The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show has become a fixture of fashion and pop culture, combining runway presentations by internationally recognized models with live musical performances for audiences worldwide. Held at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City, California, the 2026 event featured models including Gigi Hadid and Ashley Graham, alongside performances by Megan Thee Stallion, Tate McRae, Megan Moroney and KATSEYE. With an expanded overhead lighting and scenic design occupying much of the available rigging space and weight capacity, Firehouse Productions needed an audio system capable of delivering concert-level output and consistent coverage while accommodating the production’s visual requirements. The system also needed to support runway presentations, live performances and backstage operations across multiple sound stages without compromising sightlines or production flexibility.
Firehouse Productions deployed a JBL Professional VTX system centered on 120 JBL VTX A8 line array loudspeakers configured in 12 arrays of 10 elements each. Five arrays were positioned along each side of the runway, with an additional stereo pair covering the control and end-of-runway area. The compact VTX A8 enclosures allowed the team to increase loudspeaker quantity while reducing overall rigging weight compared with the JBL VTX V25 ii CS system used for the previous year’s show. In some locations, the arrays were installed between lighting trusses with approximately 2 inches of clearance on either side, maintaining coverage while accommodating the overhead production design.
“They like a very big sound on the show,” said Mark Dittmar, Audio Coordinator. “Last year, the Victoria’s Secret team attended the VMAs and was blown away by how the JBL VTX V25 ii CS system sounded, so we brought that same system to the fashion show. This year, the production featured some stunning lighting and rigging elements that took up a considerable amount of ceiling space and weight capacity. We needed to maintain that same powerful sound in a much tighter space, so we went with the more compact VTX A8 system.”
Low-frequency reinforcement was provided by 16 JBL Professional VTX G28 subwoofers positioned on the ground, while seven JBL VTX F12 loudspeakers delivered runway fill and six additional F12 loudspeakers extended coverage along the outer seating sections. Firehouse also provided audio across five additional sound stages, using JBL Professional F12 loudspeakers for distributed reinforcement, JBL VTX A6 arrays and subwoofers in the hair and makeup area, and additional JBL VTX F18S, B18 and S25 subwoofers throughout the production facilities.
To accommodate the complex rigging environment, Firehouse used JBL Venue Synthesis software to model coverage, evaluate acoustic prediction heat maps and coordinate loudspeaker placement with the production’s lighting, scenic and rigging infrastructure.
“As we were trying to work around winch motors, lighting trusses, rigging motors and drape truss, we could import layer after layer into Venue Synthesis and see all those elements directly in the design software,” Dittmar said. “The level of detail is pretty stunning. Being able to bring in those CAD layers saved us a lot of back and forth and really sped up the process. It’s a powerful tool that has made some of our more challenging productions much easier.”
The JBL Professional VTX system delivered the output, low-frequency performance and consistent coverage required for the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show while accommodating the production’s extensive lighting and rigging requirements. By deploying 120 compact VTX A8 loudspeakers, Firehouse maintained concert-level sound across the runway and audience areas while reducing rigging weight and preserving space for the overhead visual design.
JBL Venue Synthesis also streamlined system planning and coordination, allowing Firehouse to incorporate updated production layouts, refine loudspeaker positions and verify coverage without rebuilding room models. The software helped reduce design turnaround times while supporting the rapid changes required for a large-scale live production.
Beyond the runway, the distributed JBL Professional system supported music playback, show monitoring and announcements across five additional sound stages, allowing production personnel to remain connected throughout the event. By combining JBL VTX loudspeakers with Venue Synthesis modeling, Firehouse Productions delivered an audio solution that supported live musical performances, runway presentations and backstage operations while meeting the technical and logistical demands of the 2026 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.
“Megan Thee Stallion brought the energy, and the production matched it,” Dittmar said. “From the scale of the visual design to a stunning drone shots, the technical execution made this a standout moment of the show.”
