Sphere Immersive Sound to launch at New York’s Radio City Music Hall

Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp has announced that Sphere Immersive Sound will launch at Radio City Music Hall this autumn, taking the nearly 100-year-old venue into the future with some of the world’s most advanced sound technology.

Sphere Immersive Sound, which is currently in use at both Sphere in Las Vegas and the Beacon Theatre in New York, will debut at Radio City with the 2025 Christmas Spectacular Starring the Radio City Rockettes, ahead of a January roll out for all concerts and events at the iconic venue.

“The introduction of Sphere Immersive Sound at Radio City is the next evolution in the nearly 100-year legacy of this iconic venue, and represents a significant investment in the Music Hall that will benefit all artists and guests,” said Josephine Vaccarello, executive vice president, live for MSG Entertainment. “With Sphere Immersive Sound’s debut at the Beacon Theatre and the opening of Sphere in Las Vegas, we’re continuing to expand this technology across the MSG Family of Companies’ portfolio of venues, and we look forward to sharing this new system with audiences at Radio City Music Hall.”

“As the Christmas Spectacular returns for its 92nd season, the production continues to embrace theatrical and technological innovation,” said Jessica Tuttle, executive vice president, productions for MSG Entertainment. “With the unique capabilities of Sphere Immersive Sound, we can creatively play with music and sound effects within the Music Hall to immerse audiences in Christmas like never before and transport them into a holiday wonderland.”

Sphere Immersive Sound uses 3D audio beamforming and wave field synthesis technology to transform how audio is delivered. The result is controlled, consistent, and crystal-clear audio for audiences – whether you’re in the front row of the orchestra or the back of the third mezzanine. Consistent audio levels from point of origin to destination provides each audience member with an exceptional listening experience – it’s headphone-quality sound without the headphones. With more than 7,000 individually amplified loudspeaker drivers, this technology will improve the audience experience at Radio City, and provide artists and engineers with greater programming control and flexibility – including the ability to spatialise audio, sending different sounds to distinct points in the theatre.

The installation of the system at Radio City will also mark the launch of new features for Sphere Immersive Sound, including 3D differential beamforming technology, which allows artists and their teams to digitally sculpt the sound in the venue, optimising the acoustic experience for both the audience and the performers on stage.

Intelligent Audio System Synthesis makes it possible for non-HOLOPLOT loudspeakers to be ingested into the Sphere Immersive Sound ecosystem, ensuring exceptional sound throughout the venue with consistent volume and clarity – even in traditionally hard-to-reach areas. This opens opportunities for Sphere Immersive Sound to be incorporated into venues and facilities of all types and sizes in the future.

Sphere Immersive Sound was created and customised for Sphere in Las Vegas, the next-generation entertainment medium that is redefining live entertainment. There is also a version of Sphere Immersive Sound installed at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.

As the first event to utilise Radio City’s new Sphere Immersive Sound system, the Christmas Spectacular will be experienced with a new clarity and purity of sound, fully enveloping the audience in holiday joy. The use of Sphere Immersive Sound for the Christmas Spectacular is the most recent example of the technological innovations that the production has embraced – from holographic imagery to projection mapping to flying Frost Fairy drones.

The 2025 Christmas Spectacular opens November 6, 2025, only at Radio City Music Hall. Tickets are available online at www.rockettes.com/christmas.