Immersive Sound Experience at Museum of the Bible: Achieving 360-Degree Auditory Immersion
In the heart of Washington, D.C., the Museum of the Bible has unveiled a high-tech interactive exhibit called All Creation Sings. This 45-minute immersive worship experience, inspired by Psalm 148, is a testament to the power of cutting-edge technology in enhancing visitor experiences.
Contrary to initial expectations, the use of L-Acoustics solutions in All Creation Sings did not add a significant cost. The installation of the exhibit's technical gear, including projectors, LiDAR cameras, and L-Acoustics audio equipment, was handled by Skylark AV of Oklahoma City.
At the core of the exhibit's panoramic audio system lies the L-Acoustics L-ISA immersive sound technology. This advanced system creates multi-dimensional sound environments by positioning sound elements precisely in a 3D space. In All Creation Sings, this technology was utilised to:
- Create an immersive soundscape that surrounds visitors with spatialized audio reflecting the themes of creation or biblical narratives.
- Position voices, music, or natural sounds within the exhibit space to enhance storytelling and emotional engagement.
- Enhance clarity and realism of audio playback so that passages, chants, or ambient sounds feel lifelike and enveloping from all directions.
The L-ISA Processor II was used for onsite spatial mixing, while the exhibit features 16 L-Acoustics X8i coaxial loudspeakers, four KS21 subs, and seven LA2Xi amplified controllers. The X8i speakers, with their compact and low-profile design, are hidden invisibly in a thin 12-inch black band around the upper perimeter of the room.
The immersive playback option of L-ISA technology is suitable for fixed environments where audio content doesn't change. Signals for the exhibit's audio system are routed from Disguise D3 media servers via Dante, converted to AES with Q-SYS, and then one-to-one per speaker.
Skylark AV and L-Acoustics did the final mix for All Creation Sings in-room, ensuring a perfect match with the visuals. Meptik, based in Atlanta, designed the visual spectacle for All Creation Sings using 360-degree projection mapping and LiDAR sensors.
The Museum of the Bible's IT interactive systems manager, Joel Conrad, was impressed with the sound quality of L-Acoustics loudspeakers. James Rudder, L-ISA application engineer at L-Acoustics, created a fully immersive sound experience for All Creation Sings.
Visitors of All Creation Sings are enveloped in the experience, as intended. The fidelity throughout the entire exhibit space feels warm, moving, and engaging, enhancing the thematic impact of the exhibit focused on creation and biblical history. L-Acoustics solutions have proven to be a valuable addition to the Museum of the Bible, demonstrating that even in scenarios with technical or budgetary considerations, L-Acoustics loudspeakers can enhance creativity and deliver exceptional audience experiences.
The L-Acoustics solutions, such as the L-ISA immersive sound technology and the X8i coaxial loudspeakers, have been instrumental in creating an immersive audio experience within the Museum of the Bible's exhibit, All Creation Sings. This cutting-edge technology has been utilized to enhance clarity, realism, and emotional engagement by positioning voices, music, or natural sounds within the exhibit space, creating a surround soundscape. Furthermore, data-and-cloud-computing systems, like Disguise D3 media servers and Q-SYS, have been employed to route signals for the exhibit's audio system, ensuring a perfect match with the visuals, thereby elevating the experience of social-media sharing and entertainment for visitors.
