Canto USA RETRO installations show how venues can move from incandescent lighting to LED without replacing every existing fixture.

That approach has worked in churches, school auditoriums, museums, theaters, and other performance spaces where the original houselights, wiring, or dimming system are still useful. Instead of rebuilding the entire lighting system, RETRO products can be configured around much of what is already there.

Socket adapters, lamp extenders, optics, and different mounting options help address the differences found from one installation to another. Older fixtures may sit at different depths, use different bases, or need different beam spreads depending on where they are mounted.

The RETRO Series also includes several output levels. A venue can choose a model based on the lighting it is replacing rather than treating every fixture the same. The RETRO 150, for example, is intended for applications that previously used a 150-watt incandescent lamp, while higher-output RETRO models are available for installations that need more light.

Replacing incandescent lamps with LED can also reduce power use while improving consistency from fixture to fixture.

If you have recently completed a Canto USA RETRO installation and would like us to feature it, please let us know. We enjoy seeing how RETRO products are being used and recognizing the dealers, designers, integrators, and installation crews behind those projects.

McLean Bible Church and Northern Virginia Schools

At McLean Bible Church, Artistic Concepts Group installed 208 RETRO-Classic® 500 units with 2700K COBs.

The installation required more than choosing one lamp and repeating it throughout the building. Different optics were used depending on throw distance, and E11 stems of different lengths helped deal with fixtures that were recessed to different depths.

That kind of adjustment is common in retrofit work. Existing houselights may have been installed years apart or mounted differently from one section of a room to another. Being able to change the optic, stem length, or color temperature gives the installer more room to work with the fixtures already in place.

Artistic Concepts Group also completed RETRO installations at several Fairfax County schools.

At Falls Church High School, 38 RETRO-Classic 500s at 3000K replaced 200-watt long-neck A lamps. Lamp extenders were used to fit the existing fixtures.

Fairfax High School had E11 mini-candelabra bases, so the retrofit had to work with that existing socket arrangement.

McLean Bibelkirche RETRO-Serie installieren

Falls Church High School RETRO-Serie installieren

Fairfax High School RETRO-Serie installieren

RETRO Installations at Mesa Public Schools and the Musical Instrument Museum

Clearwing Systems Integration coordinated RETRO installations for several Mesa Public Schools, including Dobson High School, Westwood High School, and Red Mountain High School.

The same RETRO model was not used everywhere.

Dobson High School used RETRO-Classic 300, 500, and 700 units at 3000K. Red Mountain High School used RETRO-Classic 300 and 500 units at 3000K. Westwood High School relied mainly on RETRO-Classic 700 units, with several RETRO 150s added where a lower-output unit made more sense.

Those projects show why retrofit work often requires more than matching a single wattage. Fixture position, throw distance, output needs, and the existing room layout can all change from one part of a venue to another.

The Musical Instrument Museum took a different approach and selected the RETRO-Passive® line.

RETRO-Passive uses a fanless design. That matters in a museum or other quiet space where even a low level of mechanical noise may be noticeable. The RETRO-Classic® is designed for quiet operation, but a passive unit gives noise-sensitive installations another option.

Dobson High School RETRO-Serie installieren

Westwood High School RETRO-Serie installieren

Red Mountain High School RETRO-Serie installieren

Musikinstrumentenmuseum RETRO-Serie installieren

Canto USA’s RETRO Series Fully Dimmable LED Retrofit Houselights

Canto USA’s RETRO Series was developed for venues that want LED lighting without automatically replacing the fixtures and controls already in the building.

The RETRO-Fusion® 2.0 and RETRO-Passive® 2.0 are 0–100% phase-dimmable LED engines that support both forward- and reverse-phase dimming.

Available configurations include different wattages, color temperatures from 2700K to 6500K, and CRI options from 80 to 97.

They are also designed to work with older SCR, TRIAC, and IGBT dimming systems as well as newer dimming equipment. That can be useful in an auditorium, theater, church, or museum where the existing control system is still doing its job and does not need to be replaced simply because the lamps are changing.

The result is a retrofit that can be built around the room that already exists rather than forcing the room to be rebuilt around a new fixture package.

Why Venues Choose RETRO Retrofits

• Keep existing fixtures and trim where they are still suitable for the application.
• Continue using compatible SCR, TRIAC, IGBT, or newer dimming systems.
• Choose optics based on the actual throw distance in the room.
• Select color temperature and output to suit different areas of the venue.
• Use lamp extenders or mounting options when existing fixtures sit at different depths.
• Choose RETRO-Passive for spaces where fan noise needs to be avoided.

Related RETRO Projects

• Die Owen Valley High School hat mit der RETRO Serie von Canto USA zwei Systeme zu einem vereinfacht
• Red Mountain High School wird als erste der öffentlichen Schulen in Mesa umgerüstet

If you are looking at RETRO for an existing venue, start with what is already in the ceiling. The current lamp, socket, fixture depth, throw distance, dimming system, and preferred color temperature will give your Canto USA representative a much clearer picture of which RETRO setup fits the space. You can also submit a project questionnaire with those details.