Sphere Entertainment has announced that Powersoft contributed immersive haptic technology and power amplifier platforms that are being used at the next-generation Sphere entertainment medium in Las Vegas.
Powersoft technology is integrated within the venue’s 10,000 haptic seats and as part of Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT. “Sphere Immersive Sound has set a new standard in every aspect of live audio, and tens of thousands have already been immersed in its crystal-clear, individualized sound,” says David Dibble, CEO, MSG Ventures, a division of Sphere Entertainment. “And this past weekend, with the premiere of The Sphere Experience featuring Darren Aronofsky’s Postcard from Earth, guests, for the first time, experienced a truly multi-sensory haptic experience. Powersoft’s cutting-edge and energy-efficient technology made them the perfect partner to help achieve our sustainability goals without compromising audio or haptic quality.”
Developed specifically for Sphere’s unique curved interior, Sphere Immersive Sound driven by 167,000 channels of Powersoft 16-channel amplification. MSG Ventures, which develops technologies and content exclusively for Sphere, partnered with Powersoft to leverage their platforms that are stated to achieve approximately 40 percent energy savings compared to traditional amplifiers.
“Sphere is the largest-scale and most innovative application of Powersoft technology yet, and we’re thrilled to partner with a company that holds the same values and vision for the future of live entertainment,” says Powersoft president Carlo Lastrucci.
Powersoft energy-efficient technology includes its Power Factor Correction (PFC) and Class-D PWM (Pulse Width Modulation), two technologies that the company states are designed to reduce the environmental impact of the AV industry. PFC technology provides energy savings and a lower carbon footprint (equivalent CO2 emissions), while PWM technology transforms energy drawn from the power mains at Sphere into usable power that recycles the reactive energy coming back from its loudspeakers.
In addition to the 16-channel amplifiers integrated into Sphere’s HOLOPLOT X1 Matrix Array, Powersoft provided patented IPAL (Integrated Powered Adaptive Loudspeaker) technology used in the X1 system’s subwoofers to enhance acoustic performance and added control of sound system reproduction regardless of acoustic load and conditions.
Sphere’s 10,000 haptic seats are integrated with Powersoft’s infrasound system. Mover is the company’s compact transducer that uses haptic feedback in a design to provide a realistic experience. The patented moving-magnet technology is intended to be more durable, accurate and efficient, relying on an audio signal with lower frequency reproduction to make the chairs vibrate and shake as desired for each performance. To accompany the infrasound haptic system, Powersoft also supplied 2,500 audio channels for the seats provided by 718 Powersoft Quattrocanali amplifiers.
