d&b audiotechnik Elevates Kaohsiung Music Center with World-first KSL Soundscape Install

	d&b audiotechnik provides first KSL Soundscape installation in the world to Kaohsiung Music Center in Taiwan. Photo: Topsound

Audio technology from d&b audiotechnik is adding to the unique design of Taiwan's newly developed Kaohsiung Music Center, providing it with the first KSL Soundscape installation in the world.

Kaohsiung Music Center (KMC), located in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, is the result of a local government initiative to rejuvenate the once industrial site. Now the modern, uniquely-shaped venue, comprises of a vast outdoor stage HI-BREEZE Square, four auditoriums and a large main stage, HI-ING Hall, which is seen as the most important symbol of the entire park. The final auditorium is located outside the building on top of the bridge overlooking the Love River. Much like the auditoriums, the main stage can also be subdivided into smaller units, giving the center greater flexibility in its hosting capabilities. The Music Center, which also functions as a tourist attraction, will primarily showcase musical performances and concerts.

Kaohsiung City Government worked with audio professionals and a consultant to design and specify a future-proof sound reinforcement system that would give guests a really extraordinary sound experience. The team recognized sound technologies advances towards object based audio and selected Soundscape as the most flexible high-performance solution available to suit the multi-purpose needs of the Center.

In order to provide a superb sound experience to the main stage, HI-ING Hall, the Kaohsiung Music Center alongside supplier Topsound audio combined d&b Soundscape immersive technology, and d&b KSL loudspeakers to create a one-of-a-kind installation. The venue features seven hangs of KSL line arrays (five for the mains, and two for outfills) to provide full-band directivity control to the space.

One of d&b's founding principles is Democracy for Listeners, a belief that everyone should experience the same exceptional quality of sound, regardless of their position in the audience -- a belief that Kaohsiung Music Center shared. d&b's KSL-Series with ArrayProcessing [AP] as well as Soundscape ensured this principal was delivered, particularly to an acoustically challenging, asymmetric listening area which is located at the back of the venue.

Powered by the DS100 Signal Engine, an audio system processor based on a powerful Dante enabled signal matrix, d&b Soundscape provided the venue with unparalleled coverage through its software module En-Scene.

d&b En-Scene is a sound object positioning tool allowing the individual placement and movement of sound objects. It accurately depicts stage scenarios so that each sound object corresponds both visually and acoustically, allowing the entire audience in the venue to hear what it sees and see what it hears, the company says.

"This venue is unique, not just in its design and construction but also because of its ability to accommodate audiences of all sizes," commented Kenny Liu, General Manager of Topsound. "The combination of KSL and Soundscape has been revolutionary and provides the coverage we need to ensure every spectator has the same sound experience, whether they situated right at the front or in the back corner."

Not only was this asymmetric area a challenge but the entire venue needed to ensure optimum rear rejection as the venue backs directly onto a noisy shopping mall.

"We were concerned with the proximity of the shopping mall and needed to make sure that wouldn't cause any issues during performances," comments Kenny Liu, general manager of Topsound. "Everyone was absolutely taken aback by the exceptional rear rejection provided by the d&b SL-SUB Cardioid Subwoofers. It really helps us control the sound."

The Center was officially opened in on February 3, 2021 with a technology testing conference held at the Hi-ING Hall of the KMC. As part of the testing conference hundreds of music professionals were invited to hear the world-first system. The invitees were selected and invited based on multiple considerations such as music style and orchestra organization, respectively interpreting different styles of rock, folk and hip-hop rock, so that the participating professionals can rigorously test and provide and feedback on how the system operates within multiple genres.

The impressive installation took place during a period of strict COVID-19 travel restrictions, and so while the d&b team could not be on site, all parties involved have vocalized extreme satisfaction with the training they received through d&b virtual webinars.

"We were supported by d&b every step of the way, and their online training initiatives taught us so much and ensured we felt extremely comfortable with the system," comments Liu. "This is an extremely impressive looking venue, and we needed a sound system that would match, d&b gave us that and more, and we are very excited for audiences to experience this one of a kind system in a one of a kind venue."