Less than a half-hour drive northwest of downtown Houston, Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Cy-Fair ISD) has built a new Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). The modern 85,000-square-foot complex, and its centerpiece 1,536-seat Main Theater is likely the envy of every arts student down the road, have enhanced audio facilities, thanks to more than 100 L-Acoustics loudspeaker enclosures combined with L-ISA technology that allow productions staged at VPAC to be experienced by patrons in full 360-degree immersive sound.
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Jaffe Holden (JH), a Trinity Consultants team, was brought into the project early on by architect PBK to supply VPAC’s acoustical and AV designs. “In discussion with the client, the concept of creating an immersive environment came up as a way in which they could set a new standard and provide the best opportunities for their students,” recalled JH associate principal Carlos Rivera. “VPAC was designed to be a ‘students-first’ building, and having the ability to learn how to use object-based mixing is something that very few other school districts presently offer.”
Local integrator LD Systems, now a Clair Global brand, installed the new venue’s speaker system. The Scene system features five arrays of four L-Acoustics A15i Focus enclosures over two A15i Wide, collectively powered by 14 LA4X amplified controllers. Eight KS21i subs are flown in cardioid hangs of four on either side of the center Scene array and are driven by a single LA12X. For surround, a total of 47 A10i Wide are spread out across the ceiling, side and rear walls, and balcony face to deliver a fully immersive audio experience, which is further reinforced by eight stage-lip-mounted X4i for spatial front-fill and nine 5XT underbalcony-fills, all powered by LA2Xi. Inputs are spatially processed by an L-ISA Processor II housed in a rack at FOH paired with a DiGiCo Quantum338 mixing console.
Onstage, an assortment of coaxial L-Acoustics systems are available for monitoring, including four X15 HiQ wedges, four X12, and eight smaller X8. Rounding out the new facility’s loudspeaker complement are two sets of colinear Syva and Syva Low cabinets, deployed as needed for portable PA use in the lobby or on an outdoor stage.
Rivera explained that the A-Series are very ‘musical’ boxes that provide a great solution for fixed array conditions that don’t require a long throw which fit the SPL and coverage needs for the venue’s programming while meeting the district’s budget requirements. The curvature of the A15i main PA arrays aligned with the acoustic reflectors above the stage creating a seamless blend with the architecture, and the A10’s Panflex adjustments were critical in aiming the surround speakers to maximize audience coverage and prevent spill onto walls,. As for the X Series systems, he added, “They deliver an impressive SPL for their size, which solve a variety of architectural challenges.”
A Grand Opening, Indeed
Cy-Fair ISD’s inaugural event in VPAC’s Main Theater featured a 60-piece orchestra with 120 vocalists upstage and another choir downstage. “We delivered excellent sound with every performer clearly heard, and our VPAC technicians noted how much easier it was to achieve powerful, clear vocals here compared to other venues they work in,” Ramsey said.
“Since then, our immersive system has elevated countless events by complementing the room’s natural acoustics. We’ve used it for everything from school choirs, classical orchestras, and jazz ensembles to mariachi performances, ballets, and major touring concerts. Its fidelity and coverage are outstanding, and we’ve enjoyed using the immersive sound field to create a deeper emotional impact—connecting guests to performers and presentations in a more natural, engaging way.”
JH’s Rivera is quick to point out that L-ISA designs are a “win” for projects like VPAC that have ambitious sound output goals but limited height available to deploy longer arrays. “This system provides an equivalent SPL from a much smaller PA hang while maintaining a coherent time response because of the object-based mix processing,” he said. “L-ISA also provides flexibility for a variety of programs and configurations, giving designers and operators freedom to create unique experiences for their audiences.”
Ultimately, for Ramsey and the larger technical production team at Cy-Fair ISD, the L-Acoustics A Series-based system paired with immersive L-ISA technology easily earns an A+ grade. “This was absolutely the right system for the space,” he said. “It allows our guests to feel like they’re part of the performance, not just listening through a PA. With L-Acoustics, we can seamlessly blend the room’s natural acoustics with amplified sound, delivering the highest level of musical and performance experiences.”