ACS - Acoustic Control Systems

Virtual room acoustics with natural sound

ACS - Acoustic Control Systems - now operates under the wings of Pan Acoustics. The incorporation of ACS as a globally recognized specialist in variable room acoustics systems results in holistic project solutions for the most demanding acoustics.

The use of the ACS system improves the acoustic properties of a wide variety of architectural buildings and turns concerts, demonstrations and events of all kinds into an acoustic highlight. Although a lot of engineering and scientifically sophisticated technologies are behind the system, the natural sound is preserved or even optimized.

Buildings such as theaters, cultural centers, conference rooms, school auditoriums and sports halls become multifunctional venues when equipped with ACS. But the Acoustic Control System is also ideal for opera houses and concert halls: If additional early reflections are required or the rooms shall become more flexible in their possible uses, the introduction of ACS will allow a wide range of applications from lecture halls to organ concerts.

10 BENEFITS Using ACS Variable Acoustics

Character of the ACS system - What is the Acoustic Control System all about?

The ACS system is an electroacoustic system that provides the necessary reflections without changing the physical properties of a room. No structural measures have to be taken to change the acoustics. Often, different interests of architects and room acousticians clash and the financial possibilities of the client also play a role.

The Acoustic Control System can variably generate reverberation as well as early reflections and thus creates an ideal acoustic environment for the audience, adapted to the respective form of performance and content. For the musicians on stage, too, the insertion of a virtual, electronic orchestra shell can improve the acoustic situation and the musical interaction on stage.

The ACS system adds warmth, brilliance, presence and spaciousness by creating an acoustic field with optimal temporal and spatial characteristics. The result is a completely natural sound environment that is suitable for any type of stage performance.

ACS VARIABLE ACOUSTICS

How the Acoustic Control System works

The system picks up the direct sound field from the stage or orchestra pit via directional microphones above the stage area. The signals are captured by a signal processing unit consisting of individual processing modules for reverberation, early reflections, orchestra shell and foldback extension. The ACS system benefits both the musicians on stage and the listeners in the auditorium: the musicians get a sense of their own playing, but at the same time a sense of the acoustic conditions in the listening room.

For the audience, the performance becomes an unforgettable event in an authentic acoustic environment. The ACS processor filters the signals emitted by the musicians on stage and processes them so that early reflections and reverberation are composed with very natural ratios of space and time.

From Idea to Implementation

Listen for yourself!

Take a look at the picture of the ACS experience room on the left. The room is truly not large. But the room acoustics system conjures a variably usable location out of it! With the acoustic preset set, the visitor has the feeling that he is sitting in a large cathedral.

Close your eyes and listen for yourself!

Example reverberation 0.4 seconds:

Example reverberation 3.0 seconds:

Example reverberation 5.2 seconds:

The room acoustic system is used in these areas:

  • Theaters
  • opera houses
  • concert halls
  • conference rooms
  • cultural centers
  • school auditoriums,
  • sports halls
  • churches
  • studios
  • Open-air stages

The ACS system is already in use here:

  • London, UK, Royal Opera House, Linbury Theatre
  • Ottawa, On, Canada, National Arts Centre
  • Church of the Resurrection, Leawood, KS, USA
  • Doetinchem, the Netherlands, Amphion
  • Winnipeg, MB, Canada, Centennial Concert Hall
  • Delft the Netherlands, Auditorium University of Technology
  • State Theater Braunschweig
  • Small Hall, Bruckner University Linz
  • Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli, Wales
  • and many more.

Learn more about ACS Acoustic Control System here