ReelWorks Denver adds L-Acoustics DJ and L Series system for spatial electronic shows

Background and context

ReelWorks Denver, a 2,000-capacity independent venue in the city’s River North (RiNo) Art District, has completed a significant audio upgrade aimed at immersive electronic music events.

The building, a former 1940s Goldberg Brothers Tinners factory that once manufactured metal film reels for Hollywood, has evolved over the past two decades from warehouse to event space, and now to a full-time concert venue.

While ReelWorks had already invested in 360-degree projection-mapped walls and advanced lighting, its previous sound system dated back to 2007 and was primarily suited to corporate functions rather than contemporary live shows.

Venue management turned to Colorado-based integrator Brown Note Productions to design a new system that would align the audio experience with its immersive visual infrastructure.

Key announcement

Brown Note Productions has installed an L-Acoustics DJ system at ReelWorks, making the venue only the second in the Americas to adopt the technology on a permanent basis, following The Breakbeat in Chico, California.

Introduced in 2025, L-Acoustics DJ is designed to convert standard stereo DJ mixes into spatial audio in real time. Using the manufacturer’s Source Separate technology, the system employs low-latency machine learning to split a stereo track into stems such as beats, bass, melody, and vocals.

These elements are then sent to a spatial mix engine, allowing DJs to place and move sound objects throughout the room without changing their existing performance setup.

The deployment at ReelWorks is built around L-Acoustics’ L Series and A Series loudspeakers, configured via the company’s Soundvision acoustic simulation software.

The main system features three L2D arrays flown in a left-center-right configuration above the stage, with cardioid directivity helping to reduce spill onto the DJ booth. Low frequencies are handled by eight KS28 subwoofers in a cardioid arrangement flanking the stage.

Surround coverage is provided by multiple A15i Focus and A15i Wide loudspeaker arrays positioned mid-room, at the rear, and covering VIP and entry areas. The rear balcony has dedicated A15i hangs and pre-wiring for additional A Series or X Series cabinets to extend the immersive field in future.

The DJ performance area includes A15 Focus tops over KS21 subwoofers on each side, plus X12 monitors for surround foldback. System drive and processing are managed by LA7.16i and LA12X amplified controllers, with an L-ISA Processor II Core running the L-Acoustics DJ environment, monitored over the network via LA Network Manager.

Industry impact

For the live events and club market, the ReelWorks project illustrates how spatial audio is moving beyond bespoke, one-off installations into repeatable venue templates, particularly for electronic music programming.

By relying on stem separation of any incoming stereo signal, the setup removes the requirement for custom multitrack content, which has historically limited spatial audio adoption for DJs and touring acts.

For integrators, the deployment highlights an approach that combines high-output line arrays (L2D) with distributed surrounds (A Series) to maintain consistent coverage and imaging across a large dance floor and balcony areas. The system has also been designed with expansion in mind, reflecting the trend toward future-proofing venues for more advanced immersive formats.

Brown Note’s second implementation of L-Acoustics DJ in the region suggests growing confidence in machine-learning-based audio workflows in live settings, rather than only in studio or post-production environments.

Why this matters

For event producers and venue operators, ReelWorks Denver’s upgrade underscores a shift in audience expectations for club and concert sound, especially where visuals are already immersive.

The ability to spatialize legacy stereo content means promoters can offer a differentiated listening experience without requiring artists to change their playback formats or touring setups.

For technology buyers, the project offers a practical reference for integrating spatial processing, object-based mixing, and distributed loudspeaker systems into existing architectural constraints while protecting sightlines and balcony views.

L-Acoustics positions L-Acoustics DJ as a turnkey pathway to spatial audio for DJs and electronic acts; further details on the product ecosystem are available on the manufacturer’s website at https://www.l-acoustics.com.

As more mid-sized venues consider immersive audio upgrades, installations like ReelWorks provide a concrete example of how spatial systems can be aligned with visual media and nightlife programming, rather than limited to theatrical or premium concert environments.