Following a major renovation, the Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers reopens with an immersive sound infrastructure built around Amadeus loudspeakers and HOLOPHONIX spatial audio processing, marking the world premiere deployment of the Amadeus NUMAX XV point-source system in full production.
Located in Nanterre, near Paris, Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers is one of France's leading public theatre institutions, known for its commitment to contemporary creation and large-scale productions. Its 800-seat main auditorium hosts theatre, experimental works, and hybrid productions combining music, scenography, and complex sound design. An extensive renovation from June 2021 to December 2025 provided an opportunity to rethink the hall's technical infrastructure entirely, particularly its approach to sound reinforcement.
Architecture as Constraint, Acoustics as Ambition
The system design reflects both technical ambition and architectural limitation. After encountering HOLOPHONIX spatial sound processing at Théâtre National de Chaillot, Deputy Technical Director Jean-Michel Nedellec revised the specification entirely. The conventional LCR configuration was replaced with a redesigned infrastructure, adding loudspeaker positions throughout the auditorium to support both conventional and immersive workflows.
Rigging along the lateral walls was restricted, and ceiling height ruled out line arrays. For the surround system, 22 Amadeus C12 loudspeakers were integrated directly into the lateral acoustic panels, seamlessly embedded within the structure, as Deputy Technical Director Jean-Michel Nedellec describes:
"The result is a surround system that is genuinely invisible. The loudspeakers are completely embedded within the panel structure."
For front-of-house, a compact point-source solution was selected, with 16 Amadeus SR-1000 units deployed along the stage ramp as front-fill, in keeping with the objective of achieving high performance without introducing visually dominant elements into the space. The key question was whether a point-source system could deliver sufficient output and control. Touring engineers arriving on site were initially sceptical:
"The first reaction was often: this is not going to work. There's no visible line array, so where does the power come from?"
explains Nedellec.
NUMAX: Developed for Exactly These Constraints
NUMAX was developed in direct response to the demands of real-world spatial audio environments. Deployed here as the primary front-of-house system, the NUMAX XV delivers full-range response down to 40 Hz, controlled low-frequency directivity through an integrated cardioid section, and high midrange articulation, reaching 142 dB peak SPL within a compact format. As Gaëtan Byk, CEO of Amadeus and HOLOPHONIX, explains:
NUMAX represents the outcome of several years of development informed by real-world spatial audio projects, with a focus on projection, clarity, and controlled directivity across the full frequency range.
Its four-way architecture distributes processing across three amplifier channels. The low-frequency section combines a 15-inch driver with a rear-facing assembly to achieve cardioid behaviour — reducing build-up on stage while maintaining forward energy, which removes the need for conventional subwoofer deployment above 40 Hz. The mid/high section combines an 8-inch cone driver and a compression driver acoustically summed within the proprietary NUWAVE isophasic waveguide, ensuring coherent wavefront propagation, consistent directivity, and stable midrange articulation over distance.
The front-of-house system comprises nine NUMAX XV units configured with progressive horizontal dispersion from 90° to 120°. The complete deployment across the hall includes 22 Amadeus C12 surround loudspeakers, 4 ABB 18 infra-subwoofers, 10 ultra-compact C4 near-field units at the rear of the hall, and 12 CX 15 R stage monitors — all amplified by Powersoft UNICA series amplifiers.
The system was put to the test immediately. On opening weekend, Barocco, directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, combined a rock band, orchestra, and lyric voices on the same stage.
When the sound engineer arrived, there were no issues at all. The system delivered exactly the level of power we needed,
notes Nedellec.
Since opening, the system has supported a wide range of productions, from spoken theatre to complex spatial sound design. For Nedellec, the project represents something that extends well beyond the technical:
We didn't just install a system. We built an understanding of what the theatre needs and how it can evolve.
Photo credits — © Helen Karam