Having collaborated with the world’s leading musical talent on staging shows that sound more immersive than what concert-goers might be used to, L-Acoustics is revolutionising live performances bit by bit. Along the way, the brand has found a following among luxury hospitality companies.
That there is more than meets the eye in just about any environment you might find yourself stepping into likely doesn’t seem surprising. And yet, we rarely think about what meets the ear. Vision somehow informs our experience of the world around us in ways our other senses don’t. It’s arguably why even the bastions of acoustic pleasure, concert venues, have evolved much more visually than they have with regard to sound in the last 50 years. But – ironic as it might sound – French company L-Acoustics has been ‘quietly’ changing that, one show at a time.
The audio firm was founded in 1984 with the goal of enhancing the concert experience, which continues to be dominated by mono sound: those on the left side of a venue will only hear sounds emitted by speakers on this side, while those on the right, in turn, will only hear what’s emitted by speakers on the right side. What this means is that the full audio picture remains reserved for a privileged few, who are seated in the centre of any venue. To change this, L-Acoustics premiered its L-ISA Hyperreal technology in 2016, and the brand has since found its way onto the world’s biggest stages.
One of these is London’s The O2, where in May, we attended a concert by Andrea Bocelli, whose team had worked closely with L-Acoustics to create an experience that would resemble that of an opera hall rather than that of an arena with a capacity of 20,000. As the tenor delivered canzoni and arie from ‘La donna è mobile’ to ‘Nessun dorma’, we felt as though the music didn’t merely come from one direction, but somehow reverberated within the space, with each note sounding warm and bright in a way we don’t normally associate with ‘indirect’ sounds coming from a speaker. Bocelli’s voice at times appeared almost tangible, which, given he remains one of the world’s most famed classical singers, is of course exactly how you’d want to experience it.
Similarly, the high-tech audio landscape created by L-Acoustics also sounded substantial during sections of the show that included higher registers, most notably performances by Bocelli’s guests, soprano Aida Garifullina and pop singer Pia Toscano (whose rendition of ‘All by Myself’ we found as evocative as Celine Dion’s original). When either performer hit high notes, the acoustics felt not only ‘full’ but also ‘soft’ – a challenging feat for sounds that are often perceived as sharp or hard, and particularly so when a venue’s size relies on them being technologically enhanced and made louder. But if its makers can be believed, the greatest strength of L-ISA lies precisely in this capacity to render an arena experience into a more intimate opera-hall-like show.
This sensation of a smaller scale has seen a rise in popularity among artists involved in how their audiences perceive their music during a concert. Notably, both Adele and Bon Iver have worked with L-Acoustics to achieve greater sound quality during their gigs, and festivals like Coachella and Tomorrowland, as well as venues like the Hollywood Bowl or Ibiza’s recently opened mammoth nightclub UNVRS feature the brand’s sound systems. And when Notre Dame reopened in 2024, even the medieval cathedral welcomed visitors to its restored interiors with L-Acoustics speakers cleverly hidden within its nave.
But while live music and iconic venues are one thing, the technology can be adapted to smaller spaces, too. In 2024, the French brand premiered its ‘Hyriss’ (Hyperreal Immersive Sound Space’) technology, which is capable of creating a spatially adaptable soundscape that can change at the push of a button, allowing you to transform the acoustics of any room into those of a spa, a cinema, an entertainment space, or a sports venue. And with sound design becoming increasingly important in luxury hospitality, hotels and resorts are at the forefront of adapting new, more immersive technologies.
We’ve personally experienced L-Acoustics sounds everywhere from Six Senses Ibiza to The Aubrey at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, and a new project with Miami’s Four Seasons at The Surf Club is currently in the works. Meanwhile, those looking to have their private home or yacht fitted with what might just be the world’s most three-dimensionally-sounding audio technology, must only ask: any room in excess of 45 square metres can be transferred into a Hyriss, at around €3,550 per square metre (you do the math).
Once condemned to the backseat, sound is now being taken more seriously than ever before. Immersive acoustics rich in texture and warmth have the potential to help us feel elated and engaged when we long to be entertained, or relaxed when we seek to unwind. And L-Acoustics is cleverly carving out a niche for itself as the go-to company for all things audio. Next time you find yourself enveloped by a soothing soundscape in a hotel spa, or emotionally immersed in the voice of your favourite artist during a live performance, it might just be thanks to them.
Photography by Luca Rossetti, San Juan Bautista and courtesy of L-Acoustics
