The first L-ISA immersive technology installation using L-Acoustics L Series loudspeakers in the world has been unveiled at the AFAS Theatre – a purpose-built multipurpose space commissioned by AFAS Software – in Leudsen in the Netherlands
‘We wanted the best system in the Netherlands. it had to be sophisticated, and it had to be future proof ,’ says the theatre’s Audio Engineer, Daniël Bril, who found the solution in the combination of L Series and L-ISA. ‘AFAS is a company that likes new technologies and when L-Acoustics came out with the L2 it was something that really blew our minds.’
Like the company itself, the venue, which opened in 2021, had to be flexible, multi-faceted, and innovative in its approach to everything from the layout and décor to its audiovisual technology. To find the best solution for these requirements, they consulted Jeroen ten Brinke, a sound designer with tons of experience. His involvement streamlined the process and kept the focus on finding the best solution for the venue.
The centrepiece of the AFAS complex, the 800-capacity theatre hosts everything from conferences, corporate events and awards ceremonies to theatrical productions and live concerts. Committed to new technologies and innovation, the AFAS Theatre team tested a variety of systems. And from the second they were introduced to the new L Series professional audio system from L-Acoustics, their mind was made up, and they embarked on the world’s first permanently installed L-ISA deployment using L Series.
Bril collaborated with Rene van der Linden at Fairlight, L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor for the Netherlands, and Gert Wiersema, application engineer at L-Acoustics. Using Soundvision audio modelling software, they designed a system that would serve the wide range of events at the theatre while also ensuring the system remained aesthetically unobtrusive.
‘Sightlines were a major consideration for this project,’ Bril explains. ‘The L Series enables a relatively small PA to provide full coverage, from the top row on the balcony all the way down to the edge of the stage. The L Series is so much smaller than boxes with similar power – and to make things even better, it just looks sexy.’
Installed by Fairlight, who served as audio partner for the project, the L-ISA Scene system comprises five hangs of one L2 over one L2D, and ten KS21 subwoofers. Two X8 coaxial enclosures were used for in-fill, while 12 5XT serve as spatial front fill. Two X8 are placed under the balconies, to close two small gaps that the main system did not cover, while four 5XT serve the private boxes. A catwalk in the ceiling blocks coverage for the top rows on the balcony, so three A10 Wide recover this missing coverage and are fed by an LCR downmix from the L-ISA Processor II. The entire system is powered by 11 LA7.16i, two LA12X, and one LA4X amplified controllers.
Van der Linden notes that the incorporation of the L-ISA technology was straightforward, with L-Acoustics providing training and support: ‘A visiting FOH engineer told me L-ISA was simple to programme and the production team were happy with the results,’ he says. ‘The given idea is that implementing immersive technology is complicated, but this project shows how easy it is. The AFAS Theatre team were eager to learn and picked it up very fast.’
‘The synergies between this L2 L-ISA system and a venue so centred on technological innovation are clear for all to see. It is a perfect pairing that allows the AFAS Theatre to continue to expand and diversify its offering. Everyone who has put it to use, from engineers to artists, has been absolutely delighted with its performance,’ Bril concludes.
More: www.l-acoustics.com
