Artus is the first comedian to perform at Paris La Défense Arena, one of the largest indoor venues in Europe. Best known for his stand-up performances, he first rose to national prominence in 2011 through television and radio appearances.
He is also an actor and, in 2024, directed the hit film Un p’tit truc en plus, in which he plays the lead role. The film attracted 11 million cinema-goers. With his sharp wit and effortless ability to tackle a wide range of topics, Artus has become one of France’s leading entertainers and spent much of 2025 touring.
At the beginning of 2026, he premiered an entirely new production, blending stand-up comedy, large-scale entertainment and a live immersive experience, featuring 60 musicians, 60 choir members and numerous guest performers throughout the show. The challenge was to ensure that all 35,000 spectators could enjoy outstanding sound quality regardless of their location in the venue, while maintaining clear, intimate vocal presence and delivering the highest possible level of musical reproduction.
To meet these demands, the technical team, consisting of FOH engineer and audio supervisor Sylvain Denis and systems engineer Adrien Bouillon, deployed a 180° d&b Soundscape system supplied by rental partner Dushow, using KSL, XSL and CCL arrays.
Consistency, spaciousness and power
For a stand-up show such as Artus’, the primary objective was to ensure excellent speech intelligibility throughout the venue using a directional headset microphone. In other words, the sound reinforcement system needed to provide even coverage with controlled directivity to minimise reflections from the Arena’s surfaces and reduce reverberation, while integrating seamlessly into the stage design, including the set pieces and video screens.
Sylvain Denis, the show’s FOH engineer, is well accustomed to working with Soundscape systems on symphonic concerts: "The DS100 and the d&b system deployed at Paris La Défense Arena enabled us to achieve high SPL levels during the most epic moments (101 dB SPL with 160 microphones open simultaneously), while keeping Artus’ voice at an average of 90–95 dB SPL, even as he moved around the venue on foot, on a scooter or suspended in the air". For Sylvain, the DS100’s object-based mixing offers exceptional flexibility: "I don’t have to chase problematic frequencies and, above all, I don’t have to alter the natural sound of my sources to make them work with the system or the room".
Soundscape is particularly valuable in this type of production because it allows us to create a sound image that matches exactly what is happening on stage, both with the orchestra and the choir. Object-based mixing provides a much greater sense of spaciousness and allows the audience to experience true spatialisation, including Artus’ voice, which remains correctly localised even for listeners outside the conventional stereo sweet spot. Being able to deliver the same mix quality to more than 80% of the audience is, for me, a decisive advantage, Sylvain continues.
Software tools that make a real difference
Adrien Bouillon, systems engineer, explains the choice of d&b loudspeakers: "Cardioid mode was a key advantage for this project. With so many sound sources on stage, the rear attenuation at low frequencies increases the available gain before feedback, giving Sylvain greater freedom when mixing." Another decisive factor was Array Processing: "It allows us to fine-tune array coverage with exceptional precision and optimise the transition between the main and delay systems. We can also treat specific zones or surfaces individually to address acoustic issues without compromising overall coverage. It’s not a magic wand, but it is an extremely powerful tool that completely changes the way we work".
Adrien Bouillon also highlights the d&b software tools: "The d&b software suite allows us to maximise every stage of the prediction process (alignment, HeadroomCalc, 3D, Soundscape Plot and rigging), enabling us to design a coherent system while preparing a large number of presets in advance, which saves considerable time during setup. The support provided by the brand, through Boris Jacquier-Laforge and the d&b partner network, represents significant added value for us".
Sylvain Denis also emphasises the support from the d&b team: "From my very first experience with Soundscape, I have been surrounded by the right people. That allows me to focus entirely on the mix and discuss fine adjustments with them. I often describe or request things using my own terminology as a sound engineer; they understand exactly what I mean and always find a solution for every requirement.
Image descriptions
- Photo 1: d&b audiotechnik system deployment at Paris La Défense Arena
- Photo 2: Artus performing at Paris La Défense Arena
- Photo 3: Close-up of the d&b audiotechnik systems at Paris La Défense Arena
Photo credits: Adrien Bouillon
