Innovation Showcase: Immersive Audio Experience Inside a Geodesic Sphere
The Immersive Abisonic Klangdome at Prolight + Sound
The Abisonic Klangdome, a cutting-edge audio demonstration installation, is set to captivate visitors at Prolight + Sound, the international trade fair for the entertainment, event, and media technology industry. The Klangdome will be showcased on the Agora from April, offering an unparalleled immersive audio experience.
A Spherical Soundscape
The Abisonic Klangdome is a dome-shaped structure, outfitted with a sophisticated array of 31 waterproof Kenford marine loudspeakers. Half of these speakers are connected to stereo power amplifiers, while the remaining 16 are integrated into the floor, creating a vibrating surface that allows visitors to feel the sound as well as hear it.
A New Dimension in Sound
The Klangdome's 3D sound system employs spatial audio rendering techniques, such as wave field synthesis (WFS) or ambisonics, to generate sound fields in three dimensions. This technology allows for precise localization of sound sources in all directions around the listener, creating a highly realistic and immersive audio environment.
The system works by producing carefully controlled sound wavefronts that simulate the way sound naturally propagates and reflects in a real environment. By adjusting the timing, phase, and amplitude of the signals sent to each speaker, the system can position sound sources in 3D space with great accuracy.
A Comfortable Concert Hall
Inside the Klangdome, visitors will find a tent-like construction, the GEjODOME, which doubles as a concert hall and a comfortable living room. The dome is covered with tarpaulins made of AIRTEX B1 for an optimal sound experience and to muffle external noises.
The interfacing for the Klangdome's sound system uses a RME Digiface USB card and 4 Behringer Ultragain ADAT interfaces. The Behringer BFC controller serves as the mixing console for the Klangdome. The KlangdomeKollektiv uses REAPER as DAW for controlling and operates with open-source Ambisonic plugins from Matthias Kronlachner.
The 10-meter dome at Prolight + Sound has a floor space of approximately 75 m2 and a weight of around 1,800 kilos, with poles weighing around 650 kilos.
A Pioneering Design
The GEjODOME, the structure used for the Klangdome, is based on the principles of architect, scholar, and philosopher R. Buckminster Fuller. It can be ordered in various sizes and is made of native wood (Douglas Fir, Larch, and Spruce) and metal connectors. The dome's height is approximately 4.3 meters and its diameter is around 10 meters.
The Abisonic Klangdome promises to deliver a unique and unforgettable audio experience at Prolight + Sound. Visitors can look forward to immersing themselves in three-dimensional music, feeling the sound vibrations in the floor, and witnessing the power of spatial audio rendering technology firsthand.
The Abisonic Klangdome, an immersive audio experience, combines entertainment and technology, offering a unique three-dimensional music encounter at the Prolight + Sound trade fair. This pioneering design, based on the principles of R. Buckminster Fuller, employs spatial audio rendering technology, such as ambisonics, to create a realistic and highly immersive listening environment.
