Auditoria Delivers Immersive Sound for the Reopening of Al Ain Museum
DAE Global invited Auditoria to design and deliver the full audio and show control systems and sound design content creation for the reopening ceremony of the UAE’s first museum, Al Ain Museum.
Staged outdoors between the museum’s entrance and Al Ain Oasis, the event used projection, narration, and performance to tell the story of Al Ain from its earliest settlements through to the present day. The production combined large-scale visual storytelling with a highly detailed audio environment, designed to immerse audiences in each chapter of the narrative without ever overwhelming the historic setting.
“The challenge was to create an immersive and engaging sound field that felt natural and emotionally connected to the storytelling, while keeping the technology invisible within the environment” noted Ethan Curry, System Engineer for Auditoria.
With just eight weeks from concept to delivery, Auditoria’s team worked closely with DAE’s creative and technical departments, including Chelsey Raysbrook, David Atkins, Tarmo Krimm, and Shannon Gobell, alongside Musicom for music content, Luke Halls Studio for video content, and Bruno Poet / Electric Blue Design for lighting.
To achieve consistent coverage and spatial interest across a large outdoor grandstand, the system was built around a layered loudspeaker design. Over 300 L-Acoustics 5XT and 50 SB10i loudspeakers were integrated into the seating structure to provide nearfield stereo for every listener. These were complemented by KARA II and X6i speakers concealed within the stage fascia and a rear-surround layer of X12s to enhance depth and localisation.
At the centre of the control infrastructure, a dual-engine DiGiCo Quantum 7 console and dual-redundant Ovation replay systems delivered timecode-based playback across 128 channels of MADI, distributed via a fully redundant Optocore network.
Spatial processing was handled by a pair of dual-redundant L-Acoustics L-ISA II processors following timecode to trigger programmed snapshots containing object trajectories and room engine changes to enhance the spatial experience.
As the design evolved, Auditoria made key refinements in the final weeks to improve spatial detail and reduce visual impact. “We transitioned from a wide-stereo concept to a layered system design, which improved immersion and preserved the clean visual lines of the stage and museum façade,” said Curry.
The final system provided precise localisation, dynamic range, and smooth tonal balance across the audience area, a result achieved through detailed calibration and close integration with creative and technical partners.
“The show was a beautiful theatrical experience, highlighting the history of Al Ain through the ages, brought to life with technology, performance and creativity,” expressed Curry. “To deliver a project of this scale in such a short time frame, with that level of care and collaboration, was a real achievement.”
