Historic Dallas Majestic Theatre Enters a New Era of Sound with d&b audiotechnik XSL System

The Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas completed a major audio upgrade, installing a d&b audiotechnik SL-Series XSL mobile line array system, featuring XSL8 and XLS12 loudspeakers and XSL-SUB subwoofers. The 105-year-old venue was outfitted by Gemini Light, Sound and Video.

First opened in 1921 as a premier vaudeville house, the Majestic is the sole survivor of downtown Dallas's famous Elm Street theatre district and was the first building in the city to be designated a National Historic Landmark. Today, the city-owned, city-managed 1,700-seat venue serves as a busy live entertainment hub hosting national touring rock acts, pop shows, high-profile comedy, and live orchestra-to-film events. However, its previous 14-year-old, undersized audio system struggled to keep pace with modern touring standards.

"Rider friendliness was our absolute top priority," explains Travis Porter, senior technical director. "We compiled four years of artist riders into a spreadsheet to see exactly what visiting engineers were requesting. d&b was consistently at the top of that list. Now, when a touring front-of-house engineer walks in and sees our d&b hang, it immediately puts them at ease -- all their questions are answered before we even turn the system on."

The historic architecture presented severe acoustic challenges. Built long before the era of amplified sound, the ornate interior features loge boxes, organ lofts, large structural pillars, and a very tall, short-throw three-level seating layout. Because the theatre had no acoustic treatment, controlling acoustic reflections was paramount.

"Our upper balcony seats nearly 620 patrons-almost matching the 700-seat orchestra level," notes Tim O'Heir, technical director. "To reach that height without standard reflections, we couldn't hang a traditional J-curve array. We had to implement a serious C-curve array to steer the sound directly onto the seats and away from the walls. The d&b XSL system handled this beautifully. Now, the volume and tonality are remarkably consistent from the top of the balcony straight down to the orchestra pit."

"The cardioid performance and controlled directivity of the XSL system, optimized by the capabilities of ArrayProcessing, has drastically reduced unwanted reflections in the room, so the audience is finally hearing the direct mix, " adds Porter.

The Majestic opted for a mobile XSL touring package over a permanently integrated install system, which kept more of the historic architecture untouched, and allowed them to roll the gear in and fly it on chain motors in a single day. The entire changeover -- including tearing down the old rig, building custom on-site cabling, and tuning -- took just three days. Gemini also had to navigate tight weight restrictions on the theater's ceiling points, which were certified at 1,000 pounds per point.

"The XSL system stood out because the enclosures weigh about 86lb each," says Chad Cain, audio department manager at Gemini. "That lightweight footprint gave us the horsepower we needed to fly a full 12-box array per side without compromising the building's physical integrity.

The venue's Dante networking is handled via a DS10 audio network bridge. Control is further streamlined by d&b's R1 remote control software running on a touch panel interface, allowing technicians to mute zones instantly when balconies are closed for smaller events. "Going from our old system to this was like driving a 1978 Ford F-150 and then suddenly getting behind the wheel of a 2026 Porsche Carrera. It's a precision instrument," O'Heir says.

Following the first run of performances -- which included Joe Jackson, Buddy Guy, Todd Rundgren, and Gary Clark, Jr. -- both staff and visiting crews have noted the room's transformation. "Joe Jackson's front-of-house engineer was shocked that a system of this caliber and clarity didn't cost far more than it did," Porter says.

For the Majestic team, the upgrade has secured the theater's future in a competitive market. "This is a difficult, historic room, but the d&b system has mastered it," concludes Porter. "I can confidently say there isn't another room in this city that sounds as good as this theater does now."