Audio Quest Events, a Cape Town-based technical supply company specialising in sound, lighting, staging and AV, has marked a major milestone in its journey. Established in 1991 by Hennie Ellis, the company has grown steadily over three decades, with a reputation for delivering excellence across the live events industry.
In 2023, Hennie realised what he describes as his “dream story” when Audio Quest Events invested in its first L-Acoustics system. DWR Distribution caught up with Hennie at Yonder Hartsfees 2025 in Kimberley, where his team provided the full technical setup for the main festival stage.
“I met Duncan Riley, owner of DWR Distribution, in 2007 and invested in Robe Lighting, Prolyte Staging, Prolyte Motors and Le Maitre Hazers,” recalls Hennie. “After 34 years of running my company, a big dream came true—the arrival of an L-Acoustics sound system. In March 2023, we invested in the L-Acoustics A Series, consisting of four A15 Focus, four KS21 subwoofers, and two LA4X amplifier controllers. With the high demand for L-Acoustics on technical riders, over the past two years we have expanded the system with two A15 Focus, two A15 Wide, four additional KS21 subs and two more LA4X amplifiers.”
Hennie highlights why the investment was so important. “L-Acoustics consistently appears at the top of technical riders,” he says. “The sound experience—clarity, consistency across the venue, and the way it connects the audience to the artist—is remarkable. Show after show, the system delivers with reliability and impact.”
The Audio Quest Events team has embraced the advanced technology that comes with the system. “With PANFLEX technology, we can adjust horizontal directivity, while L-VENTS provide powerful, clear low frequencies. The A Series allows us to scale from high-output point source to a versatile line source. Using SoundVision software, we can design and predict the system setup before implementation, and with Network Manager we connect directly to the amplifier DSP for fine-tuning.”
To make sure he had his head around the technology, he also invested time by attending several L-Acoustics training courses including System & Workflow Training, Drive, K2 Rigging, SoundVision and M1 / P1 Measurements and Tuning.
“I would like to thank DWR Distribution, Duncan Riley, and his staff for their professional service, as well as Richard Smith for his dedicated training,” Hennie concludes. “Their support has made it possible for us to get the best out of our system. When it comes to equipment, training, and support—it’s all about the people and we are proud to have DWR as partners in this industry.”
