Engineering Flexibility: How Xilica Solaro FR1 Powers Modern Immersive Sound Systems

An Immersive Performance at the Tselinny Museum

The opening of the Tselinny Museum in Almaty became one of the most significant cultural events in recent years. More than just a new contemporary venue, it’s a space where technology helps art sound in entirely new ways.

The highlight of the opening program was Barsakelmes (“You Leave, You Don’t Return”) — a production that fused folk and electronic instruments, contemporary dance, poetry, and lighting into a unified audiovisual experience.
Traditional motifs and modern arrangements created a fully immersive atmosphere. The 90-minute performance captivated audiences; the venue was packed for three consecutive days, with both local and international guests praising its artistic and technical execution.

The production team included a director, choreographer, lighting designers, FOH and monitor engineers, technicians, rental company MVP Project, and event organizers. Barsakelmes became a prime example of how creative and engineering collaboration can bring a cultural concept to life through technology.

Choosing L-Acoustics KARA II

Immersive shows place exceptional demands on technical systems: every sonic and visual element envisioned by the director must be delivered with precision to preserve the sense of presence.

After evaluating the venue acoustics and performance requirements, the MVP Project team decided to expand the venue’s existing 7.1 sound reinforcement system with additional L-Acoustics KARA II loudspeakers. This configuration optimized sound coverage for the circular stage layout and enhanced the immersive experience for the audience.

“The combination of the permanent and supplemental systems became a natural extension of the project’s sound design, enhancing depth, directionality, and spatial perception,” — MVP Project technical team.

The Challenge: Optimizing Audio Control for an Immersive Format

“During pre-production, it became clear that a circular stage setup would require more flexible audio control — we needed to integrate all sources and optimize signal routing,” — explains Mark, system engineer at MVP Project, the company responsible for the show’s full audio package, from mixing consoles and personal monitoring systems to microphones and cabling.

The permanent system was tuned for fixed operation, so for this project, engineers had to temporarily extend control over gain, delay, and EQ parameters without altering the venue’s main mixing structure, which was already allocated for personal monitor feeds.

Signal distribution was managed via the Dante protocol, offering versatile routing capabilities, but adding another full-scale console would have been redundant for this task.

The Solution: Xilica as the Central Link

To bridge the permanent and temporary systems, MVP Project engineers implemented a Xilica Solaro FR1-D processor. With its advanced DSP toolkit and flexible routing, the FR1 became the central control element of the show’s temporary sound reinforcement setup — allowing all signal paths to be synchronized quickly and ensuring consistent, balanced sound throughout the venue.

The Xilica control interface enabled engineers to adjust system parameters directly from the audience area via tablet — in real time, without returning to the console. This mobility is particularly valuable in temporary installations, where precision, flexibility, and speed are crucial.

“We would like to express our gratitude to Artur Shakurov and the Sound Creations team for providing the Xilica equipment and assisting in implementing the system,”— MVP Project team.

Ease of Programming and Operation

“One of Xilica’s strongest points is its simplicity. Programming takes just a few mouse clicks — you simply select the required modules from the library and connect them in an intuitive drag-and-drop interface,” — says Artur Shakurov, Xilica Development Manager at Sound Creations.

Creating a custom control panel is equally straightforward: select the desired parameters (Ctrl + Click) and drag them to the interface window. Colors, icons, and visual elements can be customized for clarity and usability.

The system can be controlled from any device — iOS, Android, Windows, or macOS — using the free Xilica Designer software. Once configured, the project is uploaded to the processor, connected to the Dante network, and ready to operate.

Final tuning and calibration were performed using OpenSoundMeter software, with all parameters accessible directly from a tablet — no need for external specialists. Tasks that previously required integrator support can now be handled by in-house venue engineers.

Results: Control and Scalability

With Xilica, engineers successfully unified multiple acoustic systems into a single, manageable network, achieving:

• Consistent sound pressure across the venue;
• Stable operation without feedback issues despite a complex stage and audience layout;
• Transparent, balanced sound that fully surrounded the audience through the multi-channel setup.

The Xilica Solaro FR1 became the control core of the temporary performance configuration, delivering precise routing, flexible adjustment, and complete real-time control — all without interfering with the venue’s permanent infrastructure.

Conclusion

The Barsakelmes case at the Tselinny Museum clearly demonstrates that even well-equipped sound systems may require fine-tuning and temporary extensions to meet the demands of specific projects.
Thanks to Xilica solutions and the professional support of Sound Creations, the team successfully mitigated technical risks and ensured a flawless museum opening.

Xilica Solaro FR1 stands as the heart of a flexible, controllable, and scalable sound reinforcement system — ready to adapt to any task, from temporary installations to permanent performance spaces.