A New Standard for Student Artistry: Cy-Fair ISD VPAC Immersive Sound
Located just northwest of Houston, the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District (Cy-Fair ISD) has unveiled a crown jewel for the arts: the Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC). This modern, 85,000-square-foot complex was designed to outshine regional venues and serve as a “students-first” facility that prioritizes professional-grade education. The heart of the center is the 1,536-seat Main Theater, a double-balconied space that functions as both a high-caliber learning lab for students and a premier destination for community rentals and touring performances.
The Challenge
As the district developed the VPAC, the primary goal was to establish a new benchmark for educational opportunities. Leadership sought a sound system that would provide students with rare access to object-based mixing technology—a skill set seldom offered at the K–12 level. Beyond the classroom, the venue faced a heavy schedule of approximately 150 bookings annually, ranging from delicate school choirs and classical orchestras to high-energy mariachi ensembles and major touring concerts. The challenge was to find a system that could deliver authoritative, high-fidelity coverage while fitting within the district’s budget and the venue’s specific architectural constraints.
The Solution
Acoustical and AV designers Jaffe Holden specified an L-Acoustics A Series-based configuration featuring L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal technology, which was subsequently installed by LD Systems. The Scene system utilizes five arrays of A15i Focus and Wide enclosures, providing a smaller PA hang that maintains a coherent time response. To achieve a fully immersive 360-degree environment, 47 A10i Wide enclosures were distributed across the ceiling, walls, and balcony faces. This setup is complemented by a stage-lip-mounted X4i for spatial front-fill, and 5XT underbalcony fills. At the front of house, an L-ISA Processor II works in tandem with a DiGiCo Quantum338 console to manage object-based audio. For the performers on stage, a versatile monitoring package of X15 HiQ, X12, and X8 wedges ensures they hear themselves with the same clarity as the audience.
The Result
The system proved its value during the venue’s inaugural event, which featured a 60-piece orchestra and nearly 200 vocalists. Performers were heard with absolute clarity, and the facility’s technical team noted that achieving powerful, specific vocal mixes was significantly easier than in other venues. By seamlessly blending the room’s natural acoustics with amplified sound, the L-ISA technology has created a deeper emotional impact for guests. The VPAC now stands as a premier example of how industry-standard technology can elevate both the educational experience for students and the cultural experience for the wider community.
Project photos
This was absolutely the right system for the space. It allows our guests to feel like they’re part of the performance, not just listening through a PA. With L-Acoustics, we can seamlessly blend the room’s natural acoustics with amplified sound, delivering the highest level of musical and performance experiences.
Sean Ramsey
Cy-Fair ISD Assistant Director of Production Services
Tech Brief
Main Scene System: Five arrays of four A15i Focus over two A15i Wide.
Subwoofers: Eight KS21i flown in cardioid hangs of four.
Surround System: 47 A10i Wide distributed across the ceiling, side, and rear walls, and balcony face.
Spatial Front-fill: Eight stage-lip-mounted X4i.
Underbalcony-fill: Nine 5XT enclosures.
Amplified Controllers: 14 LA4X for the Scene system, one LA12X for subwoofers, and LA2Xi for surrounds and fills.
Processing and Mixing: L-ISA Processor II
Stage Monitoring: Four X15 HiQ wedges, four X12, and eight X8 coaxial systems.
Portable PA: Two sets of colinear Syva and Syva Low cabinets.
