AREA15 is an immersive art district just moments from the Vegas Strip.
A former aquarium, the main event space of the district, The Portal, has upgraded its audio experience with a HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array sound system, taming challenging reflections and offering more flexibility.
The space is a vast grey concrete cuboid, with the walls and floor a seamless 360-degree projection surface. It can be used for private dining, all-night DJ sets, and everything in between.
At Halloween, for example, the Rocky Horror Picture Show is projected onto all for walls and supported by live actors, but it has also been home to fine art shows and corporate events.
The 7,000 square foot, two storey, completely blank canvas space is a haven for beautiful visual content and light projection, a nightmare for sound reproduction.
The installed HOLOPLOT X1 system relies on its proprietary 3D Audio-Beamforming capabilities to tame the harsh acoustic environment, directing Optimized Coverage Beams at the audience area only, actively avoiding the highly reflective concrete walls.
The system
The system was designed remotely, based on 3D renders of the space. Working via video calls, all venue needs were discussed and anticipated results simulated in HOLOPLOT Plan. The heatmaps showed the precise coverage area and avoided reflective surfaces, ensuring the client was informed and confident their requirements would be fulfilled.
"We finally got X1 into the venue and on the first night we just wanted to fire it up and see what happened, even before we had fine-tuned it. Straight away, it was like the weight had just been lifted off our shoulders. The Matrix Arrays sounded like a huge distributed system, like everyone had their own little PA, whether they were standing against the wall, or in the middle of the room. It didn't matter where they were, their audio experience was not diminished in any position."
- JD Bouck, Director of Productions at AREA15
