HK Audio Delivers Largest COSMO Deployment

HK Audio systems were deployed at Žalgirio Arena for Stichijos 2: Pasadoblis, a large-scale ice production combining figure skating, dance and visual design, marking the largest COSMO system deployment to date.

The project was delivered by Lithuanian rental and production specialist Garsas LT, supported by distributor Tamsta Profesionalas and regional partner Rock Distribution. Together, they brought large-scale sound reinforcement to one of the Baltic region’s most ambitious live productions.

Staged inside Žalgirio Arena—the largest multi-functional venue in the Baltics—the production transformed the 39,000 m² space into a full-scale ice performance environment. With a 360° audience configuration and a capacity exceeding 20,000, the show placed significant demands on audio coverage and consistency.

"This was no small project," said Vicente Rios Silvestre, Application Support Engineer at HK Audio. "We were working with a wide, fully immersive space, with audiences both close to the stage and high up in the arena - achieving consistent coverage across all of those areas was the key challenge."

At the core of the deployment was an extensive COSMO line array system, comprising 110 mid/high units and approximately 149 loudspeakers in total. The setup combined multiple COSMO modules across ten hangs to deliver even coverage from the ice surface to the upper seating tiers.

Garsas LT managed the installation under tight time constraints. "We worked for two days without sleep to get everything ready,” says Elanas Gascevičius, Manager of Garsas LT. “Once the ice is in place, there's no going back - everything must be right the first time. With COSMO, it just works. You don't need to bring it back down or make constant adjustments. In a project like this, that reliability is critical."

From a performance standpoint, the system also needed to support precise timing for performers across the ice. "For the dancers, timing is everything," said Robertas Boimas, System Technician at Garsas LT. "If they hear multiple sources out of sync, it becomes impossible. They need to hear the rhythm clearly and consistently wherever they are on the ice."

To meet these demands, the system incorporated both flown and ground-stacked subwoofers, along with additional units placed beneath seating areas to enhance low-frequency impact. Supplementary systems were used to ensure consistent coverage across the arena floor and front seating zones.

"The flexibility of the system is a huge advantage," continued Boimas. "Being able to combine different elements within a single array helps solve a lot of challenges, particularly in terms of coverage and directivity - it was straightforward to make it work"

Production design elements also introduced acoustic challenges. "The large silver baubles didn't help us acoustically at first, but we found the right positions and managed to make it work," explained Aurimas Mitkus, front-of-house engineer for the production. "In the end, we achieved stable coverage so that everyone in the arena could enjoy the sound."

The project highlighted strong regional collaboration between partners. "We're very happy to be part of the project at Žalgirio Arena alongside Garsas LT and HK Audio," said Jonas Skernevičius, Managing Director at Tamsta Profesionalas (UAB). "As the distributor, we worked closely with the integrator to deliver a reliable, high-quality sound solution - projects like this just show how strong partnerships help achieve great results."

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