Daktronics Brings Big Video Experience to Silverstein Eye Centers Arena
Daktronics has been selected to provide four new LED video displays to Silverstein Eye Centers Arena in Independence, Missouri. This new video project will take place in two phases over the next 12 months to improve the overall experience for each fan and patron attending events in the venue.
“The City of Independence invested in the future of the venue with upgraded technology to attract more business and keep our current guests coming back for more,” said Larry Hovick, general manager of Silverstein Eye Centers Arena and Centerpoint Medical Center Community Ice. “New Wi-Fi, new LED full-colour lighting, new high definition video boards and a new outdoor patio. Every event at the venue will have the latest technology available to make their fans/guests/sponsors/entertainers experience exciting.”
“We are very excited about the new video boards and lighting,” said Brent Thiessen, Kansas City Mavericks president and general manager. “We believe this will enhance the fan experience at our games and all events at Silverstein Eye Centers Arena. We appreciate the City of Independence truly working to make this a first-class venue.”
Phase one of the project began in December. This phase resulted in two new large video displays to replace the existing displays and provides more than double the existing display size on each side wall of the arena. Each of these displays measures approximately 8.5 feet high by 35.5 feet wide and features 6-millimetre line spacing.
In phase two of the project, two additional larger displays will be mounted above the seating sections at the ends of the arena in the spring of 2019, bringing an enhanced visual experience to event attendees. Each of these displays will measure approximately 12.5 feet high by 72 feet wide and will also feature 6-millimeter line spacing.
“We are excited and humbled to once again partner with the City of Independence and Silverstein Eye Centers Arena for this monumental arena display enhancement project,” said Ryan Kuzman, Daktronics Sales Representative. “We look forward to assisting the arena staff in providing a new look and heightened level of fan experience to everyone who enters their doors for an event.”
All four displays are capable of variable content zoning allowing each to show one large image or each to be divided into multiple zones. These zones can then show any combination of live video, instant replay, up-to-the-minute statistics, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
Daktronics industry-leading Show Control System is included with the installation to provide display control software, world-class video processing, data integration and playback hardware. This platform provides a user-friendly production solution for the arena.
In addition to the equipment installation, the arena will also receive a content package that will be produced and delivered by Daktronics Creative Services, an in-house, award-winning creative team.
PixelFLEX takes the court at the Carolina Basketball Museum
Located on the campus of the University of North Carolina, the Carolina Basketball Museum originally opened in 2008 and chronicles the history of the UNC basketball program. Highlighting Carolina’s numerous NCAA and ACC Championships, along with the players, coaches and staff members that made it all possible, the interactive museum recently underwent a renovation on the heels of its 7th National Championship. Working with the experiential brand specialists at Advent, the museum wanted to update their main video display as part of the branding refresh, and they did so using a 2.8mm FLEXTour LED video solution from PixelFLEX.
“We had previously worked with the University of North Carolina on an update for the Smith Centre locker room that went really well, so they asked us to come back and take a look at the Carolina Basketball Museum,” said Davy Fisher, Advent Design Principal. “It was a great project because they were fresh off the excitement of their latest National Championship and they wanted us to update the storytelling, freshen up the branding, and reframe the experience through the use of more current technology.”
A robust, high-definition and curve-able LED video display, FLEXTour is designed specifically for the high demands of live entertainment productions. With its unique rigging capabilities that allow for traditional and off-set configurations, each 500mm x1000mm tile is fully front-serviceable and its integrated climbing ladder allows for quick access to displays flown high overhead. Built with the highest standard in components including the new NovaStar A8s receiving card, FLEXTour is completely flicker-free making it one of the premier LED video design solutions available today.
Davy continued: “The old space was a little bit off-brand with different blues and varying signage headers over elements that were needing to be related to each other. Our main goal was to make it a cleaner branding experience and simplify the story, so a good portion of the project was replacing and upgrading all of the digital surfaces and get it on-brand, through colour and language consistency.”
Turning their attention to the digital surfaces on the museum, one of the main displays was an LCD projection system which hung at the entrance. Needing a feature to capture the attention of guests from the moment they arrive, the previous projection system proved difficult to format and never seemed to measure up to the task.
“The initial installation that we replaced was a strange, concave screen that had an image projection-mapped onto it, but it never really worked the way they wanted it to,” explained John Downie, VP of Digital Experience, Advent. “It’s a rather large space and the display is the first element you see when you walk in. With the original system, they found it hard to update and it required a lot of post-production to format correctly. Knowing this was an issue, we decided to give them an LED video solution that was easy-to-update in a 16:9 ratio, so they could easily drop in high-resolution, wide-screen footage without any post-production needed.”
Ready to begin the installation of the FLEXTour LED video display, the video panels where easily connected to a header bar which hangs from the ceiling using aircraft cable. Measuring 16-feet wide by 9-feet tall, the system was quickly ready for content which would be driven by the proprietary Advent content management system.
“For the control, we are using our Advent web-based CMS that allows the client to quickly update content through the simple upload of a media file, while also giving them options for various modes of operation,” continued John. “During the build-out process, the first reaction upon turning it on was absolute amazement. With the previous projection image, the colours were never quite right, and it just didn’t look like a quality display. For that to be replaced with a beautiful, high-resolution, tight pixel-pitch FLEXTour LED screen, it really blew their minds.”
Now complete, the Carolina Basketball Museum reopened its doors for the start of the 2017-18 season ready to showcase a completely new fan experience. Greeted by the FLEXTour LED display from the moment they enter, the museum has become a better reflection of a successful program.
“When fans now walk through the doors of the Carolina Basketball Museum there is an immediate feeling that you are about to have a great experience.,” concluded Davy. “The old projection system had a lot of light-loss which translated into a diminished experience. With a feature that needs to be so bright and so vibrant, the FLEXTour LED video is a significant upgrade. Being the first thing you see when you walk into the space, it presents as a wonderful showcase for the UNC athletes and the quality of their programme.”
Infinite Energy Arena Installs Danley Speakers, Subwoofers & Amplifiers
For the past fifteen years, the Infinite Energy Arena has served the greater Atlanta, Georgia area as a state-of-the-art venue for concerts, graduations, and sporting events of all types, from basketball to ice hockey to professional lacrosse. Depending on the nature of the event, the arena holds between 11,000 and 13,000 people. After its original sound reinforcement system fell out of date and beyond repair, the Infinite Energy Arena management chose AV integration firm Logic Systems Sound & Lighting, of St. Louis, Missouri, to install an extremely cost-effective Danley Sound Labs system. The Danley system reuses existing wiring & rigging and far exceeds the design criteria for fidelity and sound pressure level, all while simultaneously slashing the system’s energy budget in half.
“The old system relied on obsolete technology and discontinued products,” explained Chip Self, president of Logic Systems Sound & Lighting. “Components were failing and there was no way to repair them. The arena needed a new sound reinforcement system. Instead of hiring someone to design and spec a system for bid, the management team took a different approach. They specified the performance criteria – such as maximum SPL, maximum SPL variation from seat to seat, frequency response, and intelligibility – and then allowed the integrators to bid on design/installs that would meet those criteria. In an arena, a lot of the money goes to rigging and pulling speaker cable – stuff that no one cares about. But those are also the components that don’t go bad… in fact, they’ll probably outlast us! Since we could reuse any components from the old system that were still working, we designed a Danley system that could use those very rigging points.”
He continued, “By reusing the existing rigging and cable, we saved a week of work and expense. It also gave us an edge because there were no existing drawings of the old system. Anyone who wasn’t using Danley either had to go with mono-amped boxes that couldn’t meet the SPL requirements, or they had to gamble on the existence of speaker wire to support bi- or tri-amped loudspeakers. If they lost that gamble, they’d lose big. In contrast, we had a safe bet: since there was already an existing loudspeaker at each rigging point, it was guaranteed we would have the cable needed for Danley’s passive, internal-crossover boxes. No other loudspeaker manufacturer that I’m aware of makes a passive, internal-crossover box that comes close to Danley’s output.”
Logic Systems Sound & Lighting won the bid with a system that uses 26 Danley SH96 full-range loudspeakers, eight Danley TH118 subwoofers, and nine 4-channel Danley DNA 20k4 Pro amplifiers with integrated on-board processing. Since the old system was distributed, the new Danley system is distributed as well, with each of the SH96s covering its own section of seating. “Danley offers so many different loudspeakers with so many different output patterns that it was easy to model the room and then find the pattern that fit it perfectly,” Chip said. “Together, with the presets that are pre-loaded into the Danley DNA amplifiers, it was easy to basically plug them in, turn them on, and have great sound. In fact, the frequency response and the headroom of the Danley system go way beyond what the management was hoping for in the criteria.” Four clusters of two subwoofers each round out the low end from the corners of the arena. A QSC Q-Sys front end makes it easy for the staff to operate.
“They love the new system – especially the extra headroom and low-end extension,” Chip said. “They were only hoping for something adequate, something only as good as the old system. We far exceeded that with an extremely affordable system. In addition, we managed to remove an entire amp rack; the Danley DNA amps deliver 5000W per channel and manage to pack four channels into a two-RU box. All told, the new Danley system not only exceeds the performance expectations, it does so on only half the energy of the old system. In addition, we gave them a few nice interface features. For example, the hockey announcer likes to walk through the stands and interview people. Now, it’s easy for the engineer to track his movement and omit the mic from whatever zone he’s standing in, eliminating the threat of feedback.”
Daktronics Provides New Audiovisual Experience for Matthews Arena
Daktronics of Brookings, South Dakota, has manufactured and installed a new four-sided centre-hung display system, two ribbon displays and a custom audio system at Matthews Arena on campus at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts. The new audiovisual system will be unveiled on January 5, 2019, for the Huskies’ men’s hockey game.
“Northeastern is excited to bring a first-class video display to Matthews Arena as part of our project to integrate the latest technology in video and sound to enhance the game-day fan experience and atmosphere,” said Marshall Foley, executive senior associate athletic director for operations. “We are also proud to partner with Daktronics on this endeavour to install the best collegiate videoboard in all of New England. One of our goals is to utilise this new technology to engage with students as part of the game-day atmosphere in ways that have never been seen before, and we welcome everyone to come out and enjoy the new experience in person.”
The new centre-hung forms a large rectangle shape above the playing surface in Matthews Arena. The two sideline-facing displays each measure 13.5 feet high by 50 feet wide featuring an inward curvature. The two end-facing displays each measure 9.5 feet high by 13.5 feet wide. All four displays feature tight 6mm line spacing to provide crisp, clear imagery to fans in every seat of the arena.
“We are excited to see this project come together at such a historic venue,” said Dave D’Amico, Daktronics sales representative. “Northeastern’s centre-hung is now among the largest indoor video displays on the east coast. The sheer size will bring an amazing game-day experience to Huskie fans, on par with any professional sports venue in the country.”
Each video display is capable of variable content zoning allowing each to show one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to show any combination of live video, instant replays, statistics and game information, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
Two ribbon displays will be installed at each end of the arena. Each ribbon display measures 3ft high by 30ft wide and features 10mm line spacing. These provide the opportunity to highlight sponsors throughout events while also showing supplemental content to the main displays.
The custom Daktronics audio system was integrated into the video and scoring system to provide a powerful audiovisual experience for everyone in the arena. Clear, intelligible speech and booming bass bring a next-level entertainment aspect to the venue.
Daktronics will also be including its powerful Show Control System with this installation. This industry-leading system provides a combination of display control software, world-class video processing, data integration and playback hardware that forms a user-friendly production solution.
In addition to the equipment installation, Northeastern University will also receive a content package that will be produced and delivered by Daktronics Creative Services.
Daktronics LED video and messaging display technology offers a long lifetime with consistent, industry-leading performance and low power consumption, providing value and excitement for years to come.
Infinite Energy Center Welcomes Visitors with New Daktronics Displays
Infinite Energy Center has asked Daktronics to update their double-sided LED video marquee along Interstate 85 in Duluth, Georgia. The upgrade was recently completed as both signs now use premier outdoor LED technology.
“The 85 sign has become a valuable asset to our campus,” said General Manager Joey Dennis. “Not only is it a key locator for visitors, but it is also an excellent promotional tool for our upcoming events and venue partners. We are excited about the new look and technology that Daktronics has brought to the marquee.”
Each display measures approximately 20.5 feet high by 26.5 feet wide and features 15HD pixel layouts to bring excellent image clarity and contrast with wide angle visibility for maximum appeal. The technology features rigorous environmental testing to ensure the display stands the test of time in the outdoor elements.
“We’re excited to continue our partnership with the Infinite Energy Center to help them get their messages out to the thousands of drivers that pass by the display every day,” said Glen Marts, Daktronics Sales Representative. “The new technology will improve the image quality of their messaging to help them connect with viewers. We look forward to this installation helping them achieve their goals for years to come.”
These signs can promote upcoming event information and presale ticket opportunities as well as live video for special events outside the venue. Daktronics Venus Control Suite provides an easy-to-use, robust control solution to schedule and run content for the event centre.
FloppyFlex and ProPlex Drives at Vegas Golden Knights
With a nod to Game of Thrones, the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team now enters the ice through an iconic 20-foot, 2,375-pound medieval jousting helmet, artfully accented with 60 metres of FloppyFlex Digital LED neon. Originally conceived for the Stanley Cup, the team’s exhilarating entrance is now a standard feature for all home games at the T-Mobile Arena. Designed and built by Water FX of Henderson, Nevada, the colossal helmet features lighting by Sean Guarino, with the FloppyFlex provided by PRG Las Vegas.
“Outlining the helmet to create a portal worthy of the team required something cooler than conventional LED tape,” said Golden Knights LD, Sean Guarino. “I wanted this to pop, and Tim Brennan of PRG suggested FloppyFlex Digital, which exceeded my expectations. Using the pixelated Digital RGB version, I can create spectacular multi-colour chases. The colours are bright, vibrant and warm, and installation was a breeze, especially with the help of excellent support from PRG and TMB.”
Sean added, “We use three ProPlex FloppyDrive Digital DIN Rail units to drive three 15-metre runs of RGB FloppyFlex Digital. This is way more than adequate to highlight the giant helmet; it can be seen from the farthest points of the arena and really stands out in broadcast shots. We use two solo spot washes to create the ‘eyes’ peering out from inside the helmet. To keep things interesting for the arena’s 18,000 fans, we use a GrandMA console to create a different program for each home game.”
Lighting designer Sean Guarino’s company, Sexy Lites, Inc., specialises in lighting designs and programming for concerts and touring, special events, nightclubs, theatre, corporate events, conventions, tradeshows, and more.
PRG’s Las Vegas location is a multi-discipline depot, providing customers with professional production expertise and leading-edge technology in lighting, audio, video, scenic design, construction, and labour. PRG Las Vegas supports the live entertainment and installation markets with an extensive inventory of equipment and expertise.
FloppyFlex, highest-quality, professional grade, flexible LED neon is the perfect and professional replacement for glass neon: Super-bright, easy to use, long lasting, durable and, at 24VDC, safe. Perfect for use indoors, outdoors, and even underwater, FloppyFlex is available in three sizes, in a variety of single-colours and RGB, plus Digital RGB and RGBW with DMX multi-pixel control. FloppyFlex White colour temperatures range from 2100K to 5700K and standard colours include Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, Orange, and Amber. For even greater application flexibility, new high-quality, longer lasting IP68 silicone versions round out the range. Side-to-Side and Front-to-Back bend options are both available and accessories include a wide range of mounting profiles.
Daktronics Bring Big Baseball Experience to South Carolina
Daktronics has continued a partnership with the University of South Carolina to design, manufacture and install a new LED video display for Founders Park in Columbia, South Carolina. The display will be installed early in 2019 and will total 1,450 sq ft, top 10 in size for college baseball displays.
“In working with our multimedia rights holder, IMG College, we were able to secure a video board that will be beneficial to our program and add to the game-day experience at Founders Park,” said South Carolina Athletics Director Ray Tanner. “The LED video display will be easy to see throughout the ballpark and we will be able to add quality content that will be enjoyable for fans.”
The new display will measure approximately 33.5 feet high by 43 feet wide and will feature a 13HD pixel layout to bring exceptional image clarity and contrast with wide angle visibility to Gamecock fans seated throughout the stadium.
“Founders Park is a great collegiate baseball stadium and we’re excited to be a part of this scoreboard project,” said Corey Williams, Daktronics sales representative. “It’s always a pleasure working with everyone at the University of South Carolina. The new video display will be nearly 3.5 times larger than the current video display so we can’t wait to see it in action and how Gamecock fans react to the new addition.”
The display is capable of variable content zoning allowing it to show one large image or to be divided into multiple zones to share live video, instant replays, statistics and game information, graphics and animations, and sponsorship messages.
49ers and SAP Bring Real-Time Data and Analytics to Levi's Stadium
The San Francisco 49ers and SAP have teamed up once again to transform the way that professional sports organisations use data and analytics to enhance the in-venue sports and entertainment experience. The latest co-innovation project by the long-time partners is a first-of-its-kind venue management solution called Executive Huddle. Powered by SAP Leonardo and Analytics, Executive Huddle provides the business strategy and analytics team with real-time data and visualisations spanning multiple data sources, to track, sense and respond in the moment during games to optimise operations and enhance the fan experience.
Heading into its fifth season at Levi’s Stadium, the team was looking for an innovative solution that would aggregate and report real-time information enabling the organisation’s award-winning stadium operations team to make more informed decisions, proactively address potential issues and seize opportunities during games and events, not days later.
“Our organisation has taken the directive from our leadership to identify new technology innovations that increase our operational efficiency and enhance the fan experience at every level to ensure we are operating the best sports and entertainment destination in the western hemisphere,” said Moon Javaid, 49ers Vice President of Business Strategy and analytics. “With the at home experience being so great, we want to make sure that every piece of a fan’s journey from coming into the parking lots, entering the stadium and enjoying concessions and retail is all a first-class memorable experience. We were determined to find a way to deliver real-time analysis and response capabilities to our valued Levi’s Stadium guests, and with an innovative partner like SAP, we knew it would be possible.”
Housed in a suite overlooking the field at Levi’s Stadium, and accessible via mobile devices, Executive Huddle pulls real-time data from nine different sources, including attendance, parking, food and beverage, retail, ticketing, social media and more. Displayed on interactive screens, team officials can see and monitor data visualisations and identify an issue or opportunity, act on it, and see immediate results across venue operations and the fan experience. Using Executive Huddle, team management can drill down into specific areas of the stadium, as well as benchmark real-time data against past games and seasons for a more contextual view of their operations.
“Around the world, SAP is helping professional sports teams and venues simplify their business operations to become more efficient, profitable and successful,” said Mike Flannagan, senior vice president, SAP Leonardo and Analytics. “Executive Huddle represents a transformative shift in the way that real-time data can be utilized by teams and venues to create value and impact in the moment. For the first time, the 49ers are able to access real-time data and insights and call audibles during games to optimise their operations while ensuring higher fan satisfaction at the stadium.”
Following testing during the pre-season, Executive Huddle has been fully operational for three home games since the start of the regular season. Already, real-time data and insights have proved to be extremely valuable, as the team has shifted its operational approach from reactive to proactive. For example, examining ticket data has allowed the 49ers to see how fans are entering the stadium, and by collaborating with their staff on-the-ground to direct fans to the appropriate gates, wait times to enter Levi’s Stadium have decreased.
Executive Huddle utilises SAP Leonardo solutions, including SAP Analytics Cloud running on the SAP Cloud Platform, as well as the SAP HANA database and provides flexibility and a foundation for continuous innovation for seasons to come. Support from partners at Happy or Not and NIMBL were also crucial in the development and implementation of Executive Huddle.
“It takes a lot of coordination to operate a 1.85M square foot building that, on game days, employs over 3,500 individuals, many of whom are temporary part-time or seasonal workers,” said Jim Mercurio, 49ers vice president of stadium operations and Levi’s Stadium general manager. “We leverage multiple platforms to manage parking and traffic solutions for over 15,000 cars, entry and egress through hundreds of access points for 70,000 fans, and concessions and retail stands with 600-plus points of sale, among other critical services. Having a single resource to aggregate all those data points is a valuable asset to our commitment to ensure all Levi’s Stadium guests have a great experience.”
Riedel's Bolero S Ensures Reliable Referee Communications for German Bundesliga
Today's large-scale sporting events, as well as their technical broadcast requirements, are growing at an astounding pace. To meet and surpass these requirements, Riedel Communications has initiated their Managed Sports Services division, comprised of custom-engineered technologies paired with extensive supervision and support by Riedel-qualified engineers. Among the first to profit from these services is DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, who has partnered with Riedel to design a reliable infrastructure for German Bundesliga referee communications.
With the Bolero wireless intercom system, introduced in 2017, Riedel has a reliable intercom platform with outstanding audio quality that is perfectly suited for sports broadcasts. The challenge was to deliver a solution that would provide crystal-clear communications between Bundesliga referees and their assistants on the sidelines, and with the Video-Assist-Center (VAC) located in Cologne. In addition, the beltpack itself had to be acceptable to the referees and suitable for live-game environments.
For this joint effort, DFL experts and Riedel's team of engineers and product managers took on the task of designing a smaller version of the Bolero system that offered unlimited freedom of movement on the pitch while still preserving key characteristics such as multiple channels, high voice clarity, and unsurpassed RF reliability. Early on, it was decided that voice activated transmission (VOX) would offer the hands-free convenience to make the project successful. The result is a VOX-operated hands-free Bolero beltpack and lightweight headset combination that allows Bundesliga referees, assistants, and Video Assistant Referees (VAR) to communicate effortlessly via a real-time connection to Riedel's brand-new Remote Operations Center (ROC) in Wuppertal.
A year of intense collaboration bore fruit just in time for the start of the 2018/2019 season when the Bolero S passed its trial run during the 2018 DFL-Supercup, exceeding all expectations with its compact size, light weight, and simple operation. As Riedel's Corporate Business Development Manager, Jacqueline Voss, points out, "This was the result of great synergies between Riedel, DFL and the refereeing department of Deutscher Fußball-Bund. A stadium with 80,000 cheering fans, like Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund, is a very demanding environment for clear communications. Experimenting with different headset configurations, microphone cartridges, and sound transducers in our lab alone would not have sufficed. Thanks to our fantastic partnership with DFL, we could conduct extensive field tests at official Bundesliga stadiums and we are more than happy with the result of this team effort."
Riedel Managed Sports Services and Bolero S will provide reliable referee communications for all 306 Bundesliga matches this season. In each of the 18 Bundesliga stadiums, three Bolero antennas provide full coverage on and beside the pitch, inside the referee locker rooms, and in the players' tunnels. Their signals converge into a Riedel Artist 32 intercom matrix which then connects to the VAC in Cologne and to the ROC in Wuppertal via WAN VoIP. In the ROC, engineers monitor every single system component and respond to changing circumstances on the pitch in real time. By controlling parameters like gate, release time, and limiter thresholds, every VOX-microphone can be individually calibrated for each referee and then fine-tuned to the conditions in the stadium in real time. With Riedel's specialists overseeing the beltpack battery charge and system integrity, the referees can now fully concentrate on guiding and directing fair matches.
"With Riedel we have found the ideal partner for referee communications. Having provided customized solutions for high-profile sports events such as premier motorsports or major soccer tournaments, Riedel Communications is unmatched in their experience," said Ansgar Schwenken, DFL Director of Football Affairs & Supporters and Member of the DFL e.V. Executive Committee. "Our collaboration with Riedel has resulted in the fantastic Bolero S and, with support from their Remote Operations Center, we now enjoy a carefree, full-service solution."
Adelaide Oval Audiences Bowled Over by L-Acoustics System
Adelaide Oval has been described as one of the most picturesque Test cricket grounds in Australia, if not the world. Its importance on the international cricket circuit is undisputed, being headquarters to the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA). Its sporting credentials extend to other areas, with South Australian National Football League (SANFL) also calling it home and the venue playing host to Australian rules football, rugby league and union, soccer and tennis, as well as regularly holding concerts. It has three stands, the Western, Eastern and Southern or Riverbank Stand, all constructed as part of a major refurbishment completed in 2014. The Riverbank Stand boasts a new L-Acoustics Kara system, supplied by Jands, L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor for the region. The system delivers improved coverage and intelligibility, all without the need for expensive acoustic treatment.
The 14,000-capacity Riverbank Stand’s 12 stories are covered by a single curved roof which has complex rigging requirements. US-based acoustic design and consulting firm Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon & Williams (WJHW) were brought in to recommend a system for its upper tier audience areas and determined that Kara would be the ideal solution. With a throw distance requirement in excess of 50m in some audience areas, Kara provides coverage and SPL for the entire upper tier audience in a high performance yet lightweight package.
Supporting WJHW designer Greg Swindle, the L-Acoustics Applications team provided electromechanical and system support, with L-Acoustics’ proprietary Soundvision software used to determine the positions and configuration of the arrays.
“Soundvision gives an extremely accurate prediction of coverage, SPL and electromechanical parameters and was a useful tool for the WJHW design team to verify rigging points and system configuration,” explains L-Acoustics Head of Integration, Dan Palmer. “The rigging requirements were well detailed and, in turn, the Soundvision model generated by Greg was used to confirm coverage, SPL, and sight lines, and that all design and performance goals were met.”
Local specialist Novatech Creative Event Technology was initially asked to supply a demo system, which the venue reviewed over a two-month period. It proved so successful that they were subsequently engaged to install the permanent system, which comprises three hangs of eight Kara in an LCR configuration, one hung centrally at the front of the stand’s roof, and the other two hangs positioned equidistantly to either side. All are finished in white to blend with the architecture of the stand. The system is powered by six LA4X amplified controllers, mounted in a custom designed rack located in a temperature-controlled room and running on a UPS.
“The acoustics of the stand are challenging, particularly because of the dome structure roof, which causes large reflections,” says Novatech’s James Sacca. “The directivity from the Kara system meant that we could reduce reflections and increase intelligibility, and the positioning and angles of the speakers achieves a uniform SPL across the audience area, which is exactly what was needed.”
The system also integrates into the emergency evacuation system and existing QSC Q-SYS control system, thereby doubling as an essential component of the venue’s voice alarm system, enabling delivery of clear, intelligible instructions to guests in the event of an emergency situation.
Sacca notes that the infrastructure posed additional challenges, including the production of custom speaker brackets, which had to be engineered to suit the mounting, positioning and angling requirements of the arrays. He adds that the location of the installation, with fixing points situated over 35m from ground level, was probably the most difficult element of the job.
“The collective pool of expertise and cooperation between the teams at Jands, WJHW, L-Acoustics and Novatech made it possible for us to deliver a system that does exactly what is needed of it and more,” Sacca concludes. “Everyone is ecstatic with the result. The influx of un-prompted feedback from the general public after the first event with the new installation was a real testament to its success.”