result.

“I am very happy with the result, and my biggest surprise was, and still is, the stability of the system overall”, said Serge Lachance.

“The main thing is intelligibility. La Fabuleuse is a story and you’ve got to be listening to what’s going on, and there is a lot of vocals. There is the spirit voice that  delivers the story all the time, and then you’ve got the actors that are coming into play. There are so many actors and voices, so as you can imagine, with the limited resolution of a stereo or L-C-R system, you can rapidly lose that intelligibility when you cramb all this content together. If you make the choice of putting in more music elements to drive your audience, you stand the chance of losing intelligibility too. Sometimes there’s a compromise there, because you need the music to drive the dance and drive the audience. So, intelligibility and being able to get that localization, that was definitely the most critical factor”, Lachance added.

The tracks for the vocal, music and sound effects were handled in Logic Pro on Mac Mini M1s. Two Mac studios (for redundancy) are running the two SPAT Revolution immersive processors for the sound mixing environment and the WFS (wave field synthesis) reproduction; with the show control running on Qlab with MIDI and OSC commands. Having the ability to use the sound field creatively for localization of voices and other sound objects in the space, has created a whole new sound experience vastly improving the experience of the entire performance.

“There are also scenes of the show where there’s a war and people are flying by and they’re falling from the ceiling and there’s pyro, and there’s a chopper flying over, and now the audio is following all of that. So, it’s just not the same show on a 5.1 with all its limitations. The availability of the WFS reproduction technology was key to me in this project. In addition, the technical support, the services and solutions provided by Hugo Larin, director at FLUX:: Immersive, were crucial for my decisions.”, said Lachance.

^« The WFS reproduction technology in SPAT Revolution was key to me in this project _» 

Serge Lachance, Sound Designer

FLUX:: Immersive was contracted to provide the various services for the success of this project. Hugo Larin was deployed to support the production with this redesign, its implementation, from the use of the SPAT Revolution software engine to show control/network integration and system calibration.

“The La Fabuleuse presented a great challenge but at the same time the perfect example of how an Immersive deployment could work, even with this 35-meter wide stage. The goal was to provide strong localization and a sense of depth in the audio mix and our Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) implementation in SPAT Revolution did exactly this”, said Hugo Larin.

“The show has now existed for 36 years, several updates have been made since the beginning, the last one being the addition of video projection on this huge set. (more than 35 meters wide) . The video completely changed the experience by transporting the viewer to an immersive setting that reproduces the history of the Saguenay over 150 years. With the sound recordings dating back more than 30 years, it was impossible to match the sound experience with the visuals of this show. By respecting the texts of the author Ghislain Bouchard and the music of Dominic Laprise, we have completely redone the soundtrack of the show. With these new 200+ tracks the possibility of an immersive sound diffusion was made possible.”, said Serge Lachance.

“With an extremely tight schedule due to supply issues, the time left to do the integration and to actually mix these over 200 tracks on 64 audio objects was quite short. That being said, I was quite impressed with the work of  Serge Lachance and how it pulled a mix quite rapidly. Now, the production has a system that they can keep building on as they develop the immersive audio mix“, Larin added.

“FLUX:: Immersive is a company that listens to users, having tried the product last summer and having made recommendations, some answers came rapidly and some optimization were implemented rapidly.The precision of this software is impressive and once again, the stability is there with the qualified hardware that gets recommended.“, Lachance added.

After working on the show for many years, it took Lachance some time to get into this expanded universe opening up with the new immersive system, and finally in the end he even started to experience the real world around him in a completely new way as well.

“Funny enough, I had times with Serge outside of the show where we were sitting and talking and he was listening to his environment, like the birds. We were talking outside and he was being bothered by birds. Mixing this way opened his ears so much to listening to new things. He became more sensitive to his surroundings. Now, he is mixing with a better sense of the surroundings of the show, such as when there’s birds in the show. He knows how to place those because he relates more to how they are in life.”, said Larin.

“His conclusion is, once you’ve opened your brain to this, when you’re thinking about show production, you’re thinking about immersive and there is just no coming back. You don’t want to be coming back. And he’s now involved with two or three other productions and he’s thinking about WFS for reproduction techniques and about content in 360 degrees – That is a powerful way to transport an audience!”, Larin added.

La Fabuleuse Histoire d’un Royaume / The Fabulous Story of a Kingdom

https://fabuleuse.com/

Production Team
Mixing, Sound design – Serge Lachance
Audio, Video and Lighting Supplier; LSM  Ambiocréateurs
Immersive Audio technologies and services: FLUX:: Immersive
Loudspeaker manufacturer / Distributor: CODA Audio / SC Media
Audio team Marc-André Gilbert, Félix Perron, Nathan Allard and  Sam Plourde St-Pierre
Production director: Marie-Eve Rivard
Stage direction – Jimmy Doucet Production
Technical director: Isabeau Côté and Fabien Duchossoy 
Music by composer Dominic and Mathieu Laprise
Sound FX by Nicolas Dallaire and Jean-François B. Sauvé
Diffusion Saguenay, Producer and Promoter of the show

Audio System Detail
Remote control: TouchOSC Custom control pages on hardwired Ipads
Show control & playback: Redundant Logic & QLab software on Two (2)  Dante audio Mac Mini
Mixing desk: Midas Pro 6 with Klark Teknik DN9650 AES50 to DANTE bridges
Immersive processing: Redundant SPAT Revolution on Two (2)  Dante audio Mac Studio Max
Audio / Control Network:

• Luminex GigaCore 14R with fiber ring
• Primary & Secondary Playback Dante Audio
• Primary Diffusion System amplifier Dante

Signal Matrixing / Breakout and Fail over management: Auvitran AVBx7 Audio ToolBox
LTC distribution / routing: CM Labs Sixty Four 64
Master System WordClock: Rosendahl Nanosyncs HD Playback system generating LTC to video, lighting and pyrotechnics
A standalone QLab Mac mini system is handling rehearsals and serves as a completely analog / bounced show emergency system.

CODA Audio Diffusion/Loudspeaker System
Frontal co-linear system of 5 arrays
4 x APS per array , a hybrid of point source and line array.
Each arrays is flown with SCV-F sub-module
Main floor surround ring of 12 x G-Series Point Source speakers
Bleacher surround ring of 18 x HOPS-8, High Output Point Source Systems
Front fill line of 12 HOPS-5, High Output Point Source Systems
4 x SCP – Infra floor sub-woofers
56 channels of LINUS14D amplifiers in LINUS RACK

Photo Credits: Journal Le Quotidien (#2, #3), Marc-André Couture (#1, #4), Michel Tremblay (#5)

The post La Fabuleuse celebrates 35 years in show with a FLUX:: Immersive WFS audio upgrade appeared first on FLUX:: Immersive.

We had the opportunity to talk with Sebastian Wanzo, responsible for the Vendimia festival sound design and owner of the system integration and rental company, Wanzo Producciones.

“As a sound designer for this year’s edition I proposed the incorporation of an immersive audio processing system to support and provide realism for all audio-visual effects on the different festival stages”, said Sebastian Wanzo.

To accommodate the technical requirements for the immersive audio processing, SPAT Revolution Ultimate, with its recently released WFS add-on option, was running the set up and processing of the Vendimia immersive system, a Clair Brothers system provided by Merino Productions with four Avid Venue S6L consoles provided by Vasco Hegoburu and Wanzo Productions.

“With a stage over 80 meters wide and with no possibility to mount any front systems beyond the front fills systems, a 6.1 system was defined and set up using the Clair Brothers system”, said Wanzo.

The routing and configuration was kind of a hybrid setup, where one of the S6L consoles was dedicated to the orchestra and delivered a stereo bed, and another S6L took care of all the effects, the effect automatizations, and dealt with the immersive feed for all the sound towers. A third S6L handled all the monitoring for the orchestra, and the fourth S6L was dedicated to the streaming of the mixes.

“In 2019 we had an experience together with  DB Technologies and with the Argentine designer of the ISSP Immersive Sound System Panning software, Ianina Canalis, which was decisive in understanding that the future of our industry was going in this direction”, added Wanzo.

“Prior to the pandemic, we did a lot of productions with traditional multichannel audio systems (opening ceremonies of airports, stadiums, etc.), but in the end it was during the times of the pandemic we deepened our use of immersive audio processing systems, including SPAT Revolution, for shows via streaming and a few traditional live shows with reduced audience. This was how we discovered the potential and the infinite possibilities offered by SPAT Revolution”, said Wanzo.

The system design for the festival, presenting a diversified musical program, and a large area to cover with a significant distance between the clusters, and no possibility to set up a cluster front, definitely gave Wanzo and the team some real challenges.

“Throughout time we have been testing the different panning techniques offered by SPAT Revolution, but the one we used the most for live ended up being the WFS. FLUX:: included us early on in a beta tester team of this soundfield synthesis processing technology, which has worked out really well, even in situations such as Vendimia where we had very distant clusters”, said Wanzo.

“Understanding the artistic potential SPAT Revolution provided us, gave us the possibility to achieve an impressive and consistent result in the end”, added Wanzo.

With Wanzo’s experience in sound design and immersive systems, for the Vendimia festival system, with four S6L consoles all handling different parts of the workload, there were still a lot of strings to tie together in the end.

“Already from the beginning when we started using the software, we experienced the support to be very good, and defined the creation of a series of demonstrations with a 9.1.4 system, giving producers, musicians and people associated with the technical production the possibility to hear it in action and give their opinion. The positive return from all these people embarked on preparing the system for the large-scale show they expected for the Vendimia festival”, said Wanzo.

“The possibility of controlling the SPAT Revolution with the Avid S6L surface was very important here”, added Wanzo.

Talking about Wanzo’s creative approach for sound design with immersive audio and the Vendimia setup, the conversation continued in a discussion about the future in live audio, and the advantage of immersive audio in live productions.

“From a strictly technical perspective, the best options for coverage and overlap is using multiple systems, as this allows us to reduce the size of our speakers and increase the headroom of the system, without the need to use a lot of equalization to place the sources in the frequency spectrum”, said Wanzo.

“The creative possibilities are infinite and puts us in a situation where we are achieving realism in the reproduction and creation of sound landscapes never before achieved. It is the beginning of a new path, and I weigh the immersive audio system as one of the outstanding elements of the Vendimia festival”, added Wanzo.

“We are really grateful, and I want to thank all the people who supported us in this project, especially the people from FLUX:: Immersive who’ve been supporting us throughout the process. We have great projects ahead of us in the future, and SPAT Revolution, with all its evolution, is definitely staying as our main tool for this”, continued Wanzo.

The International Organization of Vine and Wine, OIV (Organization Internationale de la vigne et du vin), the foremost international organization in global viticulture, has granted a unique recognition to the National Harvest Festival Vendimia (Fiesta nacional de la Vendimia) in Mendoza, Argentina, as an anthropological festival and one of the main attractions of the world in the field of wine tourism.

Vendimia 2022 – Mendoza Argentina
https://vendimia.mendoza.gov.ar/

Vendimia 2022 Crew
General direction: Vilma Rupolo and Federico Ortega
Musical direction: Mario Galvan and Pablo Budini
Lead audio designer, Engineer: Wanzo Producciones, Sebastian Wanzo
Sound staff:
    Co sound design: Daniel Wanzo
    Foley assistance: “Chino” Osorio
    Monitors: Emanuel Acuña
    Orchestra: Emiliano Abraham
    Streaming: Pablo Garay

Wanzo Producciones
http://wanzoproducciones.com/

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Immersive sound for live performances has been a hot topic in the Korean audio industry for the last decade, with the Chord GPC-1 processor being one of the leading immersive production solutions.

Chord, a sound integration company in Seoul, South Korea, founded by Seungbeom Yong together with Dohyung Kim and Joonha Kim, has since the company’s establishment in 2020, been focusing on delivering high-quality immersive sound solutions for live sound productions, exhibitions, and post-production with their GPC-1 Immersive Processor running SPAT Revolution.

Chord’s GPC-1 immersive rendering processor is built using industrial server-grade equipment taking into account the various different situations and requirements for Immersive sound production and is based on FLUX:: Immersive SPAT Revolution to create a truly versatile and robust solution.

“With the GPC-1 there’s no need for a fixed system configuration; instead, it outlines a solid foundation customized for user needs and prerequisites. Any venue or performance can implement a user-centred Immersive sound solution”, said Seungbeom Yong, founder of Chord.

“We’ve been thinking about immersive sound solutions that can show optimal performances at live sound sites, and the only answer is GPC-1. We’ve seen brilliant performances in collaboration with the New Sound Church for the play ‘Time We Didn’t Know Each Other’ at The Culture Tank in Seoul, by simply adding the GPC-1 and some surround speakers to their existing equipment without installing any specific and expensive equipment“, said Joohna Kim.

The GPC-1 immersive processor and SPAT Revolution have turned out to make a powerful and versatile solution, and Chord will continue to supply immersive systems at a reasonable price facilitating immersive sound, not only in religious facilities but also in spaces with limitations in the budget, including small and medium-sized venues and government offices.

“We discuss what Immersive effects the customer needs, and provide complete solutions from designing, deploying, and on-site training, helping users to fully adopt and utilize Immersive sound from the ground up”, added Kim.

Another recent project was the collaboration with Sungkyul University in Anyang, South Korea, where  Chord created an immersive sound studio based on the GPC-1 and SPAT Revolution utilizing the 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos format.  The system was deployed using JBL speakers by Harman International Industries. 

Chord GPC-1 (In Korean)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1I-z8kGsiPFRpnzXhdxQIbffW3ayixRQZ/view?usp=sharing

Video (In Korean)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSPNNOmuX3s

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We had the pleasure of meeting with Matthew Lien, world music singer-songwriter, producer, and sound-designer from Canada, for an interesting conversation about immersive audio production, and about a multi floor immersive installation created by Matthew and his team from the SOUND AND VISION COLLECTIVE, for the BCIT campus in Vancouver.

The designers of the new 4-floor building on the BCIT campus wanted an innovative visual and audio installation in the public space of the building, presenting the natural ambience of the area. Each of the four floors features photographic images along with sounds, which would be experienced at that elevation level, starting with whales and waves on the first floor, up to wind and soaring gulls on the fourth floor.

Matthew Lien was chosen to join the sound design team for the 32-channel BCIT installation, working with renowned Academy Award winning sound designer/audio engineer Jeff Wright. The team designed a 4-level soundscape, seamless across each level of eight speaker channels, to breathe sonic life into the large scale photographic installation by team leader Daniel Fox.

“When BCIT contacted us for ideas, we settled on a four-level life-size soundscape of an offshore outcropping where waves crashed on the rocks below and birds nested in the trees above. There would be 8 discreet ceiling speakers installed in each of the walkways of the 4 floors overlooking public space, for a total of 32 speaker channels.”, said Lien.

“To accommodate the complexity of a sonic environment existing within 32 speaker channels on 4 levels, we relied on the SPAT Revolution software from FLUX:: Immersive. Our ultimate goal was for the sound to be spacious and true to life where observers experience the atmosphere, but not the speakers.”, Lien added.

Matthew has been exploring the realms of spatial audio since the beginning of his career, working with transaural processing using systems such as Roland’s RSS and Desper’s Pro Spatializer, and later incorporating those technologies into surround sound mixing.

“I began experimenting with binaural recording many years ago when earphones became a dominant playback platform, breaking new ground using binaural impulse responses and publishing my research and results with the Audio Engineering Society.”, said Lien.

The SPAT software has been in Matthew’s toolkit for several years already, starting with the design of non-typical speaker array sound-art installations, including a 24-channel “sound dome” called Surroundings for the opening of a new park in Taiwan, and a 16-channel installation called Consonance, which features a unique form of Bunun aboriginal singing, permanently installed in the National Museum of the Republic of China.

“I believe, when creating multi-channel audio designs, that the listener should never hear a speaker, but rather a sound-field. Therefore, stereo and multi-channel imaging, and bleed between audio zones is very important to fully immerse the listener in the audio experience, rather than presenting what sounds like a bunch of speaker points.”, said Lien.

“SPAT Revolution is the ultimate tool for this type of work, as there is practically no speaker array which can not be virtually realized within the software. The extremely flexible routing, processing, and even panning methods combined with object based mixing and automation, makes SPAT Revolution an invaluable tool for designing new soundscapes for non-typical playback systems.”, Lien added.

The BCIT project was managed by Daniel Fox of FEEL THE WILD VR, who reached out to Jeff and Matthew, as they formed the SOUND AND VISION COLLECTIVE about a year ago and were looking for interesting and unusual projects to engage in together.

“Once Daniel selected a visual reference, Jeff and I selected audio assets to feature in the production. Working in my Yukon-based studio, I was able to model the entire 32-channel / 4-floor speaker array in SPAT Revolution to sketch out the audio scenes — complete with cross-bleed from speaker to speaker, and from floor to floor — using binaural playback for headphone monitoring. Jeff was then able to play back and recommend changes, from his multi-channel studio in Toronto.”, said Lien.

“In my experience, either when designing complex audio installations or when processing simulated binaural in parallel with native binaural sound design, SPAT Revolution is incredibly helpful, enabling me to accomplish challenging tasks while inspiring new ideas. I often find myself sitting back on playback, feeling a sense of accomplishment and amazement mixed with a good dose of gratitude for the designers that make this software possible.”, Lien added.

The BCIT installation is a massive project with no lack of challenges for the three audio and visual visionaries, a team with extensive experience and dedication to the creation of groundbreaking immersive content using innovative methods such as VR, 360 high resolution video, and Ambisonic Spatial sound.

“My vision for the BCIT commission was to create an immersive nature experience that would bridge the campus to the wilderness. In the atrium, on the giant open wall, spanning over 4 floors (25m x 25m), a life-scale image of an iconic Pacific Northwest landscape would visually transport the viewer, while a 32-speaker sound installation would immerse their audio sensory.”, said Fox.

“The challenge was not only in mixing this complicated soundtrack but even moreso, to add a 3D-sound element in it by having the sound characters move across and in/out, as if the scene was fully alive and unpredictable. SPAT Revolution turned out to be the best tool to execute the installation without compromising the vision.”, continued Fox.

“When we faced this challenging mix situation, necessitating multiple outputs within a specific environment, we were able to utilize SPAT Revolution’s intuitive room construct capabilities and customize it entirely to our needs. I’m not sure if any other software would have been able to handle our requirements with such ease. Thanks, SPAT Revolution!”, added Wright.

“The only real challenges we ran into with SPAT Revolution was due to the advanced options within the software. But thanks to the support at FLUX: Immersive, we quickly overcame any issues and were working within a perfect virtual model of the installation within a short period of time.”, added Lien.

As with most large scale construction projects, the BCIT building construction is behind schedule, the opening date is sometime later this year (2022).

SOUND AND VISION COLLECTIVE

DANIEL FOX – https://danielfox.co

Daniel is a professional photographer, founder / creative director of FEEL THE WILD VR, the author of FEEL THE WILD, a Sony – Arc’teryx – Sandisk ambassador, and solo wilderness explorer. Daniel’s work is supported by Insta360, Sennheiser, and Klean Kanteen.

JEFF WRIGHT – https://hughqelliott.com/jeffwright/Jeff_Wright

A veteran sound engineer specialized in recording voice for Academy, Gemini, and Emmy winning films, series and music, Jeff has worked on projects like MTV’s Undergrads, Angela Anaconda, BraceFace, Arthur, Franklin, Family Guy and The Nut Job. His clients include Warner, EMI, and Sony, and bands Jellystone, Kardinal, Dean Brody and the Breit Brothers.

MATTHEW LIEN – https://matthewlien.com

Matthew is a Yukon-based multi-platinum recording artist, producer and sound designer. His first release “Bleeding Wolves” became a multi-platinum legend in southeast Asia, where he’s since won the region’s Grammy and Emmy equivalents. In Canada, he’s received the Yukon University Innovation Prize, and the Best Artist award plus two nominations at the Western Canadian Music Awards, in addition to Canada’s Parliamentary Certificate of Honour. His works include 20+ studio albums, award-winning soundtracks and documentaries.

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Paris, France – March 2021

While immersive audio performances have taken on a new popularity during this year of virtual concerts, the French electronic music producer ÉléphantMat (the alter-ego of artist/producer/engineer Mathieu Rossier) has been creating live events in 3D audio for several years.

Describing his music as “organic and unlabeled techno, at the border of tribe, psyche, and prog,” ÉléphantMat is among only a handful of artists who perform fully in the 3D realm.

Rossier is also founder of Des Sons Animés, a 32-channel spatial sound studio where he hosts live 3D spatialized audio streams via his Facebook page, streaming his Ableton Live screen and his live performance.

Des Sons Animés is among the very first private studios in France to utilize wave field synthesis in live musical applications. The studio is designed to virtualize a wide range of configurations, including Object-based, Dolby Atmos, 5.1, 7.1, MPEGH, ambisonic, Auro-3D and more. One of his indispensable tools is SPAT Revolution from FLUX:: Immersive.

With most venues shut down, Des Sons Animés teamed with promotors BNK to create CAPTURE, a series of livestreamed immersive events performed and recorded in national heritage locations.

For one recent CAPTURE event, Rossier’s Des Sons Animés crew installed an 18-channel immersive system at the renowned Grand Palais, where ÉléphantMat presented a live two-hour spatialized performance piece. Des Sons Animés recorded the multitrack audio in object-based format, remixing the soundtrack using binaural encoding with SPAT Revolution. The event was streamed live without an audience,

“We placed 16 speakers in a circle around me at a diameter of 8 meters (26 feet), with two subwoofers outside the circle,” Rossier explains.

“Without an audience, we didn’t have to concern ourselves with acoustic treatment for the space, which was far too large to really address. The distance from the speakers provided me with a good level of monitoring and placement.”

” SPAT is an ideal tool for immersive audio. It responds to every mixing challenge I encounter and enables me to mix in multiple configurations. For the Grand Palais mix, SPAT allowed me to create a binaural version that was faithful to my score’s spatial intention. I was able to manage each object individually and use all the internal tools to optimize the rendering.”

Rossier sent sequences from Ableton Live directly to objects within SPAT Revolution.

“For this project, I knew I wouldn’t have any elevation since all the speakers were mounted at the same level, so I used a 3D spatial partition, including elevation, which I then monitored in 2D on the Grand Palais setup. SPAT enabled us to create two mixing streams, one for the studio monitoring and one for the stream’s binaural rendering. Once back in the Des Sons Animés studio, all I had to do was send the recorded session into SPAT, with audio and data in OSC, and use SPAT’s binaural rendering to lay it down to a two channel mix for the video.”

Long a proponent of immersive audio, Rossier is keen to share the art with others. In addition to Rossier’s own performances, Des Sons Animé offers residency programs to artists looking to integrate 3D audio into their work.

“For me, working in stereo becomes almost prehistoric once you have composed and mixed in 3D,” he offers.

“Once you’ve tasted the world of spatialized sound, there is an immediate addiction. One can play with space, depth, and elevation, add life to instruments, animate them with movement and trajectories. The score gains in intelligibility, and the creative potential is dramatically increased. It’s crazy – every artist should be able to try this creative approach.”

Rossier points to SPAT Revolution as an indispensable tool in immersive content creation.

“SPAT is an ideal tool for immersive audio. It responds to every mixing challenge I encounter and enables me to mix in multiple configurations. For the Grand Palais mix, SPAT allowed me to create a binaural version that was faithful to my score’s spatial intention. I was able to manage each object individually and use all the internal tools to optimize the rendering. The mix breathes, the spatial definition is superb, and the dynamics are precisely preserved. The results were simply wonderful. There is no other tool on the market that can manage this kind of project with this degree of stability and sonic quality.”

Capture Grand Palais, Paris – Official Teaser

PHOTO CREDIT: Louis Lefranc

 

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