Press Release

The Open House Arena Ota is Japan’s First Indoor Basketball Venue Installed with L-Acoustics The Open House Arena Ota is Japan’s First Indoor Basketball Venue Installed with...

Bestec Audio provides an A Series professional sound system in the home arena of professional B.League basketball team Gunma Crane Thunders

OTA, Japan – February 2024 – ‘Small Arena, Big Vision,’ proclaims the Open House Arena Ota website, setting the tone for this new-build arena in Ota, 45 kilometres north of Tokyo. The arena recently opened its doors to basketball lovers, welcoming them with top-of-the-line technology that includes an L-Acoustics A Series installation to fire up the fans – 5,000 of them at capacity – of home team, the Gunma Crane Thunders. When not hosting basketball games, the arena is available for special events.

Sponsored by Japanese real-estate giant Open House, the new arena rejuvenates the region’s sporting culture, proudly boasting Japan’s first sports venue with an installed L-Acoustics professional audio system. The arena is also equipped with a massive 360-degree LED display and a theatre-worthy lighting system. The goal? to excite fans with concert-level production for the home team’s weekly games.

The brand-new Open House Arena Ota is home to the Gunma Crane Thunders B.League 1 professional basketball team – and a new L-Acoustics A Series professional sound system
Open House Arena’s L-Acoustics professional audio system and  360-degree LED display

Atsushi Seki, who serves as MC in the B.League, is also CEO of Power Voice Co. Ltd., which previously led the Gunma Crane Thunders’ game day event production. Mr. Seki recommended L-Acoustics to the Open House Group management after being impressed by L-Acoustics professional sound system at NBA arenas in the United States. “The sound that plays during showtime and matches increases the audience’s enthusiasm. The clear and powerful sound of the L-Acoustics systems I heard reaches the court and inspires the players. With an MC’s vocals reinforced on the arena sound system capturing all the emotions of sporting plays, sound has the power to unite fans in the arena in an inspiring manner,” says Mr. Seki.

Helming arena design and construction was Mr. Hachiya of Ascent Co. Ltd. “I was already familiar with the signature sound of L-Acoustics and its characteristics. I would feel the deep bass and full-range sound of live concerts I have attended that employ an L-Acoustics system as the main PA,” he expressed.

Once the choice was made, Mr. Hachiya was also impressed with the service from L-Acoustics and its local Certified Provider Distributor, Bestec Audio. “Despite construction happening at the tail-end of the pandemic, the L-Acoustics system was delivered on time. From the start of the project, I felt that all the teams could rely on the infrastructure of L-Acoustics services, from swift and efficient shipping times to the undying technical support from Bestec Audio,”

 L-Acoustics A15i Wide and KS21 subwoofers on each of the long sides of the Open House Arena
 L-Acoustics A10i Wide cover spectator stands in Open House Arena’s corners
L-Acoustics A15i Focus and an A15i Wide

Bestec arranged a demonstration of the A Series. “During the demo, we drove the output of an A15 system with enough power to vibrate my chair. At a high level of SPL, the system retained its clarity without any distortion or discomfort to my ears,” says Mr. Kizu, Technical Director at Power Voice.

Bestec designed a distributed configuration with four hangs of three A15i Wide flown on each of the long sides of the arena, bolstered by two hangs of three KS21i in cardioid mode to minimise ceiling reflections. The shorter arena sides, behind the basketball hoops, each boast one hang with one A15i Focus and an A15i Wide. Spectator seats in the four corners receive coverage from hangs of two A10i Wide. Twenty LA4X amplified controllers drive the system.

Power Voice’s Mr. Kizu is pleased with the uniform coverage. “In previous arenas when we’ve brought in temporary sound systems, audiences seated close to the speakers complained that it was too loud. We’ve had zero complaints since the opening of The Open House Arena Ota,” he says.

From left to right: Mr. Kizu of Power Voice, Mr. Yamada of Gunma City Management, Mr. Hachiya of Ascent

“We have received praise for the arena’s excellent sound. Our system perfectly suits the arena’s size and has impressed the Thunders fans, guests from the local community, and visiting basketball fans travelling for away games in our glorious arena. We are very proud of our local gymnasium, it’s a symbol of our progressive city and the home of the Gunma Crane Thunders,” concludes Mr. Yamada, of Gunma City Management Co. Ltd., who leads arena operations and manages the facility for the local community.

Learn more about Open House Arena Ota at www.openhouse-arena-ota.com and Bestec Audio at www.bestecaudio.com respectively.

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