Audinate Dante recreates the spatial audio system for 'The Wizard of Oz'

The high number of Dante channels (Audinate), Its low latency and precise synchronization have allowed audio signals to be located anywhere in the American City Springs theater with millimeter accuracy., creating a fully three-dimensional sound field.

The theater company City Springs, based in Georgia (EU), produces four major Broadway-style musicals every year. Each assembly is represented in the teatro Byers, inside the Sandy Springs Performing Arts Center, an enclosure with 1.070 seats that forces the production team to “build the theater” from scratch each time.

The concerts, Theater shows and other live events demand high performance and absolute reliability throughout the entire audio chain, from microphones and instruments to processing and sound reinforcement systems, monitoring and recording.

As chief sound designer, Anthony Narciso brings extensive professional experience to his work, including his career in the theater field as a member of United scenic artists and of the council of Theatrical sound designers and composers association.

For him The Wizard of Oz, Narciso addressed the production “as if it were a tour”, given the absence of permanent infrastructure, creating a fully deployable sound system that transformed a static space into a immersive and narrative soundscape.

“We implemented a spatial audio system and another follow-up that allows locate voices in time and space -explains Narciso-. The large cast included a children's cast, demanded precision and clarity in a complex mix of dialogues, music and effects.

To face this challenge, The design was based on a Dante-enabled TiMax SoundHub; the tracking system TiMax TrackerD4 and in one Dante backbone that seamlessly connected microphones, consoles, processors and amplifiers.

Clarity in chaos

The production of The Wizard of Oz raised both artistic and logistical challenges. He assembly period was almost half the usual time, as Narciso points out: “Normally we have between twelve and fourteen days to put together a show, and in this case we had about a week”.

From a creative point of view, the show required a sound narrative capable of balance orchestral grandeur, ambient effects and vocal clarity. “The most important thing for me is to provide clarity in cacophonous moments”, assures.

For example, during the tornado sequence “we have to be engulfed by the east… but we also have to hear the orchestrations clearly”.

Achieving that clarity required a precise location control, movement and intelligibility, something only possible thanks to a robust and flexible Dante infrastructure that digitally connects all equipment.

Design the yellow brick road network

The sound creation of The Wizard of Oz It is supported by a TiMax-based spatial audio system. They are SoundHub processor and system tracking D4 create a spatialization based on delays, placing each performer's voice in its physical location on stage with a precision close to the millimeter.

As Narciso emphasizes, “without Dante, This wouldn't even be a conversation.. You need an individual channel for each speaker, and Dante is the way to make spatial audio”.

Complete signal chain

• Wireless microphones Shure Axient connected to a console DiGiCo via Dante.
• Each microphone sent by Dante to TiMax SoundHub (until 64 tickets and 38 outlets in use).
• Orange Boxes from DiGiCo converting Dante to AES3 to feed 17 amplifiers that move 65 speakers.
• Reproduction systems QLab running Dante Virtual Soundcard for main and backup operation.
• Monitoring software Wavetool, leveraging Dante splits for real-time audio and RF analysis.
• Intercom Clear-Com Arcadia integrated with Dante for team communication and spotlight monitoring.
• Wavetool routes through a Clear-Com Arcadia channel via Dante to identify specific moving microphone issues.
• Public address systems backstage and lobby cues distributed via dedicated Dante channels.

The Dante infrastructure also made it possible to perform soundchecks virtual, recording live inputs directly to a laptop and sending them back to the console for rehearsal mixing. “If the cast is not available for thirty minutes we can press a button, play the show audio and the A1 is mixing. Es invaluable”, says Narcissus.

Hear the magic

The result of this audio technological deployment has been immediate. Both the public and professionals in the sector have highlighted the crystalline intelligibility and spatial realism: "sounds better than some broadway shows”, has been some of the comments from the technicians.

It wasn't just about volume or clarity, but about how sound occupied the space of the theater, involving the public in a fully immersive experience, what has surprised everyone.

In the early years of the company, the sound was the area that needed improvement the most. The installation of the spatial system caused the audio to receive frequent praise from both long-time subscribers and new viewers.

The success of The Wizard of Oz has demonstrated cHow a Dante-based ecosystem can elevate theatrical sound to cinematic quality, enabling immersive design, Rapid deployment and unprecedented clarity.

Dante's high channel count, Its low latency and precise timing have allowed Narciso locate audio signals anywhere in the theater with millimeter accuracy, creating a fully three-dimensional sound field. This capability is especially valuable in large venues, where the acoustic experience varies considerably depending on seating location.

“The best I can say is that Dante just works. For modern theaters looking for immersive spatial audio, the combination of Dante networks and advanced tracking systems is not only convenient: It is transformative and redefines what live theater can sound like.”, Narcissus concludes.