Technology & buying guide · 5 min read

Immersive (Spatial) Audio for Exhibitions and Theatres

How object-based immersive sound works, where it adds value, and what a system like itc Ease needs: speakers, processing and tracking.

Immersive Audio sound system

Conventional stereo places sound between two speakers, so only the middle seats hear the intended picture. Immersive audio treats each voice, instrument or effect as an object with a position, and renders it across many speakers so the whole audience hears it in the right place.

How it works

A processor (itc TS-CJ00A) receives each source separately and calculates its contribution to every loudspeaker in real time, using wave-field and object-based techniques. The itc system claims more than 90% of the audience inside the good listening area, versus a narrow sweet spot for stereo.

Tracking performers

With positioning software (itc TS-CJ00R) and PSN/Art-Net tracking, a moving actor's voice follows them across the stage — and the same data can steer lighting automatically.

Where it is worth it

  • Theatres and musicals
  • Museums, exhibitions and theme venues
  • Premium auditoriums and planetaria
  • Brand experience centres

What it needs

More loudspeakers than a standard system — typically a front array of evenly spaced full-range boxes plus surrounds — careful calibration, and a management controller (itc TS-CJ00G).

Recommended equipment

RoleModelWhy
Immersive processoritc TS-CJ00AObject rendering
Management controlleritc TS-CJ00GSystem control
Positioning softwareitc TS-CJ00R3D tracking

Frequently asked questions

Can immersive audio be added to an existing theatre?

Often yes, by adding speakers and the processor around the existing system; a survey decides how many.

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