Expanded Riedel Intercoms Take to the Ice at Lanxess Arena
The Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, relies on a comprehensive, artist-based communications network from Riedel to streamline its broadcast and event production workflows. As Germany's largest multifunctional arena, with up to 20,000 seats and 83,700 square meters of usable space, the Lanxess Arena has been hosting major events of all kinds for over 20 years. Since the very beginning, the arena has also been the home of the eight-time German ice hockey champion Cologne Sharks.
After extensive testing, Arena Management GmbH chose a decentralized Riedel comms solution based on two Artist-32 digital matrix intercom nodes, with one artist frame in the production control room and a second one in the central technical area below the arena. This two-frame strategy allowed technicians to access an existing network infrastructure beneath the facility to create required redundancies.
"Since its completion in 1998, the Lanxess Arena has been relying on Riedel comms. Now, this comprehensive intercom upgrade is a gift to ourselves for our 20th anniversary," said Martin Rebiszewski, Technical Manager, Arena Management GmbH. "In terms of reliability and flexibility, the products from our neighbouring city of Wuppertal really are unmatched. And, with its unparalleled scalability, the Artist infrastructure is perfect for multifunctional halls with constantly changing requirements."
Thanks to its modular structure, the Artist ecosystem can be easily expanded to match the specific conditions of various Lanxess Arena events. The ability to effortlessly integrate rented Riedel accessories, such as SmartPanels and Bolero wireless intercoms, has been particularly valuable for larger events and productions.
The artist ecosystem with 23 2300-Series SmartPanels enables flexible and creative workflows for the Arena Management GmbH production team. At Cologne Sharks hockey games, the communications system not only connects production, camera, sound, and lighting staff, but also integrates referees, house announcers, and the DJ.
"Ice hockey allows for particularly spectacular staging, but it also imposes exacting demands on TV and event production. By enabling clear and reliable communications between all participants, the production team can now present the Cologne Sharks games in an even better light. With this Artist installation, the Lanxess Arena is prepared to overcome any production challenge," said Niklas Rautenberg, Account Manager at Riedel Communications. "We are very pleased to have renewed our long-term partnership with Arena Management GmbH and are already looking forward to the next ice hockey season."
New Moscow Stadium Powered by L-Acoustics
When Moscow’s Dynamo Stadium was closed for demolition in 2008, the city turned its focus to the design and construction of a new multi-purpose facility that would better fit the metropole’s growing need for a state-of-the-art sports and entertainment complex. Opening its doors this year, the new VTB Arena includes the 26,000-capacity Central Dynamo Stadium, dedicated to football, and the Universal VTB Indoor Arena, a 13,000-capacity ice hockey facility. Both venues needed a sound system that could deliver power and quality for sporting events and entertainment alike.
Russian L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor Sonoruss was tasked with the challenge of designing and installing a PA that would not interfere with any other engineering systems, intrude on important video angles, or obstruct any view of the stadium's large LED screens.
Alexander Ananyev is the Acoustic Engineer at Sonoruss: "While both venues have clear primary uses, they are also multipurpose facilities and have to cater to other sports and other events, such as rock concerts and large-scale entertainment dates. We needed to ensure that there was uniform coverage, high SPL and the very best audio clarity possible.”
Using L-Acoustics Soundvision acoustic simulation software, Sonoruss proposed several designs for the main stadium PA, but some way into the process the facility’s roof design was substantially changed, so Sonoruss had to go back to the drawing board: "We proposed all-new system designs that included electro-acoustical calculations, architectural visualizations, and evaluations by external agencies," noted Alexander. "After lengthy negotiations and detailed analysis, the customer chose a solution based around the A Series medium throw range for the football stadium, and a K Series long throw configuration for the ice hockey arena."
The main Central Dynamo Stadium is the home of Russian football club FC Dynamo. It officially opened its doors on May 26th for the closing game of the 2018–19 Russian Premier League between FC Dynamo Moscow and Arsenal Tula.
The PA for that space consists of 62 ARCS II in 26 arrays located around the pitch-side edge of the roof canopy for coverage of the lower seats, 26 ARCS Focus and 45 ARCS Wide in 29 arrays in delay positions further under the roof for the upper seating, and 30 5XT and 70 X8 short throw enclosures at suite level for the under-balcony spaces.
The indoor Universal VTB Arena has a more varied programme. Its main focus is ice sports, but it also hosts mixed martial arts, boxing, basketball and entertainment events throughout its schedule. It hosted its first ice hockey game for resident team HC Dynamo Moscow in January 2019.
For that system, Alexander specified L-Acoustics K2 line arrays. A total of 54 cabinets in six hangs flown around the central scoreboard location provide coverage of the bowl audience seating. Eighteen ARCS Focus in six arrays of three are distributed evenly around the grid, to cover the bowl floor for sporting events where this is a requirement.
He is very pleased with how both solutions are performing and has received extremely positive feedback from the client: "We have succeeded," he stated, "In creating a PA system that completely meets every one of the customer’s requirements.
"A high-quality sound system is a must for a successful modern sports complex.
L-Acoustics technologies are powerful, lightweight and always form an aesthetically pleasant solution - something that was very important for the client in this instance,” concluded Alexnder. “The L-Acoustics sound system at VTB Arena is an integral part of the audience experience."
Daktronics Brings New Light to Huntington Center with LED Display
Daktronics has partnered with Huntington Center in Toledo, Ohio, to design, manufacture and install a new end wall video board and a new ribbon display. The video board will feature 2.1 million pixels, roughly 40 percent more than the previous display, to improve the experience at events starting this summer.
General Manager Steve Miller is eager to bring a new fan experience to the Huntington Center. “We are committed to maintaining the Huntington Center as a first-class facility and happy to partner with Daktronics,” said Steve. “The expansion of the video and ribbon boards will significantly improve the event experience for our fans for years to come.”
The new end wall video board will measure approximately 20 feet high by 50 feet wide and will feature the latest Daktronics indoor video technology. While using a 6-millimeter pixel spacing, it will bring excellent image clarity and contrast to viewers. Additionally, a ribbon display will be installed along the seating fascia of the venue measuring over 2 feet high by 600 feet long and featuring new Daktronics ribbon technology using 15-millimeter pixel spacing.
"The improved video board display will provide a new and better experience for the Huntington Center fans,” said Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken. “Whether attending a sporting event or a concert, fans will love this spectacular new system. We are always seeking to improve our facility and strive to keep the Huntington Center at the front of the pack.”
While using the next level of Daktronics Show Control System, the display will be capable of variable content zoning to show one large image or multiple zoned pieces of content including live video, instant replays, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics, animations and sponsorship messages. Similarly, the ribbon display can show supplemental information to the main display as well as offering the opportunity to highlight sponsors throughout events.
“This project will bring a true high-definition experience to fans inside Huntington center for every event,” said Ryan Stratton, Daktronics sales representative. “We’re thrilled to be working with their team to bring this project to life and to increase the energy and experience for their fans. The final product will be amazing and we’re looking forward to it having a positive impact for years to come.”
A custom control system is including with the video and scoring equipment to provide an easy-to-use production solution for the centre. In addition to the equipment installation, Huntington Center will also receive a content package to be produced and delivered by Daktronics Creative Services.
Electro-Voice Network Upgrade in Leverkusen’s BayArena
PBS Media solutions were recently called in to carry out a technical upgrade at the BayArena, home of the Bayer 04 Leverkusen Bundesliga team.
The upgrade required the stadium’s outdated audio network to be modernized to enable high-quality audio streaming and complete remote monitoring with full redundancy, enhancing ease-of-use, overall system performance and reliability. In addition, the stadium technicians wanted a customized, graphical user interface for the studio control room to provide a better overview and ease of use.
Following a competitive tender process, BayArena's technical team opted for a network based on OMNEO IP technology to guarantee the best possible sound quality. Each of the four amplifier rooms, including the control room, has been networked via fast fibre-optic connections and equipped with two Electro-Voice N8000 digital audio matrix controllers, two Cisco switches, a total of 16 legacy amplifiers and new online uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units.
Peter Bürgel, from PBS Media solutions – a Leverkusen-based professional installation company – explains more about the project: "This upgrade offers significant advantages for the customer: The entire sound reinforcement system can now be monitored via IRIS-Net software; the sound quality has been significantly improved with the new, low-latency, high-quality Dante audio
signal; and full redundancy ensures that all functions are still available – even in the rare event of a device failure. In addition to the one-stop solution product portfolio, the stadium operators were also impressed by Electro-Voice's outstanding price/performance ratio.”
A further addition to the control room inventory at the BayArena sees a new Touch-PC playing a key role in monitoring the system. The graphical user interface of the IRIS-Net software displays all zones as well as direct links to each individual device. This translates into maximum security and direct access at a glance. "If a device should go down, the software immediately displays the relevant area, and at the same time an acoustically unnoticeable switch to live operation is initiated," said Peter.
Though the installation effort was considerable – by switching from CobraNet to a digital OMNEO IP network with full Dante audio functionality, each amplifier hub needed to be rewired – it was well worth it. "The new network not only meets all the network requirements demanded today, it is equipped for future expansion in this area. It already provides the basis for OCA, AES 67 and AES 70, so the decision is also an investment in the future," noted Peter.
Shure QLX-D Wireless Goes Centre Stage with Help from AC-ET
A.C. Entertainment Technologies (AC-ET) has supplied ten Shure QLXD24/SM58 digital wireless systems to Hertfordshire-based staging, lighting & AV hire company, Centre Stage, to meet the event production needs of high-profile clients including West Ham United Football Club.
Established in 1990, Centre Stage is a leading supplier of technical services for the live event, conference and entertainment industry in the UK; specialising in supporting the arts, theatre, music, education, sports and corporate sectors, as well as local community groups.
With a broad, nationwide customer base which ranges from small events to large-scale festivals and multiple stages, Centre Stage’s Graham Baker was keen to invest in digital wireless technology to help with the ongoing battle of spectrum, and to offer a wider choice of brands and systems to customers. For Graham, Shure was the obvious choice.
He purchased 10 channels of Shure wireless QLX-D featuring a QLXD2 handheld transmitter with SM58 microphone capsule, and a QLXD4 receiver. Combining robust wireless performance with easy set-up and digital audio quality, features include IR sync between transmitters and receivers, AES 256 bit encryption for secure wireless transmission, and operation of up to 22 transmitters per 8 MHz channel.
Since adding the Shure QLX-D systems to Centre Stage’s hire stock, they have been used for pre-match entertainment, player and special guest appearances in the Hospitality Lounges at West Ham United Football Club during the football season.
Graham commented: “We have owned Shure systems in the past. It’s high-quality equipment and it’s the right price point. It offers a rider-friendly option to our rental stock, ideal for hospitality and conferences, all the way up to the most technically demanding live music events.”
Kay Wilkinson, Audio Sales Executive in AC-ET’s specialist Audio division, dealt with the supply.
Graham added: “It was a pleasure working with AC-ET. Kay was great. She was always quick to respond to any query and put together various package options before the purchase. Based on the excellent service, I’m sure when the opportunity arises, I will be in touch again for my next purchase.”
Clair Solutions Installs Sound Reinforcement System at Capital One Arena
Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. seats 20,000 fans and is home to the Washington Capitals NHL hockey team, the Washington Wizards NBA basketball team, and the Georgetown NCAA men’s basketball team. Headquartered two hours away in Manheim, Pennsylvania, national AVL integration firm Clair Solutions embraced the task of modernizing the Capital One Arena with the installation of new EAW self-powered Anna and Otto adaptive line array elements, complete with custom flown equipment racks. Clair Solutions managed the project without a hiccup on a short lead time.
“Capital One Arena’s previous sound reinforcement system was twenty years old,” explained Jim Devenney, Clair Solutions senior systems designer. “It lacked clarity in some seats and was not up to modern expectations for a live arena experience. The owners worked with Stuart Shatz at WJHW consultants to draft several possible sound reinforcement solutions that would work for the arena and then put them out to bid. Since we have established relationships with so many different manufacturers, we were able to bid on all of the proposals. They chose us based on our competitive pricing, our well-established record of successful jobs of this scope, and on our proximity to Capital One Arena.”
The owners approved Clair Solutions’ bid in early July, and Devenney’s team met several short deadlines to get everything in place and fully commissioned before the first pre-season hockey games in mid-September.
At the heart of the new system are six self-powered EAW adaptive line array clusters. Each cluster uses nine Anna full-range components and five Otto subwoofer components. To minimize runs, Clair Solutions technicians built and installed custom equipment racks to fly behind each cluster for I/O, power distribution, and network switches and ran new fiber from the mix position to the equipment racks. The fiber carries signal (fully-redundant Dante, plus analog backup) from a BSS Blu DSP and networking system that in turn takes its feed from an existing console at the mix position.
In addition, the fiber allows the operators to steer the EAW system. For example, if the upper bowl isn’t being used, the upper Anna components can steer down to reinforce the lower bowl. Clair Solutions worked with Mountain Productions to install the EAW clusters on hoists. A custom Niscon/Raynok hoist control system allows the clusters to raise and lower to storage, maintenance, and use positions, either individually or as a group.
Although the main EAW clusters cover the vast majority of the arena, several additional areas of fill were needed. Twenty-four EAW QX364 full-range loudspeakers cover the upper-quarter of the upper bowl. Appropriate delays from the BSS DSP ensure coherent arrival times relative to the main system. Sixteen Fulcrum AH463 horns aim straight down from above the hockey dasher to cover fans who are right up against the glass (and thus in the shadow of the main system). Those horns are turned off for non-hockey events. Eight more Fulcrum CX 1265 speakers cover the court area from the scoreboard. Although the line arrays are self-powered, Crown DCi amplifiers power all of the fill loudspeakers.
“Clair Solutions was a terrific partner throughout our recent sound system replacement at Capital One Arena,” said David Touhey, president, venues at Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns and operates Capital One Arena. “They were organized, timely, available to troubleshoot at any twist or turn, and provided constant communication throughout the process. Clair Solutions has been very supportive in the initial operations of the sound system upgrade, and we are appreciative of all their hard work in helping us provide the best overall fan experience.
Kentec Protects International Cricket Stadium from Risk of Fire
Spectators, players, and property at India’s Mohali International Cricket Stadium are being protected by a highly-sophisticated Taktis panel from Kentec, a leading manufacturer of life-critical control systems.
The Taktis 8 loop addressable fire panel, installed by Firehut Commercial Equipment Pvt Ltd, was chosen by the International Cricket Council (ICC) to replace a faulty system, and to provide a reliable and user-friendly control panel.
The Mohali International Cricket Stadium has a capacity of 26,000 and the pavilions, public areas, club house, player changing rooms and conference halls are protected by a fire system comprising approximately 700 detectors and devices, all controlled via the Taktis panel.
Rajat Vadera, Chairman and Managing Director at Firehut Commercial Equipment PVT, says it is a prestigious contract: “Cricket is regarded as close to a religion in India, and with major international cricket matches held at the stadium, it was vital that the panel installed was highly-reliable and user-friendly.”
A key feature of the Taktis range is its ease of use. A 7” full colour resistive touch screen display and a clear, uncluttered intuitive user interface makes it easy to use even for those with minimal or no training, essential in the event of an emergency. The display can also be customised with client branding and logos.
Kevin Swann, Managing Director at Kentec, says sports stadiums provide a complex fire safety challenge: “With a large site, split into numerous areas, as well as the high volume of spectators, the fire panel needs to have the capacity to provide the necessary zone indications, and as well as providing straight-forward configuration for the installer,” he says.
“As multiple protocols can be supported on each panel, Taktis gives installers and end-users maximum choice in their systems’ design, and the scalable nature of the product provides the highest level of future-proofing and networking possibilities.”
Built out of a swamp in 1992, the Mohali International Cricket Stadium is now considered one of India’s best stadiums, with excellent practice facilities, a stadium popular with spectators, and a dead wicket producing high-scoring draws. It was home to the renowned 1996 World Cup Semi Final, where Australia squeezed past the West Indies in a nail-biting finish.
L-Acoustics Kara Elevates Sonic Experience at Sprint Center
Widely recognised as a flexible, state-of-the-art arena located in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, Sprint Center recently reached out to local integrator Digital Sound Systems (DSS) to explore options for updating its arena sound system used for sporting events.
DSS was tasked with updating portions of the arena’s control room, as well as audio and video facilities. After thorough research and consideration, DSS was able to provide Sprint Center with an entirely new front-line sound system, including new speakers, subs and amplifiers, thanks to the powerful and cost-effective solutions provided by L-Acoustics Kara loudspeakers, SB18i subwoofers, and LA4X amplified controllers.
“Sprint Center consistently ranks as one of the top venues in the US, so it was important for us to make sure that we were advising them on the best plan of action for years to come,” sais DSS CEO Jeremy Dixon. “A simple amplifier upgrade would not have been sufficient. This hometown venue is one of Kansas City’s crowning jewels, and we wanted to make sure that it continues to shine bright. That’s why we reached out to L-Acoustics to see how we could best provide them with a truly world-class sound system.”
Working with L-Acoustics engineers using Soundvision 3D acoustical modelling software, DSS designers and integrators were able to create a completely new PA system for the arena. The new system is made up of 8 Kara arrays—four hangs of 11 Kara loudspeakers covering the long sides of the court and four more hangs of 9 Kara for the far ends of the court.
Each array is backed with three flown SB18i subwoofers, mounted on a custom bumper fabricated by DSS, that keeps the loudspeakers and subs perfectly time aligned, increasing the power of the low frequencies while assuring excellent speech intelligibility. In addition, four hangs of 4 Kiva II speakers each are fastened to the bottom of the centre-mounted scoreboard, assuring even coverage of seats around the edges of the court. The entire system is powered and processed via 28 LA4X amplified controllers.
According to DSS Vice President of Integration Stephen Solberg, Soundvision was absolutely invaluable to the process: “Thanks to the assistance of L-Acoustics engineers working with us using the program, we were able to have very detailed conversations about the design long before we got to the installation phase. Soundvision is the only design software that I know that lets you work so collaboratively with others.”
L-Acoustics Kara and SB18i elements fly easily, which helped DSS meet its deadline between the load-out of a WWE event and the start of another major collegiate basketball series. And integrating the system was extremely efficient, thanks to the simplicity of the rigging and robust DSP onboard the amplifiers. “It was a tremendous example of system optimization,” he said.
The new system also helps the venue in another significant manner. Previously, the existing sound system needed to be physically moved around the venue to accommodate different types of shows and events; the new Kara system covers the entire venue for every type of application. Thus, the new L-Acoustics system design means that every line array remains in place yet the system provides +/-2dB coverage of every seat in the house.
And then there’s the sound: “Completely coherent and consistently good everywhere,” Stephen added. “It’s loud yet totally intelligible. It’s exactly what they wanted.”
Riedel Deploys Comms Infrastructure for Special Olympics World Games 2019
Riedel Communications supplied a comprehensive, integrated communications infrastructure for the Special Olympics World Games 2019 (SOWG) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Riedel’s Artist digital matrix intercom system and Bolero wireless intercom were at the core of a massive comms deployment that spanned more than 30 venues and locations and included managed IT network services.
“It was an honour to be such a key player in this year’s Special Olympics World Games, which included more than 7,000 athletes from over 195 nations,” said Marc Schneider, Director Global Events, Riedel Communications. “This was the largest, most inclusive, and most unified World Games in the history of the organization, with activities held at nine competition venues and over 20 other locations for initiatives and programs across all seven Emirates. Our numbers speak to the sheer size and scale of this event: we deployed more than 30 Artist-64 nodes, which supported over 180 Bolero beltpacks on 56 Bolero antennas, plus another 170 C3 Digital Performer beltpacks, and 1,500 Tetra radios.”
At the SOWG opening and closing ceremonies in Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Sports City Stadium, Riedel provided seamless crew and announcer communications through 65 1000-Series control panels, 60 Bolero wireless beltpacks, and more than 250 Tetra radios. A preexisting MediorNet infrastructure greatly simplified the integration of the communications system in the largest stadium in the United Arab Emirates.
At all of the venues and locations, Riedel provided comms for all sports and medal ceremonies with an Artist mainframe and six Artist panels. The venue deployments marked the first time that the SOWG has achieved seamless communications without radios, with event crews relying solely on Bolero.
In addition, Riedel provided an IT infrastructure to support managed network services at seven SOWG venues. This included firewall management, broadband internet, more than 165 access points, and more than 80 switches.
WJHW and Parsons Bring Harman Professional to Milwaukee Bucks’ New Arena
Parsons Technologies and WJHW recently outfitted the Milwaukee Bucks’ newly-built Fiserv Forum arena with state-of-the-art Harman Professional Solutions audio and lighting systems to deliver a high-energy experience at basketball games, concerts and more.
Opened in August 2018, the Fiserv Forum is a 714,000 square-foot arena built to replace the aging BMO Harris Bradley Center as the home of the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team. The venue, a $524 million project, seats up to 18,000 fans and contains 34 suites and three clubs. In addition to NBA games, the venue also hosts concerts by renowned musical acts ranging from KISS to Mumford and Sons, as well as international touring productions like Cirque de Soleil and Monster Jam. Consulting group Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams (WJHW) worked with Parsons Technologies and Theatrical Lighting Designer Ian Hoffer to equip the Forum with state-of-the-art Harman AV equipment including JBL loudspeakers, Crown amplifiers, BSS signal processors and Martin lighting fixtures.
“Parsons provided and installed the AV systems for this venue, both back-of-house and bowl, as well as the broadcast cable system,” said Erik Carlson, Construction Executive at Parsons Technologies. “Harman worked with us to ensure competitive pricing, on-time delivery and great operational systems for both owner satisfaction and fan experience.”
Much of the excitement at the Fiserv Forum comes from its dynamic theatrical lighting, which produces dazzling displays at halftime shows and concerts. The arena’s main fixtures are 12 Martin MAC Viper AirFX 1000W lamps, which provide a wide variety of effects with multiple gobo wheels and bright CMY colour mixing. The Viper fixtures’ included frost filter also provides soft washes of colour, increasing their versatility. Eight Martin MAC Axiom Hybrid fixtures supplement the Vipers, providing high-intensity beam and spotlighting with a remarkable zoom range of 2-44°. Four Atomic 3000 LED strobes mounted at the corners of the scoreboard project bright, pulsing strobe effects onto the court below.
“I've been doing this for 25 years, so I chose fixtures that I knew would be reliable, work well and look good,” said Theatrical Lighting Designer Ian Hoffer. “Martin is known for reliable fixtures—they last. They need to operate every night, and it's not the kind of thing you can just run up to the ceiling and take down, so I wanted something that would last for a long time.”
The Fiserv Forum’s sound system is a fully integrated network of Harman audio solutions. The main arrays, hung above the central scoreboard, consist of over 90 JBL VTX V20 line array loudspeakers supplemented by ASB6128V subwoofers for powerful, arena-filling sound. A range of specialized JBL loudspeakers provide additional coverage wherever the main arrays don’t reach, including the ultra-focused AM5212, the compact AC15 and the AC28/26 with extra-wide coverage. For general audio distribution throughout the rest of the venue, Parsons installed a range of JBL Control Series in-ceiling and pendant-style loudspeakers.
Crown DCi amplifiers power the expansive audio system, sending powerful, high-fidelity signal with ample headroom to all speakers. BLU Link technology allows the amplifiers to communicate with the arena’s networked BSS signal processors, which route signal throughout the system with a flexible digital architecture and powerful DSP. Together, the JBL, Crown and BSS audio solutions form a comprehensive networked system which delivers impactful sound throughout the arena.
“It's been a pleasure to work with WJHW and Parsons on this project,” said Olivier Roure, VP of Sales for Large Venues, Harman Professional Solutions. “We cannot forget the consulting group who designed this. And Parsons, as one of our key partners, have done a terrific job as always. Parsons is a great partner in the sports world, and we are very proud to have done such a wonderful job with them.”