Sphere Entertainment has unveiled Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by Holoplot, claiming it to be the world’s most advanced audio system. The system provides individualised sound to every seat in Sphere, a ‘next generation entertainment medium’ venue that is opening shortly in Las Vegas.
Sphere Studios partnered with 3D audio technology specialist Holoplot to create Sphere Immersive Sound – the world’s largest, fully integrated concert-grade audio system.
‘Sphere Immersive Sound is a cornerstone of the custom-designed technology that will make Sphere unlike any venue, anywhere in the world, providing audio with unmatched clarity and precision to every guest, no matter where they are seated,’ says David Dibble, CEO of MSG Ventures, a division of Sphere Entertainment. ‘Creating this experience required us to go far beyond existing audio technology, and in Holoplot we found a partner at the forefront of innovation to help achieve our vision and truly transform what is possible with audio.’
‘The beauty of Sphere is not only the ground-breaking technology that will make it unique, with the world’s most advanced audio system integrated into a structure which is designed with sound quality as a priority; it’s also the possibilities around immersive experiences in real and imaginary landscapes,’ says U2’s The Edge. ‘In short, it’s a canvas of an unparalleled scale and image resolution, and a once-in-a-generation opportunity. We all thought about it and decided we’d be mad not to accept the invitation.’
‘From the beginning, Holoplot has been focused on radically transforming audio technology, rethinking the underlying physics of sound reproduction as we know it,’ adds Holoplot CEO, Roman Sick. ‘Working alongside Sphere Studios on Sphere Immersive Sound has been a truly thrilling opportunity for our team – challenging us to extend the boundaries of our technology at an unparalleled scale and create a revolutionary listening experience.’
Sphere Immersive Sound was specifically developed for Sphere’s curved interior. The system uses approximately 1,600 permanently installed and 300 mobile Holoplot X1 Matrix Array loudspeaker modules, and includes a total of 167,000 individually amplified loudspeaker drivers using amplification provided by 16-channel Powersoft amplifiers. The system uses Holoplot’s next-generation 3D Audio-Beamforming and Wave Field Synthesis technology to transform how audio is delivered in large-scale venues. This results in controlled, consistent concert-grade audio for audiences of up to 20,000 people, providing each audience member with a personalised listening experience.
A further key component of the Sphere experience are the 10,000 haptic seats integrated with Powersoft’s infrasound system. Powersoft’s Mover transducer uses haptic feedback to engage event-goers senses beyond visual and audio stimulation. The patented moving-magnet technology delivers ultra-low-frequency sound to make the chairs vibrate and shake as desired for each performance. To accompany the infrasound haptic system, Powersoft supplied 2,500 audio channels for the seats, provided by 718 Powersoft Quattrocanali amplifiers.
‘Sphere is the largest-scale and most innovative application of Powersoft technology yet, and we’re thrilled to partner with a company that holds the same values and vision for the future of live entertainment,’ says Carlo Lastrucci, President of Powersoft.
The sound system is completely hidden behind Sphere’s 160,000sq-ft interior LED display plane. Any audio transmission losses are fully compensated for by Holoplot’s algorithms in the optimization engine, resulting in clear, full-range sound with virtually no coloration and a completely unobstructed visual LED surface – that wraps around the audience and combines with Sphere Immersive Sound to create a fully immersive environment.
Traditional loudspeaker technology in large-scale suffer from uncontrolled sound wave propagation as distance from the loudspeakers increases. Holoplot’s 3D Audio-Beamforming technology uses intelligent software algorithms to create a highly controlled and more efficient wave front, allowing levels and quality to remain consistent from point of origin to destination – even over large distances. Holoplot’s propriety beamforming technology can also simultaneously send unique audio content to specific locations in the venue, creating the possibility for different sections to hear completely different content – such as languages, music, or sound effects.
Sphere Immersive Sound will additionally use Holoplot’s Wave Field Synthesis capabilities, a spatial audio rendering technique that uses virtual acoustic environments. With conventional audio technology, the perceived origin of a sound has traditionally been the location of the loudspeaker. Using Wave Field Synthesis, sound designers can create a virtual point of origin, which can then be placed in a precise spatial location. This enables audio to be directed to the listener so that it sounds close, even though the source is far away – for example, an audience member could hear a whisper that sounds like someone is talking directly in their ear.
Since its founding in 2011, Berlin-based Holoplot has been using 3D Audio Beamforming and Wave Field Synthesis technology to develop groundbreaking audio systems. The has received global recognition for its patented technology, and with its 3D sound capabilities drew the attention of MSG Ventures – which is responsible for developing the advanced technologies used to create immersive experiences for Sphere.
Sphere Immersive Sound, powered by Holoplot, was first introduced last summer at the Beacon Theatre in New York, ahead of being further customised and scaled for Sphere – which leverages the full capabilities of the cutting-edge technology. The introduction of this audio innovation at The Beacon brought a nearly 100-year-old venue into the next generation, Since this debut, Sphere Immersive Sound has offered artists and audiences a glimpse of what the system is capable of delivering, before Sphere opens.
In addition to Sphere Immersive Sound and the interior LED display plane, Sphere also features patented 4D technologies such as infrasound haptic seating, and various atmospheric and environmental effects, such as warm breezes, evocative scents and changing temperatures, to create multi-sensory experiences that take storytelling to an entirely new level.
Sphere opened in September with the first of U2’s 25 performances of U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at Sphere with the Darren Aronofsky-directed Sphere Experience, Postcard from Earth on October 6 – the first event to utilise the venue’s revolutionary haptic seats.
