Tiffany's Show Pattaya Marks 50 Years

Tiffany's Show Pattaya has celebrated its 50th year by installing a new immersive audio system, replacing an ageing stereo PA to bring sound quality in line with the venue’s already advanced visuals.

The upgrade was delivered by Bangkok-based Mr. Team in partnership with Martin Audio, TiMax, and regional collaborators Fuzion Far East and Generation AV.

Known for five decades of lavish choreography and striking costumes, the theatre had recently invested in LED displays, fresh video content and scenic elements. However, the previous sound rig—centred on a traditional stereo configuration—was falling behind.

"The system had been running eight hours a day, every day, for almost a decade," explained Pok Sutat Kohkiat of Mr. Team Productions Co. "It had done its job, but with the 50th anniversary coming, the owners knew it was time to upgrade. At first, the idea was just to replace the existing stereo system. But once we looked at the production, we realised there was an opportunity to do something much more ambitious."

As the production shifted from generic backing tracks to custom multitrack scores, the door opened for spatial audio. Mr. Team proposed a TiMax-driven immersive solution paired with a new Martin Audio loudspeaker system. "For their 50th anniversary, we encouraged them to do something truly special – especially since the video, LED, and lighting were already at a very high standard,” described Pok. "The audio needed to be on the same level."

To secure buy-in, Mr. Team staged a studio demonstration in 7.1.4, built around the TiMax SoundHub, and prepared A/B comparisons between stereo and spatial mixes. "We set up a 7.1.4 environment using TiMax SoundHub as the processor, and we prepared A/B comparisons between stereo and spatial mixes," Pok recalled. "We wanted them to experience the difference in a controlled studio setting before talking about changing anything in the theatre." The response from Tiffany's was instant: "They described it as a completely new experience."

The adopted design features a Martin Audio TORUS LCR system using T1215 and T1230 modules, selected to suit the auditorium's relatively shallow depth while ensuring broad, even coverage. "The distance from downstage to the last row is not that deep," noted Pok. "TORUS is perfect for that curvature and throw. It's very punchy and gives a strong, stable image across the room." Low-frequency energy is delivered by flown Martin Audio SX218 subwoofers housed centrally behind the main cluster to keep the stage floor clear for performers and set moves.

Immersive fields are created by Martin Audio ADORN A80 surrounds and delays, extending to the balcony and two VIP rooms where ADORN A55 units are deployed. "The theatre isn't huge, so we rely on the A80s around the room for the immersive field," said Pok. "We needed a lot of loudspeakers because there's a balcony and multiple seating tiers, and we had to respect sightlines and choreography. Everything is flown, with custom rigging points."

Delivering the project without interrupting the daily schedule required careful planning. "We had nearly two weeks to run entirely new cabling and put loudspeakers in place, but the old system had to stay live during that period," Pok explained. "We only had one night to do the final switchover from the old system to the new LCR and TiMax infrastructure. That meant removing and repositioning loudspeakers, re-patching amplifiers, and matching all the original routing and presets, as well as introducing the new immersive paths. For a production company, we're used to that kind of intense overnight changeover, but it was still a big challenge."

Show playback is managed from QLab, which supplies timecode to the TiMax SoundHub and associated systems. Mr. Team also remixes selected numbers into immersive formats at its studio, then refines object movement and imaging on site.

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