Iconic Shibuya Venue Spotify O-WEST Expands Sonic Range with L-Acoustics K2 Iconic Shibuya Venue Spotify O-WEST Expands Sonic Range with L-Acoustics K2...

Tour-grade professional sound system upgrade enables Tokyo’s 30-year-old live music landmark to attract bigger acts and accommodate evolving genres

TOKYO, Japan – January 2026 – For over 30 years, Shibuya’s Spotify O-WEST has been the launchpad where emerging artists become headliners. Now, with a fresh L-Acoustics K Series professional sound system installed in June 2025, this cornerstone venue in Tokyo’s Maruyamacho district is ready to propel the next generation of talent.

Located in the Shibuya neighbourhood, the epicentre of Tokyo’s youth culture since the seventies, O-WEST accommodates 600 music fans in a standing-room space. Its stage has seen it all: pop idols testing their sound, jazz innovators pushing boundaries, and rock or rap acts bringing raw energy night after night. This is where artists who embody Shibuya’s creative spirit take their crucial next step.

Ageing System Gets the Upgrade It Deserves
The venue’s previous point source system had served faithfully for over a decade, but time was catching up. Sound engineer Yuki Tanaka of Sonic Corporation, who manages live sound at O-WEST, had been sounding the alarm about ageing equipment that would become increasingly difficult to repair. More critically, the old system couldn’t reach every corner of the venue—a dealbreaker for a space that lives and breathes live music seven days a week.

“I’ve worked as a venue operator and sound engineer both in Japan and overseas, so I know L-Acoustics signature sound,” explains Tanaka. “It has pristine audio quality and expressive power. When I see L-Acoustics on touring riders from international acts, I know it’s the real deal. I was confident this was the right choice for O-WEST.”

Precision Engineering Maximizes Every Corner
L-Acoustics Certified Provider Bestec Audio designed a main left-right system consisting of four K2 enclosures stacked atop two KS28 subwoofers, placed on both sides at the front of the stage, while in-fill is delivered by a pair of A10 Wide speakers. Rigged to the ceiling above each stack is an array of two A15 Focus boxes delivering sound to audiences seated on a second-floor mezzanine. The entire system is driven by six LA12X amplified controllers.

Installed by Nagoya-based system integrators, A&V Corporation, the K2 enclosures—normally flown in a line array configuration—were ground-stacked using custom-made hardware due to the venue configuration. The system was angled precisely so that engineers in the operations room at the rear of the main floor could receive a similar sound quality to audiences on the main floor. 

While Tanaka’s initial specification listed L-Acoustics K3 for consideration, the venue ultimately chose K2 for its maximum SPL of 147dB and low end extension down to 35Hz, crucial headroom for the venue’s wildly diverse bookings, from intimate acoustic sets to high-energy electronic shows.

Tour-Level Performance Transforms Gig Experience
The entire installation happened in just four days—a tight window carved out of a venue calendar that’s occupied nearly every single day of the year.

The results speak for themselves. “The sound can be heard more clearly than before. It’s several times better,” says Tanaka. The A15 Focus systems serving the second-floor seats have been particularly praised, with daily comments about how dramatically the sound has improved upstairs.

“We record the operators’ impressions every day, and the overwhelming majority say that it’s improved compared to before,” Tanaka confirms. The KS28 subwoofers extended O-WEST’s low-frequency response from about 80Hz down significantly, opening up the venue to accommodate bass-heavy genres and the technical demands of international touring acts.

K Series Sets the Stage for the Future
With L-Acoustics K Series now operational, Spotify O-WEST is set to serve multiple generations of artists while embracing whatever comes next in music.

“I was involved from planning through to post-installation operations, and I was confident the results would be good—and they were,” reflects Tanaka. “When I heard positive feedback from visiting operators, I knew we made the right decision. I operate the system daily and I’m extremely satisfied.”

“O-WEST has established itself as a venue for musical expression across several generations, from future stars to established Japanese icons. With this system upgrade, we can now accommodate even more modern expressions. We hope many more people will come experience the sound of O-WEST.”

For more information on Spotify O-WEST, please visit www.shibuya-o.com/west

Learn more about Bestec Audio at www.bestecaudio.com

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