Immersive Audio Experience: Museum of the Bible Utilizes 360-Degree Surround Sound
The Museum of the Bible, located just two blocks south of Washington, D.C.'s National Mall, has opened a high-tech interactive exhibit called All Creation Sings. This 45-minute immersive worship experience, inspired by Psalm 148, is surrounded by a 100x60-foot space and features interactive biblical storytelling.
At the heart of the exhibit's surround experience is L-Acoustics' L-ISA immersive sound technology. This advanced spatial audio system allows sound to be precisely positioned in a three-dimensional space, creating a highly realistic and enveloping sound experience.
Initially, the L-Acoustics solution for All Creation Sings was thought to be too expensive, but it did not add a significant cost to the project. The installation includes 16 of L-Acoustics' new X8i coaxial loudspeakers, four KS21 subs, and seven LA2Xi amplified controllers. X8i speakers were hidden in a thin 12-inch black band running around the upper perimeter of the room without visually interfering with the projection surfaces.
James Rudder, L-ISA application engineer at L-Acoustics, created a fully immersive sound experience with spatial objects carefully placed to complement the visuals. Skylark AV and L-Acoustics did the final mix in-room for All Creation Sings, ensuring a perfect match between the visuals and the audio.
The L-ISA Processor II was used for onsite spatial mixing in the All Creation Sings exhibit. This technology allows for object-based mixing and multichannel spatialization, fitting the description of the immersive sound experience reported at the Museum of the Bible. Each LA2Xi amplified controller drives four loudspeakers, with a unique feed sent to each speaker to supply the immersive effect.
The application of L-ISA in All Creation Sings enhances creativity and delivers exceptional audience experiences. The key benefits include enhanced immersion and realism, improved emotional engagement, flexible sound design, and better clarity and separation of audio elements.
Meptik, based in Atlanta, designed the visual spectacle for All Creation Sings, while Oklahoma City's Skylark AV handled the installation of all the projectors, LiDAR cameras, and technical gear. The exhibit uses 360-degree projection mapping and LiDAR sensors for interactive, generative effects.
Visitors of the All Creation Sings exhibit are truly enveloped in the experience, as intended by the museum. The immersive playback option of L-ISA technology is great for a fixed environment where the audio content doesn't change. All Creation Sings is a showcase for how L-ISA can be implemented efficiently in fixed installations.
In conclusion, the All Creation Sings exhibit at the Museum of the Bible offers a unique and immersive experience that combines advanced technology with biblical storytelling. The L-ISA immersive sound technology plays a crucial role in this experience, providing a highly realistic and enveloping sound environment that deepens visitor connection to the content and makes the experience more impactful.
Within the All Creation Sings exhibit, visitors can explore an array of high-tech installations, including L-Acoustics' L-ISA immersive sound technology, which precisely positions sound in a three-dimensional space. This advanced system is accompanied by a variety of gadgets like projectors, LiDAR cameras, and amplified controllers, all working together to offer a data-and-cloud-computing enhanced immersive experience.
