LEA amplifiers helped ArtAV deliver more than 100 channels of synchronized audio for one of the art world’s most prestigious exhibitions.
The Spec
Venue: Venice, Italy
Integrator: ArtAV
Audio Spaces: Art Exhibition, Museum Installation
Product Used: Connect Series 168
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Galleries and museums around the world host an enormous range of art installations and exhibitions, but what appears on screen or occupies the space is often only part of the experience. Audio plays a significant role in these environments, whether by setting the atmosphere, providing complementary background music, or serving as the installation’s soundscape.
ArtAV specializes in museums, galleries, and exhibition spaces where technology must be powerful, reliable, and virtually invisible. These installations are often temporary and highly complex, requiring systems that can be operated by curators, exhibition staff, and artists rather than dedicated technical teams. To meet those demands, ArtAV has standardized on LEA Connect Series amplifiers across a variety of projects.
“Usability can be every bit as important as amplification power and sonic performance,” said Simon Weightman, Project Manager at ArtAV. “In addition to the built-in DSP capabilities and speaker tunings, LEA amplifiers offer an absolutely fantastic web GUI [WebUI] that simplifies day-to-day operations for front-of-house staff. That is a huge benefit and a significant part of the reason we standardized on LEA for amplification.”
For Listening All Night To The Rain, ArtAV worked alongside acclaimed artist John Akomfrah to bring his largest exhibition to life. The installation featured 104 audio channels distributed throughout multiple gallery spaces, each with its own distinct soundscape while remaining synchronized as part of a single cohesive experience. ArtAV’s team sets up, measures, and fine-tunes the audio at each installation using LEA Professional’s extensive DSP parameters and its highly regarded Sharkware configuration suite.
LEA Connect Series 168 amplifiers provided the channel density, DSP capabilities, and compact footprint needed to support the project. With equipment often hidden in temporary racks and remote spaces, LEA’s monitoring and management tools also helped simplify system setup, operation, and troubleshooting both on-site and from abroad.
“With over 100 channels of audio in the installation, LEA’s metering and control enabled fast fault-finding and responsive level tweaks during the exhibition, but it wasn’t just a case of ‘set and forget’,” recalled Weightman. “We could monitor and manage the system remotely from the UK during operation, as well as during the installation.”
“Also, the LEA amps fit eight channels of 160W in 1U. Being able to have that smaller form factor is a massive bonus for us.”
Artgoers and critics responded very positively to the exhibit, praising its immersive blend of moving image, sound, and archival material, with major reviews calling it a “magnificent” and emotionally overwhelming experience.
“As installations become more immersive and increasingly reliant on complex audio, having intelligent amplification is now just as important as having great loudspeakers,” said Weightman. “With LEA, we know we have a platform that is reliable, flexible, and easy to support remotely, which allows us to focus on helping artists realize their vision.”
The Conclusion
By combining powerful DSP, intuitive control, remote management, and high channel density, LEA amplifiers helped ArtAV support one of the Venice Biennale’s most ambitious audio installations. As immersive experiences continue to push artistic and technical boundaries, LEA provides the tools integrators need to focus less on system management and more on helping artists bring their vision to life.
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