The Casino Rama Entertainment Centre (CREC), a 5,000-seat theater that has welcomed a wide range of talent over nearly three decades sits at the heart of Casino Rama Resort in Ontario. It is a room that has to sound right for all of it. As the CREC approaches its 25th anniversary this June, a new L-Acoustics K2 system, supplied by SCN Top 50 systems integrator Solotech, replacing a V-DOSC rig that delivered close to a quarter century of virtually flawless performance.
Setting the Bar
That the outgoing system needed to be replaced at all was more a matter of timing than failure. “The old system was an incredible slugger,” said Rob Howick, venue operations assistant manager. “V-DOSC went out the door with absolutely nothing wrong with it after all that time. We brought it in once a year just to rotate cabinets. As a legacy product, it was simply time for an upgrade.”
Article continues belowPerry Disera, A1 at CREC and the engineer who spearheaded the design and installation, underscored just how remarkable that track record was. “We were very fortunate to not require any manufacturer support throughout the lifetime of the system. V-DOSC handled everything we and incoming tour engineers put into it—withstanding the pounding of heavy metal acts while still sounding natural and sweet with symphonic performances. It was a remarkably worthwhile investment, all the way to the end.”
That legacy, paradoxically, made the path forward straightforward. Staying within the L-Acoustics ecosystem meant a smooth transition, a familiar workflow for the in-house team, and confidence in the long-term investment.
A Phased Approach
Rather than a single-stage swap, the team structured the project to keep the venue operational throughout with a two-phase approach. As Disera explained, phase one covered amplification, cabling, and background infrastructure—initially powering the then-current V-DOSC and dV-DOSC speakers. In phase two, more amplification was brought in to support all the new K2 enclosures, added another complement of subs per side, and completed all the cabling. Brand continuity within the L-Acoustics platform made this phased approach viable, minimizing disruption and capital outlay at each stage.
The complete system now features left and right main arrays of 16 K2 per side, with six additional K2 per side addressing the outer seating areas of the main floor. A pair of Kara II handle fill coverage for the front-center section. The LF system is anchored by 12 KS28 subwoofers per side, flown in a cardioid configuration and positioned within 11 feet of the five-foot stage for maximum impact and low-frequency control. Six LA-RAK II AVB touring racks, each loaded with three LA12X amplified controllers and two LS10 Milan-AVB switches, were added to the Entertainment Centre’s existing 10 LA-RAK II to round out the infrastructure.
K2 Takes the Stage
The rig has immediately impressed both the in-house team and visiting professionals. “Touring engineers are consistently happy with how this system performs sonically, and there’s very little they need to do to make their shows sound great,” said Disera. “I feel we now have what is probably one of the best rigs for a theatre of this size in Canada, if not in North America.”
From the audience perspective, the impact has been equally striking. “The vocal clarity is night and day—the crispness, the overall texture of the high end,” said Howick. “Our room has always been excellent for sound, but there were some coverage gaps in the outer seating areas that the K2 outfills have completely resolved. The consistency from the first row to the very back row is really stunning.”
Disera is quick to credit the team that helped make it happen: audio specialists Ryan Smith and Mike Brandon. “They’ve been instrumental in the installation and operation since we started putting the system in. We all have a hand in what’s going on with the PA and monitoring systems onstage, and we’re all genuinely thrilled with L-Acoustics. With our previous system delivering almost 25 years of incredible service, we’re confident this new one will do us right for at least 25 more.”
