EDC Las Vegas 2019

With music, art, and technology at the heart of the event, festival organizers, sponsors, and artists alike are continually looking for ways to outperform their previous — and already unbelievable — experience. As one of nine main venues at EDC, the stereoBLOOM stage hosted by Insomniac Records, takes the challenge seriously. System designers work diligently to deploy leading-edge audio technologies to raise the bar of sonic performance. Additionally, the size of the space nearly doubled from 2018 to accommodate an estimated 8,000-person capacity.

The stereoBLOOM experience offers many shades of dance music from house to bass music and beyond, and showcases a novel blend of emerging, established, and legendary artists. The 2019 stereoBLOOM stage featured performances by Chris Lake, Yolanda Be Cool, Volac, Walker and Royce, Lucati, Chris Lorenzo, Bijou, Holy Goof and many more.

John Wagner, Owner and Lead Project Manager for Chicago-based systems integrator, Ayre Productions, has worked closely with Insomniac Holdings, LLC for the past few years on the stereoBLOOM stage project. Wagner and his team installed the sound and front of house systems in 2018 and 2019. From concept design to installation and logistics, Ayre Productions provides full production solutions for audio, lighting, and video.

“This festival is so incredible, everyone here is always looking for ways to stand out from the crowd and outdo their previous year,” said Wagner. “With space and the visual components at such a premium, we needed to figure how to deliver more audio power and higher SPL, but in a very smooth and controllable way, and with a modest footprint. Sound reinforcement from Pioneer Pro Audio delivered exactly what we needed.”

The XY Series’ unique high and mid-range blended design produces a tightly controlled sound dispersion for an extraordinarily natural sound. This powerful wave can be thrown a great distance, filling all corners of a room with bass, punch, and clarity that is powerfully comfortable for the audience. Because of the cabinets’ unique design, a reduced number of boxes are needed as compared to other systems, making the XY Series easy to transport, set-up, and install.

“The clarity on the system was incredible. Extra crisp and clean highs, with a nice round and smooth low end throughout the entire stage and dancefloor!” Stated house artist Morelia. “One of my favorite systems I’ve played on without a doubt.”

By upgrading from line array boxes to a massive point source system, the stereoBLOOM 2019 system was able to reach unprecedented power levels, provide smooth and clean DJ monitors, and ensure a well-balanced, pleasing but also energetic sound experience for festival goers.

“In the end, we had a larger footprint to cover, and we needed to raise the performance bar,” said Wagner. “With the added XY Series elements, we got the smooth sound and excellent coverage we needed, and now for the second time, we deployed a point-source system at a festival where line arrays dominate — and we made a lot of performers and party goers very happy!”