Las Vegas stands for entertainment like no other city: Whether casinos, music and magic shows, first-class restaurants or flights over the nearby Grand Canyon – the desert metropolis offers its visitors top- notch event highlights. But even in a place full of superlatives, there are attractions whose charisma and appeal makes them stand out. One of these is Sphere, which opened September 2023 and will be honoured with the 2024 "Sinus - Systems Integration Award".
With its spectacular fusion of ground-breaking technologies, the event medium creates innovative, immersive experiences of unrivalled brilliance – and sets a decisive impulse for the future of entertainment.
The "Sinus" is one of the most prestigious industry awards in the field of audiovisual installation. It has been awarded every year since 2004 at Prolight + Sound, the leading trade fair for the entertainment technology industry, in Frankfurt am Main. The award is sponsored by the Association for Media and Event Technology (VPLT), the European Association of Event Centres (EVVC) and Messe Frankfurt. An expert jury consisting of representatives from associations and the media, industry experts and representatives of Messe Frankfurt have now jointly selected Sphere as this year's winner.
The award ceremony will take place on Thursday, 21 March 2024 as part of a glamorous gala dinner at the 5-star luxury hotel Steigenberger Icon Frankfurter Hof.
Immersive entertainment at the highest technical level: Sphere in Las Vegas. Photo: Sphere Entertainment
The future of entertainment
The key data and figures alone give an idea of the dimensions of this mega project: At 112 metres high and 157 metres wide, it is the largest spherical structure in the world. A 54,000 m², fully programmable exterior, known as the Exosphere, is equipped with 1.2 million LED pucks. The world's largest and highest-resolution LED screen. Inside, a 15,000 m² LED display with a resolution of 16k x 16k offers an impressive experience for 17,600 people (20,000 with standing room).
However, what makes Sphere so unique are not primarily the numerical superlatives – it is the harmonious interplay of the countless technical components.
For example, an essential element of the spherical construction is concealed behind the LED screen inside, which is around 195 metres wide and 76 metres high: Its impressive audio system Sphere Immersive Sound powered by HOLOPLOT, which was custom-built for the curved interior. The revolutionary X1 Matrix Array audio system is integrated into 1,600 permanently installed and 300 mobile loudspeaker modules, combined with a total of 167,000 individually amplified loudspeaker drivers. The underlying 3D audio beamforming and wave field synthesis technology enables controlled, crystal-clear sound for up to 20,000 people, offering each guest a personalised listening experience.
The seamless interaction of Sphere Immersive Sound and the curved LED interior display is complemented by 4D technologies such as haptic seats and a range of atmospheric environmental effects – including gusts of wind, changing temperatures, cold breezes and evocative scents. This creates multi-sensory, immersive experiences in a class of their own.
Thanks to the outstanding combination of artistic ambition and innovative technical realisation, Sphere fulfils the requirements for winning the "Sinus" in a special way. With its unique technical possibilities, it is the ideal venue for a wide variety of entertainment
formats, from live concerts and sporting events to high-resolution film experiences and much more. A prime example of modern system integration at the very highest level.
