HIGHLAND, California – May 2022 – In April, Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, owned by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, opened its new 2,600-seat venue, the Yaamava’ Theater, capping the property’s four-year, $760 million expansion. Yaamava means “spring” in Serrano, the band’s native language, and is located in the LA suburb of Highland, an area already teeming with entertainment. With that in mind, the band sought to differentiate their new theater — part of one of the West Coast’s largest casinos, with eight restaurants and eight bars, and an on-site hotel that opened last December.

That mission was accomplished with the installation of an L-Acoustics K-Series sound system, designed by L-Acoustics Senior Applications Engineer for Installations André Pichette and integrated by Sound Image’s Escondido office. “Clarity, coverage and sound quality were key to what clients wanted from the theater’s sound,” said Scott Coyle, business development manager for Sound Image’s contracting division. “The K-Series components met all of these criteria and more.”

The new L-Acoustics system at the Yaamava’ Theater, which opened with a VIP performance by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is remarkable and underscores the grandeur of the venue. The main PA system consists of a dozen flown K2s per side, each supported by four flown K1 SB subwoofers and complemented by four onstage KS28 subs per side. Nine coaxial X8s are used to deliver stage lip front fill, plus two more as outfills, while nine A15i cabinets – a mix of Wide and Focus models – are paired with six KS21i subs to act as balcony delays to serve. Nine VIP suites on the theater’s second level are each equipped with their own pair of X8s, while stage monitoring is achieved via eight X12, two X15-HiQ and two KS21 subwoofers. A dozen LA12X and eight LA4X Amplified Controllers power and process the entire speaker setup.

The new PA completes an engaging entertainment environment that also features three large video walls, a broadcast quality video control room with Panasonic cameras and two large catwalks that extend into the house to ensure great lighting and video production adaptability that the Bringing fans closer to their favorite artists. “The idea was to make this a premier venue of choice for touring shows,” says Coyle. “The K Series gives us the power and sound quality we need, with the X8 and A15i offering nice fill coverage in the front and balcony areas. But there’s also a lot of low-frequency energy in the room, delivered by all the flown K1-SB and KS28 subwoofers stacked on stage. When the Peppers played, the kick drum sounded awesome.”

Sound Image recently installed L-Acoustics systems in four other areas of the property – Rock n Brews (a Kara II/SB18/KS28 system), Tukut Lounge (Kara II/A15/SB18), Bar Bar (X8/SB15), and Aces Bar (Syva/Syva Low/KS21) – and Coyle reports that these sides sound no less spectacular.

“They’re small rooms, but with a lot of PA, although it didn’t take a lot of boxes to get that – just the right ones,” he says, noting that the Kara IIs in Rock n Brews are ideal for the steady stream of high-energy Tribute and cover bands from the room, while the SB18 subwoofers in the Tukut Lounge are exactly what the EDM and Latin artists who perform there love to hear. “Everyone is delighted with the sound quality throughout the site and of course especially in the new theatre,” says Coyle. “They love having a top-notch, ready-to-drive system in there.”

Carlos Morales, audio lead and FOH mixer for the theater, agrees that the K2-based system is a perfect match for Yaamava’s main performance space. And he’s also found that the use of L-Acoustics sound systems across the various venues creates a pleasingly consistent sound signature for the property. “The continuity from one part of the property to the next is pretty amazing,” he says.

In the theater, on the other hand, the nuanced sound shines particularly well, even at very high volumes. “I was here for the Red Hot Chili Peppers show and it was loud, but the system didn’t sweat,” he says. “There was a lot of headroom, the four double KS28s on the floor weren’t heavily loaded at all, and we still had a lot of low-end.”

In fact, the system and theater’s actual start-up show, a performance by hip-hop artist The Kid LAROI for the benefit of the San Manuel Tribal Youth Committee, reached 108 dBA. “But it wasn’t hard at all, so you never would have noticed,” says Morales. “K2 is just the right rig for this venue. There will be a lot of touring artists passing by who will happily leave their gear on the trucks because that is all the sound system they will ever need.”

For more details on the new Yaamava’ Theater at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, visit www.yaamava.com. Sound Image can be found online at www.sound-image.com.

About L Acoustics

L-Acoustics is known for developing innovative sound systems and technologies that enhance the listening experience. Founded in France in 1984, L-Acoustics currently has 500 team members worldwide with headquarters in Paris, London, Los Angeles and Singapore. Known for pioneering line-source arrays, L-Acoustics continues to shape the future of sound with solutions like L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology that offers multi-dimensional audio. In recognition of the introduction of breakthrough creative technologies, L-Acoustics was recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Innovative Companies of 2020.

L-Acoustics sound systems can be heard around the globe in venues like the Hollywood Bowl and Philharmonie de Paris, at the world’s top-grossing festivals like Coachella and Tomorrowland, and on tours with world-class artists like Billie Eilish, Post Malone, Foo Fighters and Jackie Cheung.