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When Lufthansa Technik wanted to showcase their revolutionary ‘Omni-Fi’ speaker technology at NBAA Las Vegas, they didn’t just want a display; they wanted a multisensory journey. Immersive audio specialist Martin Rieger was tasked with creating a sanctuary of sound amidst the roar of a busy tradeshow floor, using Audient ORIA to power the experience.
The goal was ambitious: recreate the luxury of a VVIP aircraft cabin inside an acoustically hostile exhibition hall. Martin moved away from generic demos, instead crafting a custom 360-degree narrative where spatial audio, lighting and even scent design worked in harmony.
At the heart of this complex 10-channel installation sat ORIA, Audient’s immersive audio interface and monitor controller. We caught up with Martin Rieger, 3D Audio Producer and Founder of VRTonung, to find out how it all came together.
The Interview
Can you tell us about the immersive showroom experience created for Lufthansa Technik at NBAA Las Vegas?
Martin Rieger: We created an enclosed, boutique-cinema-style showroom inside a noisy trade-show hall to showcase Lufthansa Technik’s Omni-Fi speakers for VVIP aircraft cabins. The goal was not to run generic demo content, but to let the loudspeakers themselves become the main experience.
To achieve that, I produced custom immersive audio content specifically for this installation. The sound was composed and mixed to highlight spatial precision, detail and movement, so visitors could actually perceive what makes these speakers different. Visuals, lighting and subtle scent design were developed in parallel to turn the presentation into a guided, multisensory experience where spatial audio carried the brand narrative.
What were the key challenges in delivering a 360° spatial audio experience within a temporary exhibition environment?
MR: The main challenge was working with a very specific and limited speaker configuration. We had exactly ten Omni-Fi speakers available, which is an unconventional number for a spatial setup, but the intention was to use every single one of them to demonstrate their full potential.
At the same time, the room itself imposed strong constraints. It was relatively small and asymmetrical, with visitors seated with their backs close to the rear wall – far from ideal for a classic sweet-spot-based setup. Speaker placement became a careful balancing act: ensuring a cohesive sound field without acoustic “holes” and maintaining clear spatial movement, all while keeping the speakers visually discreet and integrated into the architecture.
Why did you choose ORIA over other options on the market?
MR: I evaluated a range of immersive-capable audio interfaces, and ORIA offered the best balance between functionality, reliability and cost for this specific project. The requirements were very clear: stable multichannel output and a straightforward input for a measurement microphone. ORIA matched those needs without unnecessary complexity.
What also proved especially valuable was the built-in hardware display. Early on, it was clear that once the room was fully built, accessing the computer would be cumbersome. Being able to directly check status, routing and levels on the ORIA hardware itself added an extra layer of confidence during installation and operation.
What role did ORIA play within the overall immersive audio system?
MR: ORIA sat at the very centre of the entire system. It was the technical backbone: everything depended on it. Using a dedicated immersive audio interface was essential to keep the system predictable and robust. ORIA handled all multichannel playback and routing, while additional hardware preamps were integrated downstream to allow fine level adjustment per speaker directly on the hardware.
How did ORIA support the precise control required for a 10-channel installation in a live, client-facing environment?
MR: ORIA enabled very precise control through its software, which allowed me to quickly adapt the sound to the room and to the characteristics of the Omni-Fi speakers. This made it possible to reach a convincing, well-balanced sound very quickly on-site.
Another key aspect was preset management. Multiple presets could be recalled directly from the hardware using the preset button. Since the system was measured and prepared in Germany and only shipped to Las Vegas months later, this redundancy was crucial. It ensured I still had meaningful control over the system without needing to be permanently connected to a computer.
In an experience designed around personalisation, how important was system stability and consistency?
MR: It was absolutely critical, especially because the speaker layout was highly unconventional: a hybrid configuration combining elements of 5.1.4 and 7.1.2, plus a “voice of God” channel.
ORIA helped by providing a transparent and reliable output structure. The video playback ran via a browser-based application, with multichannel audio output over USB from a Mac mini into ORIA. That combination worked extremely reliably. Being able to visually confirm on the hardware that the correct channels were active gave me constant confidence that what the audience was hearing matched the intended spatial design.
From a visitor’s perspective, how did the immersive audio enhance the Lufthansa Technik brand experience?
MR: It turned the showroom from a product presentation into a narrative experience. Visitors entered into a personalized soundscape with different moods, such as an epic piece designed to feel majestic and a more relaxed sequence built around atmospheric music.
The emotional core was a dedicated spatial sound demo: a compact journey that moved through different sonic worlds – nature, jungle, underwater – before returning to an energetic, Las Vegas–style finale. Music and effects were deliberately placed around, behind and above the listener. That dynamic use of 3D sound made the experience memorable; it was meant to be fun, impressive, and emotionally engaging. And that is exactly what visitors experienced.
Technical Breakdown
- Audio Hub: Audient ORIA
- Speaker Setup: 10x Lufthansa Technik Omni-Fi Speakers + Subwoofer
- Layout: Hybrid 5.1.4 / 7.1.2 + “Voice of God”
- DAW/Routing: REAPER with custom Ambisonics decoding
- Source: Mac mini via USB