Sphere

Las Vegas, USA

Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment.

The venue is powered by cutting-edge technologies that ignite the senses and transport audiences through an extraordinary combination of immersive sound and visual displays. Sphere hosts a wide variety of events, including concerts and residencies from the world’s biggest artists.  

A team of acoustic and audio technology experts from Vanguardia, a Buro Happold company, has worked on the project since 2019 alongside the team at Sphere and HOLOPLOT, the technology company engaged to help develop Sphere’s bespoke digital sound system.

Sphere is a next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining the future of live entertainment.

Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT is the world’s largest concert-grade audio system and was specifically developed for Sphere’s unique curved interior.

We studied the electro-acoustics and sound systems, delivering insightful digital models to demonstrate how sound would act within the space.

Our experts also analysed the potential for noise breakout from the building and were able to advise on structural acoustic insulation reduction while still achieving an acoustically-resilient envelope.

Challenge

Our team was engaged to deliver a third-party review of the innovative audio technology that was being developed exclusively for the venue; to analyse the architectural acoustics; and, where possible, minimise the need for structural acoustic insulation.

The principal acoustic challenges came as a consequence of the venue’s striking spherical shape. A spherical venue would naturally cause an almost infinite number of acoustic reflections, making soundwaves very difficult to control within the space.

For it to work, the venue would need a pioneering new type of audio technology that delivers audio in a more sophisticated way to traditional sound systems – digital solutions that enable the soundwaves to be more steerable and focusable.

Solution

Our experts initially studied the potential for noise breakout from the building, and we were able to advise on significant reduction of building materials, whilst still achieving necessary acoustic insulation.

We were also engaged to study the electro-acoustics and sound systems, developing insightful digital models to demonstrate how sound would act within the space.

Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT is the world’s largest concert-grade audio system and was specifically developed for Sphere’s unique curved interior. The system consists of approximately 1,600 permanently installed and 300 mobile HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array loudspeaker modules, comprising 167,000 individually amplified loudspeaker drivers.

The system uses HOLOPLOT’s 3D Audio-Beamforming and Wave Field Synthesis technology to transform how audio is delivered in large-scale venues. This results in controlled, consistent, and crystal-clear concert-grade audio for audiences of up to 20,000 people, providing each audience member with a truly exceptional and personalised listening experience.

The entire sound system is completely hidden behind Sphere’s 160,000ft² interior LED display plane. It would be vital to ensure the gaps between the LEDs were sufficient to allow the free flow of audio, unimpeded by the visual displays. Our team’s detailed digital modelling of the space helped to ensure this.

Any audio transmission losses are fully compensated for by algorithms in the optimisation engine, resulting in a clear, full-range sound with virtually no coloration and a completely unobstructed visual LED surface – which wraps up, over and around the audience and combines with Sphere Immersive Sound to create a fully immersive environment.

Value

Traditional loudspeaker technology in large-scale venues can result in audio quality that diminishes as distance from the speakers increases, due to the uncontrolled nature of sound wave propagation.

HOLOPLOT’s 3D Audio-Beamforming technology uses intelligent software algorithms to ensure that levels and quality remain consistent from point of origin to destination – even over large distances.

Our acoustics experts worked closely with the team at Sphere and HOLOPLOT on proof-of-concept testing to ensure the ground-breaking new electro-acoustic technologies being developed for the space would work successfully, including synchronising audio with the visual display. Our digital modelling was central to evolving an understanding of how the technology would work in the space and was ultimately critical to the system’s success.

Through my 45 years of working with Vanguardia and Buro Happold, Sphere has been the ultimate challenge in sound and acoustic engineering and design. Sphere is a step change in the experience for both audiences and artists. It has been a privilege to work on such an iconic project of this size and scale.

Jim Griffiths, Director, Vanguardia and Buro Happold