Sava Centar’s Blue Hall adds permanent L-Acoustics L2 system for large-scale events

Background and context

Table of Contents

Belgrade’s Sava Centar has completed a major audio upgrade in its Blue Hall, installing a permanent L-Acoustics system designed to handle a varied calendar of concerts, cinema screenings and live events.

The 4,000-seat auditorium, opened in 1979, is one of Serbia’s largest and most complex performance spaces. The room is around 50 metres wide and 45 metres deep, with a stage volume comparable to a concert hall and a fly tower built for an earlier era of theatre production.

For many years, the venue operated without a fixed PA, relying on touring systems brought in for each show. As part of a recent renovation aimed at attracting larger productions that might otherwise choose newer arenas, the venue’s owners decided to invest in a permanent professional sound system.

Key announcement

The new installation centres on L-Acoustics L2 line source loudspeakers, integrated by regional provider Dicroic in collaboration with acoustic consultancy Acoustic Design. L-Acoustics application engineers supported the project from the initial design phase.

The defining constraint was a 20 x 11-metre cinema screen occupying the full stage width. The system could not obstruct the screen, ruling out a conventional central array. As a result, the main left and right hangs had to be set unusually far apart, with a separate centre solution required to maintain even coverage.

The final design uses two hangs of two L2 over one L2D per side, positioned to clear the screen while covering the full audience area. A central array of 12 KS28 subwoofers is flown above the stage within the existing fly tower, which was not originally intended to carry such a configuration.

A centre cluster of three A15 Focus and one A15 Wide fills the coverage gap between the widely spaced mains.
Eight X8 loudspeakers provide front-fill for the first rows.
Amplification and processing are handled by six LA7.16i, four LA12X and one LA4X amplified controllers.
A P1 processor manages a Milan-AVB network with secondary AVB and AES67 backup routes, distributed via six LS10 network switches.

The team built a detailed Soundvision model of the hall in advance, allowing every rigging option and coverage compromise to be tested virtually before any cabinets were flown. Once agreed, the physical installation took around four to five days, followed by system calibration.

Industry impact

The Blue Hall now runs with a permanent, networked sound infrastructure instead of temporary rental rigs. According to Sava Centar’s AV team, this reduces setup time, transport and tuning requirements, and provides a consistent reference for incoming productions.

The system is intended to cover a wide mix of uses, from orchestral performances and film presentations to touring music acts. For venue operators in similar legacy buildings, the project illustrates how high-output, tightly controlled line sources and central sub arrays can be adapted to older fly towers and large projection surfaces without compromising sightlines.

For manufacturers and integrators, the installation highlights growing demand in Central and Eastern Europe for arena-scale audio performance in multi-purpose cultural venues, not just purpose-built stadiums.

Why this matters

The Sava Centar upgrade underlines a broader shift in how regional venues position themselves in the touring market. A fixed, rider-friendly system can make scheduling more efficient for promoters, while giving local technical teams a familiar platform across many event types.

Belgrade now has a large-format hall equipped with a permanent L-Acoustics L2-based rig, potentially making it more attractive for international productions that expect consistent coverage, modern networked audio and reduced load-in times.

More information on the L2 loudspeaker platform is available from the manufacturer’s official site at https://www.l-acoustics.com.