ETA’s Publisher Thomas Richard recounts his visit to Kuala Lumpur’s Istana Budaya for an evening of extraordinary musicianship; which revealed how great sound reinforcement should be experienced — not noticed.

Unlike most of the projects we cover, this was not a system demonstration, technical presentation or carefully arranged listening session. I arrived at Istana Budaya in Kuala Lumpur simply as a member of the audience, with no prior opportunity to hear the sound system or learn how it had been configured. That made the evening particularly interesting. I would listen first—and form my own conclusions entirely from what reached my ears. That proved to be the best way to appreciate the evening.

The occasion was “Beyond Words: International Mastery Meets Malaysian Artistry”, a one-night concert held on 22 August and presented by E2Rventures with the support of Solara Group of Companies. The performance also raised funds for the Swara Community Arts Centre and its work in music education, cultural preservation and youth development. The concert was billed as the first international performance at Istana Budaya following the national theatre’s reopening. At its centre was Grammy-winning violinist, vocalist and composer L. Shankar, a cofounder of the pioneering fusion group Shakti and inventor of the remarkable 10-string double violin.

Joining him was Malaysian sitarist Samuel J. Dass and an accomplished local ensemble comprising tabla player Prakash Kandasamy; composer, arranger and keyboardist Shawalnaz Hussin; seruling maestro Muhardiman Ismail; bassist and composer Hadi Maswardi; percussionist and programmer Paavendran Langkadran; and guitarists Eliezer Enan and Marco Alonso. Many of the musicians came from Dass’s own ensemble, Swara Asia. That familiarity was evident in the natural interplay on stage. This did not sound like a collection of musicians assembled for a single engagement; it felt like a cohesive group whose members understood when to lead, when to support and when to leave space for another instrument.

Istana Budaya—translated as the Palace of Culture—is Malaysia’s premier national theatre. Located on Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur, it opened in September 1999 and has hosted major theatrical productions, classical concerts, musicals and opera. Its main auditorium seats approximately 1,400 people and includes royal boxes inspired by the windows of traditional Malay houses. Following an extensive period of upgrading, the changes are immediately visible. From its exterior to the public spaces and auditorium, Istana Budaya once again projects the stature expected of a national cultural institution. The renewed surroundings provided an appropriately grand setting for an evening built around musical traditions, cross-cultural collaboration and instrumental virtuosity.

The Instruments as the Test

For me, the sitar, tabla, seruling and Shankar’s 10-string double violin would provide the evening’s true test. The sitar was one of the instruments I was particularly interested in hearing through the system. It has a distinctive brightness and resonance that can become overly sharp if not reproduced well. Through the sound system, the plucked strings remained clear and lively without becoming piercing or uncomfortable to the ears.

The tabla presented a different type of test. Its different tones and the quicker finger work required clarity to prevent the playing from becoming muddled. Both came through well. The seruling brought a lighter and gentler character to the performance.

With amplified strings, keyboards, bass and percussion playing alongside it, I thought the flute might be difficult to pick out. Instead, it remained clearly audible without appearing to be pushed unnaturally forward in the mix. Shankar’s 10-string double violin was probably the most unusual instrument of the evening. I was impressed by how its sound could move from gentle and expressive to powerful and almost orchestral. The loudspeaker system handled these changes naturally. The higher notes remained comfortable to listen to, while the lower notes retained their warmth and body. When the instrument needed to take centre stage, it did so without overwhelming the rest of the musicians. Although the subs were hidden from view, their contribution could certainly be felt. What stood out for me was that the bass never dominated the performance. It added depth and impact when required but remained well balanced with the rest of the instruments.

Clarity Beyond the Prime Seats

My seat was towards the side of the secondlevel circle—not necessarily the position one would choose for a system evaluation. Yet that ultimately made the experience more meaningful. Even from that location, the individual character of each instrument came through clearly. There was a pleasing equilibrium across the ensemble. No single element consistently overpowered another, and when an instrument took the musical lead, the transition felt natural rather than forced.

Naturally, microphone selection, placement and the decisions made by the front-ofhouse engineer were integral to the result. A loudspeaker system cannot compensate for poor capture or an unbalanced mix. Nevertheless, its responsibility is to reproduce those decisions faithfully and distribute them consistently throughout the listening area.

From where I was seated, that reproduction was rich, open and remarkably well defined. The system delivered sufficient detail to reveal the musicians’ technique, but it never became clinical. Just as importantly, the sound remained comfortable throughout the performance. There was energy without aggression, clarity without harshness and low-frequency presence without excess.

A Discovery After the Final Applause

It was only after the concert had ended that curiosity led me to find out more about the production. Having been impressed by the consistency and natural balance throughout the evening, I wanted to know what sound reinforcement system had been used. A little investigation revealed that the performance had been supported by a d&b audiotechnik GSL system.

In many ways, the discovery made perfect sense. Throughout the evening, the sound had remained open, balanced and remarkably consistent, allowing the audience to focus entirely on the musicians rather than the technology reproducing them. That finding also places Istana Budaya in distinguished company.

Around the world, many of the world’s most respected performing arts venues have selected d&b systems to support demanding productions. These include London’s Royal Albert Hall, Sydney Opera House and Singapore’s Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay—venues where consistency, transparency and musical fidelity are essential to every performance. Whether permanent or hired for this production, the choice felt entirely appropriate for Malaysia’s premier performing arts venue.

When the Technology Disappears

The evening was different from the events I usually attend, but I left with a vivid impression of a beautifully choreographed musical encounter. Each musician was given room to express the distinctive voice of his instrument, while the ensemble retained its collective warmth and cohesion.

For me, that was the system’s greatest achievement. After initially noticing the loudspeaker arrays, I gradually stopped thinking about them. My attention shifted entirely towards the performers and the music. In many ways, that is the highest compliment one can give a sound system: the technology becomes invisible, leaving the performance to occupy centre stage.

Based on what I heard that evening, it would be a fitting addition to Malaysia’s Palace of Culture. Istana Budaya presents an exceptionally varied programme, and its sound system must be equally capable of supporting everything from traditional instrumentation and orchestral music to theatre, contemporary concerts and international productions.

On this occasion, the sound system did more than make the performance audible. It allowed the colour, texture and personality of every instrument to be heard—and felt—in full.