Founded in 1984 near Paris, France, and recognized for pioneering the line source array, L-Acoustics continues to shape the future of the professional audio industry now with its L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology, a multidimensional, object-based approach to designing, mixing, and processing live sound that results in extremely natural and intelligible audio and a more vibrant, and authentic connection between artists and their fans. Since it launched its L-ISA technology in 2017, L-Acoustics established a series of strategic partnerships with other manufacturers of audio processing and audio mixing solutions to be able to offer a complete object-based sound solution to the market.
The winter NAMM in Anaheim, CA, has always been the place where the music world meets and has recently expanded into professional sound with the opening of two new large exhibition halls. L-Acoustics returned to the trade show as an exhibitor in 2018 and will do so again in 2019 (January 24-27). The manufacturer will be more than doubling its footprint at NAMM 2019 with a new demo space to showcase L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology. In addition, the L-Acoustics interactive showroom will be populated by the latest loudspeakers, processors, and software including ARCS Wide, ARCS Focus, X Series, K Series, and Syva loudspeakers, along with the P1 AVB processor which began shipping in June 2018.
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L-ISA Around The World
L-Acoustics L-ISA systems have been making the headlines all over the world, as artists, show promoters, rental companies and the public experience the difference that object-based sound mixing can make when translated by a multichannel array of sound, generating a unique immersive experience. The company's presence at NAMM 2019 will leverage the excitement already generated by recent productions with the L-ISA system in the United States, Europe or Australia.
Gradually, around the world L-ISA has been generating a positive impact for the live sound industry, with important references in very different productions. In the US, L-ISA was used recently at one of the largest corporate events in the country, Dreamforce, in San Francisco, California. Dreamforce is the annual user conference for Salesforce, the largest client relationship management software company in the world, and it has always been a place to show off the latest technology for tech-savvy attendees who expect to be dazzled by the very newest and best in event technology.
The L-ISA deployment at Dreamforce 2018 was unique, especially given the risk of trying out a completely new equipment at the scale of the event, with over 150,000 attendees and a unique gigantic production. In addition to the L-ISA Controller and the L-ISA Processor for object placement and spatialization, the L-ISA configuration at Dreamforce comprised a frontal system of 12 arrays of six Kara line array element each, located in front of the projection screen with low-end frequency reinforcement provided by four SB18 subs flown in the centre of the exhibit space in a block configuration. A total of 25 X15 HiQ coaxial loudspeakers distributed throughout the venue provided the overhead coverage that enabled seamless delivery of nature sound effects. The entire system was powered by 25 LA8 and two LA12X amplified controllers.
Laurent Vaissié sees corporate event production as a key application for multichannel sound, and specifically L-ISA, in the future. “L-ISA makes a lot of sense from a plenary speaker localization and intelligibility standpoint to creating an immersive environment or enhancing a dramatic product release with 3D sound effects,” says Vaissié. “L-ISA’s intuitive mixing tool and comprehensive ecosystem also cuts down production preparation time substantially for complex corporate shows such as Dreamforce."
Another high profile US experience for L-ISA technology was Childish Gambino’s recent North American "This Is America Tour." As a producer, director, writer, actor, comedian, DJ, recording artist and live performer, Donald Glover likes to make an impact, as underscored by the use of L-ISA sound technology. Childish Gambino’s tour director, Christian Coffey, additionally serves as tour director for Run The Jewels. He first heard L-ISA when the hip-hop duo went out on Lorde’s North American Melodrama Tour earlier in 2018, the first tour to use the technology in North America.
“Lorde’s tour sounded incredible — really full and panoramic,” Coffey recalls. “Childish’s management was at her Staples’ Center show and felt the same way, so that’s when our discussions began. Everyone wanted an immersive experience with a non-traditional arena show, and we felt that the L-ISA system could be a great fit.”
To widen the sonic panorama and add dimension to the 20,000-seat, sold-out arenas on the Childish Gambino tour, the L-ISA Scene system provided by Britannia Row comprised three center arrays of 15 K2 line array elements, flanked by a pair of 21-enclosure Kara arrays. For increased horizontal spread, four arrays of 15 Kara were flown, two per side, outside of the Scene system as an additional L-ISA Extension system, while two arrays of 13 K2 were deployed to provide coverage to the seats on the extreme sides of the stage.
Palpable low frequency coverage was delivered by two adjacent center hangs of eight KS28 subwoofers each, flown in a cardioid configuration, while an additional eight ground-stacked KS28 provided LF reinforcement to the near-field audience. Six Kara speakers spread across the stage lip provided front fill, and the entire system was driven by LA12X amplified controllers housed in LA-RAK II touring racks. The "This Is America Tour" was hailed by the entertainment press as a “religious experience,” and “an immersive show."
In November 2018, the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with CineConcerts and Warner Bros Consumer Products, performed Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in Concert at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, South Australia. It was the first ever use of L-Acoustics L-ISA Hyperreal Sound in the southern hemisphere and took audiences even deeper into the magical world while the symphony orchestra performed the entire score live to picture.
L-ISA was deployed by leading Australian technical production company Novatech, which has been using L-Acoustic systems for events of all sizes and scope around Australia. When L-ISA was released, Novatech looked for opportunities to use the ground-breaking technology in Australia. “With L-Acoustics being the backbone of our audio inventory, we were excited by the introduction of L-ISA and were keen to bring it to Australia for a live performance,” remarks Novatech’s Production Manager, James Sacca. “It seemed fitting to partner with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra for this Southern Hemisphere first.”
The L-ISA set up included 126 input channels and 96 L-ISA objects and used an L-ISA Wide design solution, deploying a total of 84 L-Acoustics Kara cabinets in seven hangs of 12 Kara, each spaced above the performing zone to provide source separation and localization, two extension speaker groups of 12 Kiva II and two flown subwoofer arrays of four SB28 in and end fire configuration in the centre. The monitor system comprised ten X15 HiQ cabinets and eight X8. Control was via a DiGiCo SD10 mixing console at front of house and an AVID S6L at monitors, connected via three Optocore optical loops.
Charles Gagnon, who mixed the show, stated: “I have long been a fan of so-called surround sound and immersive audio. I’ve done numerous recordings and broadcasts in ‘traditional’ 5.0/5.1 surround and have been involved in experimental immersive audio projects going back to the early 2000s. Advances in processing power and algorithms now make object-based systems practical so I am intrigued, but not surprised, about the emergence of these systems in the competitive live sound market.”
Gagnon found the L-ISA Controller software intuitive, with a well-designed GUI that made it easy for him to quickly make broad adjustments to the soundscape. “I was pleased with the result, especially with dialogue clarity and localization, and overall clarity and coherence of the soundstage,” he says. “It was a great experience and I would most definitely like to use it again.”
Finally, in London, the use of the L-ISA is already creating new reason for audiences to rush to buy tickets for shows at the Royal Albert Hall, where the system has been praised in events such as the BBC's Night of the Proms, the Classic BRITS, Kraftwerk shows, and many other rock and pop acts. After making history as the first band to use L-Acoustics L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology at their ground-breaking concert at Forest Hills Stadium in New York in early 2018, UK indie rockers alt-J used the system at Royal Albert Hall for the final two dates of their world tour.
The band’s combination of ethereal harmonies and striking sound effects, lend themselves perfectly to this 360-degree audio experience. alt-J’s front of house engineer Lance Reynolds appreciates that the band’s music includes “a lot of interesting sonic nuggets and sound effects,” and that L-ISA has allowed him to bring these to the fore in his 360° mix. This, in turn, allows the audience to truly appreciate the difference in comparison to conventional stereo live sound reinforcement and “feel completely immersed in alt-J’s music.”
“Spectacular, perfect, mesmerizing, powerful, and involving,” were just some of the adjectives that came to mind amongst spectators to describe their experience. One concertgoer summed up his delight as, “by far the best sound of any gig I’ve ever been to. Unforgettable.” Another enthused, “It couldn’t have been better.”
For the L-ISA system at the Royal Albert Hall, alt-J’s long-time production supplier Rat Sound deployed three central hangs of 12 K2 with three Kara down each, flanked by two hangs of 16 Kara either side of the K2 hangs to create the Scene system. Two hangs of four KS28 were flown behind the K2 hangs. Two hangs of 12 Kara formed an extension system and two hangs of 10 Kara provided sidefill coverage. Two ARCS II, left and right, sat on the stage lip, with two ARCS Wide centre stage for frontfill and three X8 per side for stalls fill. Four SB18 were positioned below the front of the stage for low end frontfill.
The surround system comprised ten Syva column speakers positioned around the top of the Gallery (Level 5), plus ten X12 evenly distributed around the bottom of the Rausing Circle acting as a delay ring for the main Syva surrounds.
“Touring is becoming a more and more important part of what you do as a band, so it’s exciting to think when you are writing a song how you can make it sound as amazing as possible live,” says alt-J’s Gus Unger-Hamilton (keyboards/vocals). “And now that we know what can be done [with L-ISA], it will be in our minds, for sure.”
Next-up for the L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound, L-Acoustics is partnering with Aerosmith and THX on the upcoming Las Vegas “The Deuces Are Wild Residency” starting in April of 2019.
L-Acoustics will be at Booth n°17208 and will promote the L-ISA experience in Demo room 203A during NAMM 2019.
www.l-acoustics.com | www.l-isa-immersive.com
