CHINA: On the shores of Chaohu Lake in China’s Anhui Province, the Anhui Bai Xi Cheng Acrobatic Theatre is redefining the meeting point between tradition and innovation with one of the region’s most advanced spatial audio installations. Designed and delivered by L-Acoustics Certified Provider Rightway Audio Consultants (RAC), the new system pairs L-ISA object-based technology with the Ambiance real-time acoustic environment engine, creating a landmark audio infrastructure for the 1,320-seat venue that reflects the global stature of the Anhui Acrobatic Troupe.

With a legacy built over six decades and performances across fifty countries, the troupe now operates from a 40,800-square-metre facility that matches its ambition, further distinguished by its three-star Green Building Evaluation Standard certification — the first performing arts venue in Anhui to achieve this sustainability accolade.

What sets the installation apart is the extraordinary stage environment for which it was designed. The theatre features China’s largest single-panel flipping stage, transitioning between horizontal and vertical orientations within 90 seconds across a 36-metre height difference. Combined with 36 computer-controlled wire rigging systems, the venue operates in a dual proscenium-and-immersive mode that challenges conventional sound reinforcement.

RAC System Engineer Wang Jianghua notes, “When you’re dealing with acrobatic performances that involve complex aerial manoeuvres and dynamic staging, precise sound localization and spatial positioning become critical. Traditional stereo sound reinforcement simply can’t match the three-dimensional reality of performers flying through space.”

L-ISA’s object-based workflow was essential not just for amplification but for accurate spatial placement of sound as performers move above and around the audience. Ambiance technology further enhances this environment by enabling real-time control of the theatre’s acoustic character. Twenty-four strategically placed microphones capture spatial energy throughout the hall, with these signals processed through the L-ISA Room Engine in the L-ISA Processor II. “This allows flexible adjustment of hall reverberation length and sound field characteristics according to performance needs, keeping audiences consistently immersed in varying soundscapes,” Wang explains. Acoustic transformations that once required costly architectural modifications now occur instantly, shifting seamlessly from intimate spoken theatre to rich, reverberant musical atmospheres.

The immersive sound system is anchored by a frontal L-ISA Scene System comprising five hangs, each built with 5 units of the A15i Focus paired with 1 unit of the A15i Wide, supported by two centrally flown hangs of four KS28 subwoofers in cardioid configuration. Extension hangs of 3 units of the A15i Focus paired with 1 unit of the A15i Wide per side ensure uniform coverage across the venue’s expansive 180° seating layout. Surround reinforcement is delivered through 34 units of the X8 enclosures and 2 units of the X12 speakers, with an additional overhead system of 13 units of the X12 speakers. Four units of the SB18 subwoofers mounted in the ceiling extend the system’s low-frequency presence, ensuring an enveloping, multidimensional sound field.

The system’s architecture is supported by AES67 network audio, unifying audio, video, and lighting into a cohesive control environment essential for performances that rely on tight synchronisation between sound and movement. BlackTrax real-time tracking technology adds another layer of immersion, transmitting 6D positional data directly to the L-ISA system. This allows sound objects to follow performers’ exact positions as they move through space, transforming the auditory dimension into an extension of acrobatic choreography. “The spatial audio responds dynamically to live performance conditions,” says Cui Yangkang, house Sound Engineer at the Anhui Bai Xi Cheng Acrobatic Theatre. “This allows our audio team at Anhui to create immersive auditory experiences at any scale.”

The theatre drew more than 3,000 visitors during its trial opening, many eager to experience this fusion of acrobatic artistry and spatial audio innovation. Since then, the system has performed consistently across a diverse range of productions, from classical acrobatic showcases to contemporary multimedia performances. Reflecting on the achievement, Cui adds, “By designing and optimizing a multi-channel system that applies L-ISA and Ambiance together, we’ve achieved a level of control over acoustics and spatial audio that wasn’t previously possible in this type of venue. The system breaks through conventional limitations, giving us precise control where sound and movement work in perfect harmony.”