Archives: Case Studies

The Chapel at Saigon

The Chapel at Saigon

Orchestrating Every Moment with RTI

Overview

The Chapel at Saigon is a premium Korean-style wedding venue located at Sunwah Pearl, Ho Chi Minh City. The venue features two ceremony halls and two banquet halls, designed to deliver a highly coordinated wedding experience.

 

RTI Products Used:

  • RTI XP-8v
  • RCM-4
  • RTiPanel

Integrated Systems:
JBL · Extron · Lumens · Panasonic · Titan

 

RTI Case studies available in PDF format:

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The Challenge

A wedding ceremony involves multiple systems working together — audio, microphones, background music, lighting, projectors, LED displays, cameras and video distribution.

Each moment of the ceremony requires different settings and actions. Without an integrated control solution, technicians would need to operate multiple systems manually throughout each event, increasing manpower requirements and the risk of operational errors.

The client needed a solution that could simplify operation, optimize staffing, reduce operating costs, and ensure a consistent experience for every wedding.

The RTI Solution

RTI provides the control layer for the two ceremony halls and two banquet halls, bringing the required systems together through a unified control interface.

Pre-programmed workflows simplify operation and reduce repetitive manual tasks, allowing the venue team to manage different ceremony moments more efficiently while minimizing human error.

The Result

With RTI, complex technical operations become simpler and more manageable, allowing the venue team to focus on the guest experience rather than equipment operation.

The result is a more efficient workflow, optimized staffing, lower operational complexity, and greater consistency across every ceremony.

Toei Kyoto Studio Park

CASE STUDY:

Toei Kyoto Studio Park

Phase 1 reopening: Martin Audio products installed for the park-wide system

Experience the atmosphere of Edo period Kyoto at this immersive entertainment park for adults. Visitors can enjoy live performances, street food and cultural experiences against an Edo period streetscape, creating an extraordinary experience that engages all five senses. Martin Audio’s CDD12-WR speakers are installed as part of the sound system, delivering high quality audio throughout the immersive experience.

Renovated Edo-period townscape

Toei Kyoto Studio Park, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2025, has adopted Martin Audio’s CDD speaker system for its “Immersive Live Show,” staged within the Edo period townscape following the first phase of renovations, which reopened in April 2026.

Creating an Immersive Experience with Martin Audio CDD

Prior to the renovation, sound for the shows was primarily operated using portable loudspeakers and analogue equipment. As part of the upgrade, the park transitioned to a fully remote control system, enabling operators to manage the audio remotely. This has improved operational efficiency while providing greater flexibility in responding to on site requirements.

Leveraging the coaxial asymmetric dispersion technology of the Martin Audio CDD series, the system provides efficient coverage across the entire plaza using a relatively small number of loudspeakers. Its characteristic narrowing of the sound dispersion area over distance also helps minimise sound overlap between different areas, allowing independent performance spaces to be established at each show point throughout the townscape.

By creating a more controlled and consistent sound environment, the upgraded system enhances the park’s new immersive experience concept. Unexpected performances can unfold directly in front of visitors, creating a more engaging and immersive live show experience.

Martin Audio “CDD12-WR” main stage speaker

Martin Audio “CDD12-WR” speakers installed throughout the townscape.

The project received sales support from S.C. Alliance Soundcraft Engineering Co., Ltd.

Portfolio Recommendations

Tomorrowland 2026

Tomorrowland 2026

Behind the Floating Sky: Networking the Freedom Stage

Every summer, Tomorrowland transforms the Belgian town of Boom into a world where music, storytelling, technology and imagination converge. What began as an electronic music festival has evolved into one of the world’s most ambitious live entertainment experiences, renowned not only for its artist lineup but also for pushing the boundaries of stage design and immersive production.

Among the festival’s most innovative creations is the Floating Sky above the Freedom Stage. More than a visual centerpiece, the installation turns the space above the audience into an active part of the show experience, combining motion, lighting and video to create a constantly evolving spectacle.

Bringing such an ambitious concept to life required close collaboration between multiple technology partners. For Xine Robotics, the challenge extended far beyond moving objects in the air. The entire structure needed to operate as a networked, monitored and safety-critical system capable of performing reliably above thousands of throughout the event. To meet those demands, Xine Robotics partnered with FACE, Luminex’s Belgian distributor, and selected Luminex technology as the foundation for the network infrastructure powering the installation.

Building a Safe and Networked Kinetic Infrastructure

For Frederik Colman, Product Manager at Xine Robotics, reliability and safety became guiding principles from the very start of the project.

The Floating Sky consists of 420 winches working together as a single synchronized system. Because the installation forms a large-scale moving structure suspended above the audience, every component had to be continuously monitored and protected against potential failures.

Xine Robotics designed the entire infrastructure around Luminex networking technology, combining GigaCore switches, LumiNode, LumiCore and fiber connectivity to create a resilient architecture supporting both motion control and safety functions.

Particular attention was given to developing a dedicated safety system. Alongside the motion control network, Xine Robotics created a custom-designed safety layer built around LumiNode 4 DIN processors integrated into purpose-built safety enclosures. The system uses ArtRDM communication to enable, disable and monitor the winches in real time while remaining independent from the emergency stop network.

According to Colman, reliable RDM performance played a decisive role in the technology selection process.

“Many devices on the market claim to support RDM, but not all of them handle the protocol consistently or according to strict timing requirements. Luminex is spot-on. It works every time, and that’s exactly what you need when you’re operating a system of this scale.” –Frederik Colman, Product Manager, Xine Robotics

The final deployment includes six GigaCore 16tf switches (of which two of the first generation – GigaCore 16RFO), LumiNodes integrated into the custom safety infrastructure, fiber connectivity and LumiCore technology to ensure resilient data transport and source redundancy throughout the installation.

Visibility and Redundancy in Real-Time Operation

Designing a reliable network is only part of the challenge. Once hundreds of moving elements are operating above a packed festival crowd, operators need complete visibility into the health of the entire system.

Monitoring capabilities are just as important as the infrastructure itself.

The network supporting the Floating Sky was designed around multiple independent network loops, ensuring communication remains available even if a connection is interrupted. Combined with real-time monitoring through Araneo, operators can continuously oversee the entire system, from front-of-house connectivity to the individual roof sections supporting the installation.

Araneo allows the team to quickly identify packet loss, locate problematic network links, detect missing devices and visualize the complete network topology from a single interface. This level of visibility significantly reduces troubleshooting time and provides confidence that the system remains fully operational throughout the show.

The result is a motion control network that combines redundancy, transparency and operational simplicity, enabling the team to proactively address issues before they affect live performances.

“For us, monitoring is one of the biggest advantages, and Araneo gives us the visibility we need. Because this is a motion system, we need to know immediately if something isn’t working as expected. Being able to identify packet loss, detect faulty cables and quickly understand how the network is structured makes troubleshooting much faster and more efficient.”– Arne Van den Broeck, System Engineer & Project Manager, SND

Seamless Lighting Operations Under Tight Changeovers

While the Floating Sky represents one of the most visible applications of the network infrastructure, the same Luminex ecosystem also supports day-to-day show operations across the Freedom Stage lighting system.

Throughout the festival weekend, guest lighting programmers, touring productions and house operators continuously share the same lighting infrastructure. With artist changeovers sometimes taking less than a minute, maintaining uninterrupted operation is essential.

To support these demanding workflows, Phlippo Productions deployed a lighting network built around nine GigaCore 20t, twelve LumiNode 12 and two LumiCore.

LumiCore play a particularly important role by allowing guest and house control sessions to remain active simultaneously. Instead of disconnecting one system before connecting another, operators can verify outputs, confirm connectivity and validate show files before control is transferred. This reduces risk during changeovers while providing a smoother experience for both visiting productions and the in-house technical team.

“The LumiCore do the heavy lifting for us. We can verify that everything is online and working correctly before switching, which makes life easier for both the guest operators and the house crew. Once everything checks out, it’s simply a thumbs-up and we’re ready to go.” – Toon Mertens, Lighting System Engineer, Phlippo Productions

Powering and monitoring the Mainstage Audio Network

The use of Luminex technology extends far beyond the Freedom Stage. Across Tomorrowland’s Mainstage, the network infrastructure also supports mission-critical audio transport and one of the most extensive lighting systems on the festival grounds.

As the company responsible for the design and operation of Tomorrowland’s audio systems, Noizboyz relies on GigaCore switches to support Milan-AVB transport between the Mainstage’s L-Acoustics amplifiers.

With approximately 250 meters of fiber separating front-of-house from the stage infrastructure, maintaining visibility into network performance is essential. Continuous monitoring allows the team to proactively identify abnormalities, detect fiber degradation and address potential issues before they impact audio performance.

For a production where uninterrupted audio transport is non-negotiable, that visibility provides an additional layer of confidence during live operation.

“AVB is critical for us. With around 250 meters of fiber between Front Of House and the stage, being able to monitor the network and detect potential issues before they become problems is incredibly valuable.” –Pieter Doms, Noizboyz

Simplifying Mainstage Lighting Deployment

On the lighting side, PRG (Production Resource Group) deployed an infrastructure consisting of twelve GigaCore switches, sixteen LumiNode and approximately 1,100 lighting fixtures distributed throughout the Mainstage production.

At this scale, ease of deployment becomes just as important as performance. Centralized visibility through Araneo and the plug-and-play nature of the Luminex ecosystem simplify both commissioning and day-to-day operation, allowing technicians to spend less time troubleshooting and more time preparing the show.

Rather than dealing with complex configuration challenges during setup, the team was able to bring the entire system online quickly and efficiently.

“It’s incredibly easy to use, it’s essentially plug and play, so you barely have to think about it. It’s also easy to monitor through Araneo. We reset everything, connected it, and it worked immediately. For a project of this scale, that’s exactly what you want.” – Anne-Sophie Depickere, System Technician, PRG

Technical Network Overview

At the heart of the Floating Sky is a fully redundant Luminex ecosystem combining GigaCore switches, LumiNode, LumiCore and Araneo network management software. The infrastructure connects and monitors 420 winches, while dedicated safety networks based on ArtRDM provide independent control and supervision of the motion system. Multiple network loops, fiber connectivity and real-time monitoring ensure uninterrupted operation and immediate visibility of network events, providing the reliability required for a large-scale kinetic installation operating directly above thousands of festival visitors.

Beyond the Floating Sky, Luminex technology supports critical infrastructure across multiple Tomorrowland stages and technical disciplines. From motion control and safety systems to lighting networks and Milan-AVB audio transport, the Luminex ecosystem provides the reliability, visibility and redundancy required to keep productions running smoothly. Whether enabling rapid show changeovers, monitoring large-scale AV networks or supporting safety-critical operations, Luminex helps ensure that the show can go on without interruption.

 

Emei Mountain’s Huazang Temple Partners with Martin Audio to Elevate Spiritual Practice

CASE STUDY:

Sacred Chants on the Golden Summit

Emei Mountain’s Huazang Temple Partners with Martin Audio to Elevate Spiritual Practice

Perched at an elevation of 3077 meters, the Golden Summit of Mount Emei is a sanctuary in the clouds, combining breathtaking natural splendor with two millennia of Buddhist tradition. Home to the legendary Four Marvels and the awe inspiring statue of Samantabhadra, it holds Huazang Temple at its spiritual core. Originally constructed during the Han and Jin dynasties, this ancient temple has carried the prayers of generations, preserving timeless wisdom high above the clouds.

To integrate modern acoustic engineering with spiritual reflection, Huazang Temple selected a specialized sound system from Martin Audio. Featuring the C8.1T, VIA2004, CDD12, and PI 12, the new installation allows sacred chants to resonate through the mountain mist, connecting deeply with every visitor.

Bridging Heritage and Acoustic Excellence

Also known as Yongming Huazang Temple, the venue stands as one of the highest Han Buddhist temples in China. Its gilded halls and grand statues embody both majestic solemnity and serene contemplation.

Selecting an audio system for such an iconic site required extensive evaluation and acoustic simulation. Martin Audio was ultimately chosen for its decades of engineering excellence and proven track record in places of worship worldwide. The combination of C8.1T, VIA2004, CDD12, and PI 12 proved ideal for the extreme elevation, frequent fog, and sprawling architecture of the Golden Summit.

Custom Engineering for High Altitude Conditions

Mount Emei experiences volatile weather, low temperatures, high humidity, and heavy cloud cover. Combined with the soaring ceilings and open layout of Huazang Temple, these elements posed severe challenges for sound coverage, clarity, and system stability. The custom Martin Audio solution overcomes these environmental obstacles through coordinated performance:

  • C8.1T Ceiling Speakers: Serving as the core reinforcement, these compact yet powerful speakers suit high ceilings and project sound effortlessly through dense mist. They provide seamless coverage across the main hall without distortion, allowing daily chants and lectures to remain clear and long reverberating. Their robust design handles the mountain’s cold and damp conditions reliably.

  • CDD12 Coaxial Loudspeakers: Deployed in cloisters and side halls, these units use a coaxial design to maintain phase alignment and faithful sound reproduction. They capture subtle details in vocal chants and ritual instruments. Their discreet installation preserves the historic aesthetic while ensuring balanced coverage throughout secondary spaces.

  • PI 12 Monitors: Providing accurate real time feedback for sound operators, these monitors allow fine adjustments during both quiet daily morning prayers and major ceremonial gatherings, keeping the acoustic character warm and solemn.

  • VIA2004 Power Amplifiers: Serving as the system hub, these amplifiers drive and optimize audio signals. Preset modes allow easy transitions between daily rituals and large public assemblies. The built in filtering minimizes ambient noise, delivering a smooth, gentle tone that aids meditation and quiet focus.

A Harmonious Blend of Technology and Spirituality

As morning light illuminates the summit, the tolling bells of Huazang Temple and the soft cadence of morning prayers carry across the peak through the C8.1T speakers. At dusk, as clouds envelop the temple, the CDD12 loudspeakers, VIA2004 amplifiers, and PI 12 monitors maintain a clear, soothing ambient field that blends naturally with the mountain wind.

In this sacred space, technology serves as an extension of spiritual atmosphere. By overcoming complex environmental demands, the audio system allows visitors to experience the calming presence of sacred sound.

Huazang Temple has guarded spiritual peace for centuries. Today, Martin Audio provides the clarity to ensure its timeless voice continues to resonate, connecting history, architecture, and sound high above the clouds.

Portfolio Recommendations

Martin Audio Empowers Jing’an Cultural Center’s Performing Arts Acoustics

CASE STUDY:

Soundscape Architecture

Martin Audio Empowers Jing’an Cultural Center’s Performing Arts Acoustics

Jing’an Cultural Center in Shanghai serves as a primary venue for regional cultural showcases, artistic performances, and community activities. Regularly hosting diverse events including concerts, theatrical plays, public lectures, and local cultural galas, the center demands exceptional clarity, balanced coverage, and absolute stability from its sound reinforcement system.

To match the venue’s premier positioning and versatile requirements, Jing’an Cultural Center selected a professional sound system from Martin Audio. By integrating XH15, DDX12, and DDX118 professional equipment, the team designed a customized acoustic solution that provides a reliable sonic foundation for every event.

Primary Sound Reinforcement: XH15 Main Loudspeakers Delivering Authentic Sound

Serving as the core of the main sound reinforcement system, the Martin Audio XH15 delivers outstanding acoustic resolution and balanced performance across low, mid, and high frequencies. It accurately reproduces subtle nuances in vocal and instrumental performances. Its wide coverage ensures that every audience member enjoys a consistent, immersive listening experience throughout the hall.

Auxiliary Coverage: DDX12 Eliminating Acoustic Blind Spots

The compact yet powerful Martin Audio DDX12 supplies supplemental coverage. Featuring controlled directivity, it allows flexible angle adjustments to project sound precisely across the venue. This completely resolves uneven coverage issues, ensuring clear audio quality for every seat.

Enhanced Low Frequency Depth: DDX118 Subwoofers Boosting Immersive Impact

The Martin Audio DDX118 subwoofer provides deep, powerful low end output, precisely delivering dramatic atmospheric effects and music accompaniment. Adding rich layers to the overall sound profile, it significantly heightens immersion for an elevated audience experience.

Driving Cultural Venues with Professional Excellence

The complete audio installation delivers stable, professional performance across all cultural events, earning high praise from venue operators and audiences alike.

With extensive expertise in professional audio, Martin Audio remains dedicated to authentic sound field reproduction tailored to commercial venues. Moving forward, the brand will continue providing advanced acoustic technology and refined system solutions for cultural centers, performance halls, and public spaces, enriching urban cultural life through exceptional sound.

Portfolio Recommendations

Guangzhou Guidance AV Technology and Optimal Audio Deliver a Sound Upgrade for Shanghai Metropole Ballroom

Guangzhou Guidance AV Technology and Optimal Audio Deliver a Sound Upgrade for Shanghai Metropole Ballroom

Improving Sound Across the Ballroom

Shanghai Metropole Ballroom has upgraded the sound system in its VIP lounge with Optimal Audio Cuboid 10 and Cuboid 12 loudspeakers.

The venue needed a system that could deliver clear music across the ballroom while meeting different requirements in the seating areas and on the dance floor. The octagonal dome also presented an acoustic challenge, requiring consistent sound coverage throughout the space. The loudspeakers needed to complement the ballroom’s traditional interior.

The Cuboid 10 and Cuboid 12 were selected to provide a solution for both the lounge and dance floor areas.

Two Loudspeakers, Different Roles

Cuboid 10 for seating and lounge areas

The Cuboid 10 is used in the seating and lounge areas, where music needs to remain clear and balanced without overpowering conversation. Its midrange reproduction helps bring out the detail in music while allowing guests to talk comfortably.

Cuboid 12 for the dance floor

The Cuboid 12 is used on the dance floor, where music needs more low-frequency impact and a clear, consistent rhythm. Its bass response provides the weight needed for dancing while maintaining a controlled sound.

Designed for the Venue

Beyond sound performance, the installation needed to suit the ballroom’s interior and layout.

  • Discreet design: The loudspeakers’ wooden enclosures complement the venue’s traditional finishes and decorative details.
  • Flexible installation: Wall-mounted or suspended installation options allow the loudspeakers to be positioned to suit the space.
  • Consistent coverage: The system is designed to deliver sound across the ballroom, including the seating and dance floor areas.
  • Reliable operation: Stable performance supports the venue’s day-to-day entertainment and social activities.

A Sound Upgrade for Shanghai Metropole Ballroom

The VIP lounge acoustic upgrade is now complete, with Optimal Audio Cuboid 10 and Cuboid 12 loudspeakers providing sound for the seating areas and dance floor.

By using the two models for different parts of the venue, the installation addresses the need for clear background music, comfortable conversation and a more impactful dance floor experience, while remaining in keeping with the ballroom’s interior.

Find out more about Optimal Audio at generationav.net.

Multi-Zone Audio System Design

Multi-Zone Audio System Design

What is a multi-zone audio system?

A multi-zone audio system is a commercial audio installation where different areas of a building each have independent audio control — their own music source, their own volume level, and their own schedule — all managed from a single controller.

In a restaurant, that might mean the bar plays upbeat background music at a higher volume while the dining room runs a quieter, more relaxed playlist simultaneously.

In a hotel, the lobby, spa, gym and restaurant each have their own atmosphere, each adjustable from a single interface at the front desk.

In a gym, the main floor and the group exercise studio each need different music at different volumes, while the changing rooms run quietly in the background.

The alternative — a single audio system playing the same thing at the same level everywhere — is a compromise that serves no space particularly well.

Multi-zone audio is the professional standard for any commercial venue with more than one distinct space or customer-facing area.

Do you need a multi-zone system?

Not every venue does. A single-room café with one space and one atmosphere can be served perfectly well by a single-zone system — one controller, one set of speakers, one volume level. Simpler is better when simpler is sufficient. A multi-zone system becomes the right choice when any of the following apply:

  • Your venue has spaces that serve different purposes — a bar and a restaurant, a gym floor and a studio, a lobby and a spa. Each space has a different customer, a different mood, and different audio requirements. Playing the same thing everywhere means one space is always wrong. 
  • Your venue has spaces that operate on different schedules — breakfast service in the restaurant, conference use in the meeting room, evening events in the bar. A multi-zone system lets each space run on its own timed routine, starting and stopping automatically without staff involvement.
  • You want different staff to control different areas independently — the bar manager adjusting their own zone without affecting the restaurant, or a fitness instructor controlling their studio without touching the main gym floor system. 
  • You operate multiple locations and want consistent audio across all of them — the same brand sound, the same presets, the same scheduling logic replicable from one site to the next.

The three components of a multi-zone system

Every multi-zone commercial audio installation has the same three building blocks, regardless of venue size.

Planning your zones

The most important step in designing a multi-zone system is mapping your venue into its natural zones before choosing any equipment. A zone is any space that needs independent audio control.

The question to ask for each area is: would there ever be a reason for this space to play different music, at a different volume, from a different source, than the space next to it? If yes, it is a zone. If no, it can share a zone with adjacent spaces. For a typical café-bar-restaurant the zones might be: bar area, dining room, terrace, and toilets — four zones, served by a Zone 4 or Zone 4P.

For a hotel covering lobby, restaurant, spa, gym, bar and conference room: six zones, served by a Zone 8 or Zone 8P with spare capacity for growth. For a gym with a main floor, two studios, changing rooms and reception: five zones, served again by a Zone 8 or Zone 8P.

Practical advice

Two common zone planning mistakes to avoid. Over-zoning — creating separate zones for spaces that will always run identically, adding cost and complexity without benefit. Under-zoning — combining spaces with meaningfully different acoustic needs or schedules into one zone and then trying to compromise. A practical rule: plan for one more zone than you think you need. Venues evolve, spaces get repurposed, and adding a zone after installation is significantly more disruptive than planning for it from the start.

Sources and inputs

A multi-zone system can distribute audio from multiple sources simultaneously. Typical sources for a commercial installation include: A streaming service accessed via a network-connected media player or directly through the Zone controller’s WebApp interface.

This is the most common primary source for background music in hospitality and retail venues. Local inputs at individual zones — allowing a DJ, live band, or microphone to connect directly at zone level without affecting the rest of the venue.

HDMI inputs for video and audio from a PC or media player — used in museums and visitor attractions to synchronise the soundtrack of a video installation with the Zone controller, or in hotels to route screen audio to the room’s speakers.

Paging and announcements — Talk 8

For venues that need to make live announcements or broadcast pre-recorded messages across specific zones — hotels, gyms, retail chains, museums — Optimal Audio’s Talk 8 is a dedicated eight-zone digital paging station that integrates directly with the Zone controller ecosystem.

Talk 8 sits on a desk or counter and connects to the Zone controller via the dedicated paging port. Staff use it to page individual zones, groups of zones, or the whole venue simultaneously.

It comes supplied with the Mic 1 gooseneck microphone for live voice announcements, and includes six instant message playback buttons that can be loaded with pre-recorded clips — opening time reminders, safety announcements, promotional messages — each assignable to any zone.

Message routines can also be scheduled via WebApp for fully automatic playback at set times throughout the day, with an optional pre-announcement chime to signal that a message is coming.

Control — how staff actually use the system

The most technically excellent audio system is worthless if the staff who operate it day-to-day cannot use it confidently. This is where Optimal Audio’s design approach is meaningfully different from many commercial audio systems.

Getting a system designed and installed

A multi-zone commercial audio installation is a designed system that requires a site survey, specification, installation and commissioning by a trained professional.

The process typically follows four stages. A site survey establishes the zone plan, acoustic characteristics of each space, installation constraints, and any integration requirements with existing infrastructure.

A system specification documents the recommended Zone controller, amplifiers, loudspeakers and cabling for each zone, along with a system diagram and cost estimate. Installation fits the physical components — cabling, speaker mounting, controller and ZonePad placement.

Commissioning configures WebApp with the zone routing, DSP settings, source inputs, staff presets and scheduled routines, and trains the venue staff on day-to-day operation.

Bloodline Gym Audio

High-energy audio for Bloodline Gym, London's East End

The Venue

Bloodline Gym in London’s East End is one of the UK’s leading Muay Thai and kickboxing centres. Owner Paul Marut built the Bloodline reputation over twenty years, starting in a smaller space in Clapton before the gym’s growth demanded a new purpose-built venue.

Marut’s background as a doorman at some of London’s most respected clubs and bars gave him a direct understanding of how music shapes an environment — he knew exactly what he wanted the system to do before the installer arrived.

The open-plan venue divides naturally into four functional areas: a reception with coffee bar at the entrance, the main workout floor on the ground level, a mezzanine chill-out zone above, and the wider space that hosts regular social events including interclub meets, fight nights and screenings.

The spaces serve different purposes simultaneously — members warming up at reception, training on the main floor, recovering on the mezzanine — each needing a different audio environment at the same time.

System at a glance

Controller

Zone 4

Manages all 3 zones —
reception, main floor, mezzanine

Loudspeakers — reception

Up with pendant housing and bezel-less grilles

Pendant format for high-ceiling entrance space

Loudspeakers — main floor

6x Cuboid 8

Ground floor gym area — full-range, no subwoofer required

Loudspeakers — mezzanine

3x Cuboid 6

Chill-out zone — lower volume, relaxed atmosphere

Amplifiers

SmartAmp 30

Drives all zones

Control

WebApp

Reception computer and owner’s iPad

Installer

Essex Sound and Light

MD: Mike Glover · Completed in 4 days

The challenge

Two challenges defined the specification, one acoustic and one operational — and they pulled in different directions.

The acoustic challenge was specific and unusual. Before the new system was installed, the gym had received noise complaints from office suites located above the building.

The problem was not simply volume — it was frequency. A system generating significant sub-bass was transmitting vibration through the building structure into the offices above.

The new system had to deliver the high-energy, punchy sound that Muay Thai training demands while eliminating the structural bass transmission that had caused the complaints. The conventional solution — a system with dedicated subwoofers — would have made the structural transmission problem worse, not better.

The specification had to find a different answer. The operational challenge was that Paul Marut needed to run a busy gym without audio becoming a management overhead.

With a reception team and training staff focused on members, the system had to run largely automatically through the day and give Marut remote control when he needed it — from anywhere in the building.

The system

Essex Sound and Light’s Mike Glover specified a solution built around a Zone 4 controller with SmartAmp 30 amplification.

The speaker selection was the critical design decision and addressed the noise issue directly. For the main workout floor, Glover specified six Cuboid 8 loudspeakers distributed across the ground floor area.

The choice was deliberate: the Cuboid 8’s wooden cabinet delivers a complete frequency response with genuine low-end presence — enough to create the energy a combat sports gym demands — without requiring a dedicated subwoofer.

By keeping all the bass reproduction within the speaker cabinet rather than from a floor-mounted sub, the system avoids the structural transmission that had generated the complaints.

Six units across the main floor provide even energy distribution throughout the training space. On the mezzanine chill-out zone, three Cuboid 6 loudspeakers create a markedly different atmosphere — the same audio quality at volumes appropriate for the recovery area’s character.

At reception, Up speakers with bezel-less grilles and pendant housing accessories deliver clear, welcoming coverage at the entrance. The pendant format allows the speakers to hang at an appropriate listening height from the high ceiling, giving the reception area good coverage without requiring surface mounting.

The bezel-less grille keeps the installation visually clean — matching the aesthetic of a professionally fitted gym environment.

Day-to-day operation

WebApp runs on the reception computer as the primary control point for staff. Paul Marut also runs WebApp on his iPad, giving him full control from anywhere in the building — adjusting zone levels while walking the gym floor without going back to the desk. Automated routines handle the opening and closing of the audio system in line with the gym’s hours. The system comes on and switches off without staff involvement — and if something is accidentally adjusted during the day, the scheduled reset restores the correct configuration automatically.

The outcome

The noise complaints stopped. The Cuboid 8 specification eliminated the structural bass transmission issue entirely by removing subwoofers from the equation while still delivering a full-range, high-energy sound fit for professional combat sports training. Essex Sound and Light completed the installation from first fix to commissioning in four days. Bloodline Gym now operates a system that runs itself through the working day, responds to manual override from anywhere in the building, and delivers the high-energy atmosphere that defines the venue’s character.

“The audio sounds great. Music is so important in a gym that we wanted to give our customers the best and Optimal Audio allows us to do that — and it's just so easy to control.”
Paul MarutOwner, Bloodline Gym
“The installation was so simple. The products are so easy to set up and configure and the complete project, from first fix to end result, took us just four days.”
Mike GloverMD, Essex Sound and Light
“For us going forward, Optimal Audio will be the go-to for commercial hospitality. We have a great relationship with the team, the products are great and importantly they're reliable. The ecosystem is simple to install and we're really enjoying working with the products.”
Mike GloverMD, Essex Sound and Light

Estadio Banorta

CASE STUDY

Estadio Azteca · Estadio Banorte · Mexico City

Every Screen Alive

Inside Mexico City’s iconic Coloso, AVPro MXNet quietly became the world’s largest single 10G AV-over-IP network — feeding more than 500 displays and over 20 video walls from one unified system.

Download the PDF Case Study

500+

Displays driven

20+

Large-format video walls

580

Decoder endpoints (Phase 1)

16x

Channels of 4K60 encoding

<2 ms

End-to-end latency

#1

Largest Single 10G SDVoE Network

THE PROJECT

A legendary venue, reimagined for the modern fan

AVPro worked alongside our partners to deliver this solution to the people of Mexico City and to the wider world, transforming how video moves through one of fútbol’s most legendary venues. Pop Media served as the integrator and leader, Duoson as AVPro’s distributor in Mexico, and Polaris Controls rounded out the team as the brand representative. At Estadio Banorte, which the people of Mexico have called Estadio Azteca for the last 60 years and known nationwide as El Coloso de Santa Úrsula, the team designed and deployed a single, stadium-wide video network built entirely on the AVPro MXnet 10G AV-over-IP platform. As the venue prepares to host a packed calendar of major fútbol events this summer, beginning with Mexico versus South Africa on June 11, that network delivers live action, replays, way-finding, and branded content on screen everywhere a fan looks. The result is a fan experience that feels effortless, and an engineering achievement that the AV industry will be talking about for years.

In collaboration with partners:

THE VENUE

El Coloso de Santa Úrsula

Estadio Banorte is not an ordinary building. Opened in 1966 and rising 2,200 meters above sealevel, it is the largest stadium in Latin America and one of the most storied fútbol’grounds on Earth, the only venue to have twice hosted the final of the sport’s biggest global tournament, and the stage for the most iconic moments in the game’s history. Bringing a place like this into the modern era meant solving a problem of sheer scale: how to deliver pristine, perfectly synchronized video to every concourse screen, suite, hospitality space, and giant video wall across an enormous concrete bowl, all from a single source of truth, with no stutter, no lag, and no compromise. For tens of thousands of fans in the stands and millions more watching from around the world, every one of those screens has to come alive at exactly the right instant.

Estadio Banorte, Mexico City

THE SOLUTION

One complete AVPro ecosystem

To make that happen, AVPro delivered a complete, end-to-end product ecosystem rather than a patchwork of parts. At the heart of the system are MXnet 10G SDVoE transceivers, compact encode-and-decode endpoints that sit behind each display, paired with MXnet 100G core switches, MXnet access switches, and dual CBOX-HA control systems for high-availability management of the entire network. Together, these components route live video to more than 500 televisions and over 20 large-format video walls throughout the stadium. Because every endpoint speaks the same language on the same network, any source can be sent to any screen, anywhere in the building, the moment an operator calls for it.

MXNet 10G SDVoE Transceivers
Compact endpoints behind every screen. Model AC-MXNET-10G-TCVR.
MXNet 100G Core Switches
Redundant dual VSF stacking core for the whole venue.
MXNet Access Switches
Reaching every corner across 23 distribution areas.

Dual CBOX-HA Control Systems
High-availability orchestration with built-in failover.

An Engineering Perspective: Kevin Wang

Kevin Wang on Site at Estadio Banorte

I first became involved with the Estadio Banorte project before ISE 2025 with the system design going through several major revisions as the customer’s requirements continued to evolve.

Because of cybersecurity and confidentiality requirements, I cannot share many of the technical details. However, the most important part of the project was that we recreated the entire system in our factory laboratory before deployment.

The R&D team and I spent seven full days building the complete system and carrying out the initial testing. After that, the wider AVPro team conducted another 14 days of integration testing. This allowed us to validate the design, test the network and system behavior, and identify potential problems before the equipment arrived on site.

The time and cost savings from this preparation are difficult to quantify, but they were among the main reasons the implementation went so smoothly. It also demonstrated the value of combining detailed engineering preparation with the effort of the entire AVPro team.

How It Works

Any Content, Any Screen, Instantly – With One Tap

What makes the experience so seamless is how the system moves signals to each screen. Rather than running a separate cable to every display, AVPro’s platform carries multiple independent video streams across a single shared 10-gigabit network and lets each decoder pull exactly the feeds it needs, from a single match angle on a concourse TV to several sources stitched together on a video wall. Every screen receives lossless 4K video with end-to-end latency low enough that the picture is effectively instantaneous, so a goal celebrated on the field is celebrated on every display in the same breath. For the people operating the venue, switching what plays where is as simple as a tap, even across hundreds of endpoints at once.

Conceptual Application Diagram of How MXnet 10G Routes Video

The Network

Engineered as one system, end to end

None of this works without the network underneath it, and this is where the project truly stands apart. AVPro didn’t just supply the video gear; the team designed and deployed the entire supporting infrastructure, building a resilient backbone with a dual stacking core, a 400G interconnect tying the stadium’s main distribution points together, 23 separate distribution areas reaching every corner of the venue, and redundant 100G uplinks throughout. By engineering switches, networks, encoders, and decoders into a cohesive system from a single manufacturer, AVPro removed the finger-pointing and guesswork that so often plague large installations. The infrastructure didn’t merely tolerate the demands of real-time AV; it was purpose-built for them, and it performed flawlessly under full load.

“One of the most important challenges of the project was to install everything in a surprisingly short time, as the stadium suffered a major renovation, so coordination between construction, fiber infrastructure, and hardware installation and commissioning was critical. But we managed to complete the project on time.

– Octavio Villa, Deputy General Manager at Pop Media, Technology

From Core Racks to Commissioning, AVPro Designed and Deployed the Full Network

The Scale

The Largest Single 10G SDVoE AV-over-IP Network in the World

The scale of the deployment is what sets it apart. Phase 1 alone runs 16 channels of 4K60 encoding, feeding 580 decoder endpoints, all on a single continuous network, making this the largest single-site 10G SDVoE AV-over-IP deployment in the world, a distinction AVPro has confirmed directly with Semtech, the technology’s originator. While other venues have purchased large quantities of SDVoE endpoints before, those projects were stitched together from several separate networks; Estadio Banorte runs as one. The system has already passed factory full-load testing, large-scale switching trials, co-existence testing alongside IPTV and Samsung VXT digital signage, and high-availability validation. And it is built to grow: the architecture scales beyond 2,000 nodes, with Phase 2 set to bring the venue to roughly 1,500 endpoints.

  • 16 channels of 4K60 encoding
  • Lossless 4K60 4:4:4, <2 ms latency
  • 23 distribution areas, dual 100G uplinks
  • Phase 2 grows to ~1,500 endpoints
  • 580 decoder endpoints in Phase 1
  • Dual VSF stacking core + 400G cross-MDF
  • Scales beyond 2,000 SDVoE nodes
  • Validated with Semtech as #1 worldwide
  • 16 channels of 4K60 encoding
  • Lossless 4K60 4:4:4, <2 ms latency
  • 23 distribution areas, dual 100G uplinks
  • Phase 2 grows to ~1,500 endpoints
  • 580 decoder endpoints in Phase 1
  • Dual VSF stacking core + 400G cross-MDF
  • Scales beyond 2,000 SDVoE nodes
  • Validated with Semtech as #1 worldwide

Passed factory full-load testing, large-scale switching trials, co-existence testing with IPTV and Samsung VXT digital signage, and high-availability validation.

Teatro Duse Theater

CASE STUDY

Teatro Duse Theater

Live Events Theater in Bologna, Italy

The historic Teatro Duse of Bologna raises the curtain with an ambitious and modern installation. The project was created to give new life to the scenic environment and give a more engaging theatrical experience, both to artists and users.

AVPro Edge Solution: MXNet

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