After two years of planning, structural steel work, and new rigging squeezed between hundreds of live shows, the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts has finished replacing the aging audio system inside Dreyfoos Hall with a state-of-the-art setup built around more than 60 delay speakers and a brand-new line array system. The timing lines up almost perfectly with the venue's biggest recent booking: Miss America's Teen, which loaded into the West Palm Beach hall as the retrofit wrapped.
The centerpiece of the project is Meyer Sound's newly released TIGRA line array system, and Dreyfoos Hall is now the first theater in the United States to have it installed, according to WPTV. Meyer Sound officially launched TIGRA in March 2026 as a self-powered, mid-format line array with onboard digital signal processing and Milan audio networking, designed to deliver tour-class output approaching the company's flagship PANTHER system in a lighter footprint suited to performing arts centers, per Meyer Sound.
The TIGRA-L model can reach peak sound pressure levels of up to 146 dB, while Meyer Sound lists TIGRA-W at 145 dB. TIGRA loudspeakers use cardioid low-frequency directional control, a design meant to manage low-frequency dispersion, according to Meyer Sound's technical specifications. Meyer Sound describes the low-frequency behavior as controlled and cardioid.
A Two-Year Build Around a Packed Performance Calendar
Getting there wasn't quick. The installation took about two years, including roughly a year of planning before crews ever removed the old equipment, the station's report notes. Work included new rigging and structural steel reinforcements, all scheduled around ongoing performances so the 2,195-seat hall could keep operating through its typically packed season.
Matthew Wilt, the Kravis Center's current Director of Production, said the venue invested in an entirely new sound system for Dreyfoos Hall and called the project a labor of love, per the same account. Wilt said the goal was a consistent listening experience throughout the hall — the same sound quality, he said, from every seat in the house.
Wilt credited his predecessor, Chris Pennington, with starting the project. Pennington is Director of IT Project Management. Meyer Sound featured Pennington in a June 2026 video spotlight highlighting his early confidence in TIGRA, noting he committed to the system before ever hearing it in person, according to Meyer Sound. Pennington previously held a role at the Kravis Center.
Dreyfoos Hall Joins an Elite, Very Short List
The Kravis Center evaluated multiple audio systems before settling on Meyer Sound, and engineers are still fine-tuning timing and acoustics throughout Dreyfoos Hall as the system beds in, per the station's reporting. New York's David Geffen Hall at Lincoln Center — home to the New York Philharmonic — was the first concert hall in the world to order TIGRA, but Meyer Sound says Dreyfoos Hall is the first theatrical venue in the country to complete an installation, based on the manufacturer's August 2026 announcement.
The stakes for getting the sound right are high. Dreyfoos Hall is part of the Kravis Center complex and hosts Broadway productions, according to the Kravis Center. The hall's varied programming demands a system versatile enough to handle different acoustic needs in the same room.
This current project represents a major sound investment in Dreyfoos Hall.
National Spotlight Arrives Right on Cue
The upgrade's completion coincided with the Kravis Center hosting the preliminary rounds and national final of Miss America's Teen from late August through early September, the pageant organization's first visit to Palm Beach County in its 105-year history, as reported by Hoodline in May. The weeklong event used both the Kravis Center and the Palm Beach County Convention Center.
The non-profit venue presents performances, according to the Kravis Center. CEO Diane Quinn said in a January 2026 interview that the center was growing, with an increased classical concert series and expanded educational outreach, per Capital Analytics Associates. Quinn is the center's CEO.
For now, engineers continue adjusting timing and acoustics throughout Dreyfoos Hall, fine-tuning the newly installed technology as the venue continues its programming.
