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UNCG Organ Recital Hall and the Birth of the RETRO-Passive® Series

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It’s often said, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” This is most definitely true of how our RETRO-Passive® series came about. One job’s requirements made us push the limits further on what our RETRO fixtures are capable of doing: delivering smooth dimming while remaining completely fanless in a very quiet recital hall.

The University of North Carolina in Greensboro has a 130-seat Organ Recital Hall with a 35-rank pipe organ built by the Andover Organ Company. The room used older 1000-watt PAR fixtures that generated heat, consumed more energy, and required frequent lamp replacement. By 2017, the university wanted an LED upgrade that preserved dimming performance without adding noise.

"Le RETRO a été l'un de nos luminaires à l'épreuve des balles sur le chantier", a déclaré Andrew Fisher de Bandit Lites. "Nous ne sommes pas revenus pour toucher ces luminaires et nous apprécions le soutien de Canto USA sur ce projet !".

UNCG Organ Recital Hall with RETRO-Passive fixtures
UNCG Recital Hall avec des RETRO-Passive 700 installés dans des boîtes PAR encastrées.

A Retrofit With an Acoustic Challenge

The recital hall is acoustically isolated from the rest of the building. Theatre Consultants Collaborative designed and specified the project, with Bandit Lites handling installation. The team preferred to avoid adding new conduit where possible, which meant the new houselights had to dim smoothly through the existing line-voltage system.

Noise was an even bigger concern. The room had an extremely low acoustic floor, so fan-cooled LED fixtures were not a good fit—any audible fan noise would be noticeable during quiet performances.

Developing the RETRO-Passive®

Canto USA’s RETRO Series already provided the dimming performance the project needed, but the UNCG hall required a completely fanless solution. Our lower-output 150 units used passive cooling, but the space needed more light while remaining silent. That meant developing a larger heat sink and packaging that could cool a higher-output LED engine without a fan.

The result was the RETRO-Passive® 700 used for the project—and the beginning of the RETRO-Passive product line.

RETRO-Passive units inside recessed PAR cans
Vue de RETRO-Passive 700's à l'intérieur de boîtes PAR encastrées.
Customized uplight sconces with RETRO-Passive 150 units
Des appliques lumineuses personnalisées avec des RETRO-Passive 150s qui éloignent l'assemblage du conducteur pour garder un profil bas.

Installing the New Houselights

Bandit Lites installed new controls and wiring while adapting the existing Dark Lite recessed cans that previously used PAR64 lamps. Adapter rings were used to fit the RETRO units into the existing fixtures. The uplight sconces were updated with passive-cooled 150 units and the driver assemblies were remotely mounted to maintain the low-profile look.

The new lighting provided a warmer appearance similar to the previous PAR64 lamps, with improved distribution, smooth dimming through existing line-voltage dimmers, and less heat in the room. The project took about one month to complete.

Andrew Fisher of Bandit Lites said:

“The RETRO has been one of our bulletproof fixtures on the job. We haven’t been back to touch those fixtures and appreciate the support of Canto USA on the project!”

What started as a solution for one unusually quiet recital hall ultimately became an entire RETRO product line for concert halls and other sound-sensitive spaces.

Why RETRO-Passive Works for Acoustically Sensitive Spaces

The RETRO-Passive design addresses three common constraints specifiers face in quiet performance spaces: audible noise, thermal load, and compatibility with existing dimming infrastructure. By removing fans and relying on a larger passive heat sink, the fixtures operate silently while still providing smooth, line-voltage dimming and less radiant heat than legacy lamp sources. For additional context on fanless installations and acoustic applications, see our post about the RETRO-Passive silent retrofit approach: RETRO-Passive® silent LED retrofit — fanless lighting for acoustically sensitive spaces.

If you want to explore other RETRO installations and before/after examples, see our project roundup: Canto USA RETRO Installations: Before-and-After LED Retrofit Projects.

RETRO Series LED Retrofit Kits

RETRO Series product imageVoir les fiches techniques et plus encore

Canto USA’s RETRO Series Fully Dimmable LED Retrofit Houselights

Canto USA is proud to present our RETRO series. The RETRO-Fusion® 2.0 and RETRO-Passive® 2.0  are 0-100% phase dimmable (forward and reverse) variable wattage LED 2700K-6500K 80-97 CRI engines. They are designed for older SCR, TRIAC, and IGBT dimmer systems but are compatible with newer dimmer systems. A direct replacement of existing lamps, our LED retrofit can be used in a wide range of applications or even new installations. Custom and standard mounting options are available.

The RETRO — 3 Years Later: Fairfax High School RETRO Series LED retrofit

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One of Canto USA’s RETRO Series LED retrofit products has been a go-to houselight retrofit option for Artistic Concepts Group, and Fairfax High School is one of those projects. This article revisits the Fairfax installation to review long-term performance of the RETRO Series LED retrofit.

About three years after the installation, we checked in with Andrew Redmon, Field Services Technician for Fairfax County Public Schools, to see how the system was performing.

“The system has performed fantastically since installation. Both the school and I love how much brighter it is, and the whole idea of never needing to do a huge lamp replacement job again.”

Fairfax High School auditorium before and after RETRO Series LED retrofit

The Fairfax High School RETRO Installation

The auditorium originally used 105 500-watt E11 mini candelabra lamps. They were replaced with 105 3000K RETRO-Classic® 500 units with E11 bases and short reflectors, operating on an ETC Sensor3 dimmer rack.

The retrofit reduced each house light from 500 watts to 49 watts, cutting the total load from 52,500 watts to 5,145 watts — a reduction of more than 90%.

The school also reported a 30–40% improvement in perceived room light quality. Prior to the retrofit, older lamps could begin burning out after only two to three months, making it difficult to keep the auditorium fully lit.

Key results from the Fairfax install

  • Energy reduction: total house load dropped from 52,500 W to 5,145 W (over 90% reduction).
  • Light quality: the school reported a 30–40% improvement in room light quality.
  • Maintenance: greatly reduced lamp replacement cycles and related labor compared with the older lamps.

Andrew confirmed the installation continues to meet expectations:

“The RETRO series continues to be a fantastic product. It is a great solution for us because we can go LED, get high-quality dimming, and typically be brighter than before, all without having to replace fixtures, tear up a ceiling, or run new wire. I look forward to continuing to use the RETRO line in the future.”

See the Fairfax High School before-and-after video (recorded with a smartphone; some iris/aperture adjustments may be visible as the house lights dim).

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RETRO Series LED Retrofit Kits

Canto USA RETRO Series product imageVoir les fiches techniques et plus encore

Canto USA’s RETRO Series Fully Dimmable LED Retrofit Houselights

Canto USA is proud to present our RETRO series. The RETRO-Fusion® 2.0 and RETRO-Passive® 2.0 are 0-100% phase dimmable (forward and reverse) variable wattage LED 2700K-6500K 80-97 CRI engines. They are designed for older SCR, TRIAC, and IGBT dimmer systems but are compatible with newer dimmer systems. A direct replacement of existing lamps, our LED retrofit can be used in a wide range of applications or even new installations. Custom and standard mounting options are available.

Learn more

For guidance on choosing the right RETRO product for your project, see Which RETRO is Right for You?

New Coat of Paint and Seats? No—New Lights: Replacing Auditorium Houselights

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Dwain McMillan, Lead Sound Support and Lighting Tech for Fairfax County Public Schools, had a personal connection to this project. As a graduate of Fairfax High School, he had even more reason to want the auditorium lighting upgrade done right.

For Artistic Concepts Group, Canto USA’s RETRO Series LED retrofit kits had already become a go-to option for replacing older auditorium houselights. At Fairfax High School, the existing system gave them another opportunity to put that approach to work.

Replacing 105 Auditorium Houselights

The auditorium originally used 105 500-watt E11 mini candelabra lamps. Those were replaced with 3000K RETRO-Classic® 500 E11 mini candelabras with short reflectors.

The new RETRO-Classic units work with the auditorium’s existing ETC Sensor3 Dimmer Rack, allowing the school to keep its familiar dimming system while significantly cutting the amount of power used by the houselights.

Each fixture dropped from 500 watts to just 49 watts. Across all 105 fixtures, that reduced the total load from 52,500 watts to 5,145 watts—just over a 90% reduction in power.

The project also reported a 30–40% improvement in the room’s light quality. That comparison assumes the old system was fully lamped, which was not always the case. The previous lamps could begin going out after only two to three months of use, making it harder to maintain consistent lighting throughout the auditorium.

CantoUSA RETRO Avant Après Photo du lycée de Fairfax

The change was immediately noticeable. Fairfax High School’s drama teacher was especially happy that he could clearly see the seats again.

The brighter, more consistent houselighting made the room look as though it had received a much larger makeover. It may have looked like new paint and new seats, but the biggest change was simply replacing the old auditorium houselights.

For a school auditorium, that improvement goes beyond appearance. Better houselighting makes it easier for students, staff, and guests to move through the seating area while giving the school a much more usable lighting system without replacing the existing dimming infrastructure.

See the Fairfax High School Before and After

Below is a before-and-after time-lapse showing the auditorium lighting upgrade.

The video was recorded with a smartphone, so some iris and aperture adjustment may be visible as the houselights dim up and down.

Want to view a before and after gallery slider of this job? Click Here

RETRO-Fusion® 2.0

Photo du produit de la série RETRO-Fusion de CantoUSA

Want to learn more about the RETRO-Fusion 2.0? Click Here

RETRO-Passive® 2.0

Canto USA RETRO-Passive 2.0 product image

Want to learn more about the RETRO-Passive 2.0? Click Here

Northern Virginia High School Shines a Little Light on the Subject — RETRO auditorium lighting

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Falls Church High School in Northern Virginia has an active performing arts program that includes theatre, band, orchestra, choir, guitar, and music theory. With the auditorium regularly supporting school performances and community events, improving the houselighting could make a noticeable difference without requiring a complete redesign of the room.

For this auditorium lighting retrofit, Canto USA’s RETRO Series was used to improve brightness, coverage, and energy efficiency while keeping the school’s existing lighting positions and dimming infrastructure in place.

Updating an Older School Auditorium

Built in the 1960s, the Falls Church High School auditorium had been operating with 38 200-watt long-neck A lamps.

Rather than replacing the existing fixtures or changing their locations, the project focused on upgrading the light source inside the existing system. All 38 original lamps were replaced with 3000K RETRO-Classic® 500 units without reflectors and fitted with lamp extenders.

The RETRO-Classic® 500 was an earlier generation of Canto USA’s RETRO product family. The current RETRO Series LED retrofit kits continue the same basic approach of upgrading existing fixtures while preserving as much of the original installation as possible.

Working With the Existing ETC Dimming System

The auditorium uses an ETC Sensor3 dimmer rack with standard D20 modules.

The RETRO units were able to work with the existing dimming system, so the school did not have to relocate fixtures or make major mechanical changes to the auditorium’s lighting positions.

That was especially useful for a space that was already in regular use. The goal was to improve what the school had rather than turn the project into a larger renovation.

– The auditorium became 200% brighter according to the installed-lighting measurements provided by the installer
– Lighting distribution evened out to better cover walls and seating areas

More Light With Less Power

After the retrofit, the school reported several noticeable improvements:

  • Power use decreased by approximately 75%
  • Room intensity increased by 200%
  • Light distribution became more even across the auditorium
  • Walls and seating areas received better coverage
  • Existing lighting positions and dimming equipment remained in use

Michael Wysolmerski of Artistic Concepts Group (ACG), the dealer for the installation, explained:

“The client was really interested in improving the overall coverage in the room. Because the RETRO was able to have adjustable optics, we were able to change coverage in the auditorium without having to make modifications to any of the existing lighting positions.”

That flexibility allowed the installer to improve how the room was lit without moving the existing houselights.

A Brighter Auditorium Without Rebuilding the System

Teachers and administrators immediately noticed the difference after the new lighting was installed. The auditorium was considerably brighter, and the improved distribution made the room more useful for performances, events, and everyday activities.

Dwain McMillan, Lead Sound Support and Lighting Tech for Fairfax County Public Schools, described the finished project simply:

“The best solution by far; money well spent.”

For a heavily used school auditorium, the project showed how an LED retrofit could improve the room without requiring the school to replace the complete lighting system.

See the Falls Church High School Before and After

Want a closer look at the installation?

View the Falls Church High School before-and-after project.

The project page shows the original 200-watt lamps alongside the 3000K RETRO-Classic® 500 installation with lamp extenders.

Why RETRO Works for Auditorium Lighting Retrofits

Auditorium houselights can be difficult and expensive to replace when the existing fixture locations, wiring, and dimming system are still usable.

Canto USA’s RETRO approach is built around upgrading the light source while making use of existing infrastructure where the application allows. Depending on the fixture and project, different bases, extensions, reflectors, and other options can be used to fit the existing installation.

At Falls Church High School, that flexibility helped improve light output and coverage without moving the existing fixtures.

Want to view a before and after gallery slider of this job? Click Here

Why RETRO works for auditoriums

The RETRO series is designed to retrofit existing theatrical and auditorium fixtures while maintaining or improving dimmer compatibility and lighting coverage. In this project, the adjustable optics of the RETRO-Classic units let the installer improve wall and seating illumination without moving existing fixtures. For readers interested in more technical details on the RETRO-Classic® 500, see our related case study and product information: Revitalize Your Space with RETRO-Fusion® 2.0 500.

Project credits

Dealer: Artistic Concepts Group (ACG)
Project location: Falls Church High School, Northern Virginia

RETRO-Fusion® 2.0

Canto USA RETRO-Fusion 2.0 product image

Want to learn more about the RETRO-Fusion 2.0? Click Here

RETRO-Passive® 2.0

Canto USA RETRO-Passive 2.0 product image

Want to learn more about the RETRO-Passive 2.0? Click Here