Germany - One of the country's most acoustically revered concert halls has been transformed. Originally built in 1926 as a planetarium, Tonhalle Düsseldorf was converted into a concert hall during the 1970s and has since earned worldwide recognition for its exceptional natural acoustics.
Today, the venue serves as home to the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra while hosting an eclectic mix of classical, rock, pop, comedy and cabaret performances. But when the hall's aging sound system began experiencing critical failures, Tonhalle faced the urgent challenge of installing an audio system worthy of a venue approaching its centennial without compromising its acoustic integrity.
The solution came through a competitive EU-wide public tender won by integrator Thomann Audio Professional. Following a system design developed by consultancy firm Bühnenplanung Walter Kottke Ingenieure (BWKI), Thomann Audio Professional executed the installation of a comprehensive L-Acoustics solution.
During BWKI’s system design evaluations in consultation with Tonhalle and L-Acoustics, the L-Acoustics L2 quickly emerged as the optimal solution.
"L2 was our recommended route for two compelling reasons: its relatively compact design and, perhaps more importantly, its cardioid dispersion pattern," explains Florian Denzler, head of department, sound and theatre technology at Thomann. "Cardioid dispersion delivers significant acoustic improvements on stage, which is especially critical for classical concerts requiring sound reinforcement. Given Tonhalle Düsseldorf's strong classical programming alongside its need to accommodate every genre, L2 was the obvious choice."
“From the beginning, our objective was to preserve Tonhalle’s pristine acoustics while introducing a rider-compliant reinforcement system,” adds Jürgen Meyer, project lead at BWKI. “L2’s cardioid capabilities gave us the control we needed to minimize stage spill and maintain the hall’s celebrated natural sound field.”
The cardioid pattern proved essential for managing the complex acoustics of the venue's centrepiece space: the dome-shaped Mendelssohn Hall. With 1,854 seats spread across a 36m diameter and soaring 30m high, this 17,000m³ volume presented formidable coverage challenges that conventional systems simply couldn't address with the required precision.
BWKI's design process centred on Soundvision modelling to ensure comprehensive coverage throughout the architecturally challenging space. The planning phase, led by Jürgen Meyer at BWKI, in close collaboration with Martin Rode at L-Acoustics, leveraged Soundvision's precision to account for every seat in the venue before a single cabinet was hung.
"Soundvision was this project's most important tool,” notes Denzler. “We needed a system that we could deploy quickly and accurately. This wouldn't have been possible without Soundvision."
Tendering and award wrapped up in February, then construction ran from mid-July through the end of August this year.
The final installation showcases the versatility of L-Acoustics L Series. The main PA comprises one hang of L2 and L2D per side, with a centre array of three KS21i subwoofers in cardioid configuration. Eight X4i are integrated into the stage edge for in-fill, while side-fill is managed with two hangs of one A10i Focus over two A10i Wide. Under-balcony coverage is handled by 12 X6i speakers while one A10i Focus and one A10i Wide per side, deliver sound to seating behind the stage. Six LA7.16i amplified controllers power the complete system.
The installation operates on Milan-AVB. Two distinct system configurations accommodate different stage sizes, accessible through a Universe Control system for seamless transitions between performance types.
To further streamline daily operation, Thomann integrated its Universe media control platform, enabling the Tonhalle team to recall multiple amplifier preset scenarios at the touch of a button.
