Press Release

Sapporo Education and Culture Center Achieves Superior Clarity and Versatility with L-Acoustics A Series and X Series Sapporo Education and Culture Center Achieves Superior Clarity and Versatility w...

5XT
A Series
A10i Focus
A10i Wide
KS21
LA2xi
LA4X
X Series
X12
X8

Historic cultural centre delivers enhanced acoustics for diverse performances with professionally designed sound system from Bestec Audio

HOKKAIDO, Japan – March 2025 – Established in 1977 as a community hub for artistic and cultural engagement in northern Japan, the Sapporo Education and Culture Center—affectionately known as ‘Kyobun’—has enhanced its 360-seat Small Hall with an L-Acoustics professional sound system upgrade. After operating with increasingly outdated technology for over two decades, the venue partnered with L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor Bestec Audio to design and install a versatile solution that would support everything from formal ceremonies to theatrical performances.

Japan’s Sapporo Education and Culture Center’s Small Hall upgrades with L-Acoustics A Series and X Series professional sound system for superior clarity
Japan’s Sapporo Education and Culture Center’s Small Hall upgrades with L-Acoustics A Series and X Series for superior clarity
The Sapporo Education and Culture Center’s 360-seat Small Hall remains versatile with an L-Acoustics professional sound system
The Sapporo Education and Culture Center’s 360-seat Small Hall remains versatile with an L-Acoustics professional sound system

First Impressions Aid Upgrade Choice

“I first experienced L-Acoustics in 2017 when Bestec Audio provided a Kiva II as a reference speaker for a mixing control board demo,” recalls Mr. Takada, Stage Manager, Business Department of the Sapporo City Arts and Culture Foundation. “The pristine sound from such a compact box impressed me immediately, and I knew then that L-Acoustics would be the ideal choice when we were ready to upgrade our Small Hall.”

The aging system’s critical maintenance issues—including dependence on obsolete PC software for amplifier control with no replacement options—created an urgent need for modernization to keep the Small Hall competitive alongside the Center’s larger performance spaces and conference facilities.

The Center’s Small Hall proscenium centre array of one L-Acoustics A10i Focus atop two A10i Wide with a KS21i subwoofer
The Center’s Small Hall proscenium centre array of one L-Acoustics A10i Focus atop two A10i Wide with a KS21i subwoofer

Precision Engineering for Versatile Performance

Bestec Audio designed a professional sound system centered around L-Acoustics A Series and X Series technology. The main system comprises a single proscenium centre array of one A10i Focus atop two A10i Wide with a KS21i subwoofer with side arrays of two A10i Focus atop one KS21i, both hidden behind screens. Panflex horizontal directivity adjustment provides precise coverage throughout the venue.

Two 5XT coaxial boxes are embedded in the stage lip for front-fill, while a pair of X8 provide out-fill. Two X8 boxes permanently rigged on each side backstage provide monitoring for performers, with an additional X12 and four X8 enclosures available as a foldback system. 

Permanently rigged X8 boxes backstage and mobile X12 and X8 enclosures provide stage monitoring.

For theatrical productions and music performances requiring additional impact, two mobile ground stacks—each containing two A10i Focus speakers on top of two KS21i subwoofers—can be positioned on either side of the stage. The entire system is driven by LA4X and LA2Xi amplified controllers.

The Center’s Small Hall mobile ground stack of two L-Acoustics A10i Focus on top of two KS21i subwoofers
The Center’s Small Hall mobile ground stack of two L-Acoustics A10i Focus on top of two KS21i subwoofers
L-Acoustics X8 professional sound system provide monitoring for performers in the Center’s Small Hall
L-Acoustics X8 provide monitoring for performers in the Center’s Small Hall

Exceptional Clarity in Every Seat

“Although the hall is rather reverberant, the clarity has improved dramatically,” notes Ms. Kanamura from Horizon Art Co., Ltd., who manages audio in the Small Hall. “Previously, the sound felt harsh when you were close to the side speakers, but now the experience is comfortable whether you’re close or far away. This consistency applies across all event types—from lectures to music and dance performances—regardless of sound pressure level.”

The system’s performance has proven particularly impressive in challenging situations. “The side speakers are hidden behind a screen in the wall. There are times now when a speaker with a microphone stands directly in front of them, yet we do not encounter any feedback issues,” explains Mr. Takada.

Ms. Kanamura from Horizon Art and Mr. Takada, Stage Manager, Business Department of the Sapporo City Arts and Culture Foundation
Ms. Kanamura from Horizon Art and Mr. Takada, Stage Manager, Business Department of the Sapporo City Arts and Culture Foundation
Japan’s Sapporo Education and Culture Center’s Small Hall upgrades with L-Acoustics A Series and X Series professional sound system for superior clarity
Japan’s Sapporo Education and Culture Center’s Small Hall upgrades with L-Acoustics A Series and X Series for superior clarity

Expanding Creative Possibilities

“The Education and Culture Hall focuses on performing arts such as opera and ballet. With our rejuvenated Small Hall complementing our larger venue, we can now stage a diverse range of performances across both spaces. The brand-new system benefits speech-oriented presentations while creating new opportunities for smaller cultural productions and event organizers,” concludes Mr. Takada.

For more information on the Sapporo Education and Culture Center, please visit www.kyobun.org. Learn more about Bestec Audio at www.bestecaudio.com

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