Audio installations in sports facilities can present severe challenges to integrators and system designers. Meanwhile, with the rise of multi-use facilities, such as basketball/hockey shared with concerts, audio system projects become more complex. We looked at some installs, all with successful outcomes for integrators, teams, management, teams — and the fans.
Roberto Meléndez Metro Stadium, Barranquilla, Colombia
The largest venue in Colombia, the Roberto Meléndez Metropolitan Stadium, hosts regional and international sporting events in Barranquilla, the country’s third-largest city.
After years of renting audio for important events, the stadium management collaborated with integrator Schaller Tech to upgrade the stadium’s sound system. “As the South American distributor of Renkus-Heinz, we knew they would be blown away by the quality and intelligibility of the sound,” says Schaller Tech owner/systems engineer Greg Schaller.
Schaller Tech began by using Ease acoustic simulation software to model the stadium in early 2020. However, Covid-19 put the process on standby. Returning to the project, Schaller and his team installed more than 80 Renkus-Heinz TX151, TX82 and TX62 weatherized speakers.
The T Series are two-way systems utilizing cutting-edge driver technology and Complex Conic horns to deliver natural-sounding music and intelligible speech. “The TX Series help us achieve a balanced sound for the entire stadium,” says Schaller. “Speakers installed throughout the top and bottom rings of the stadium deliver consistent coverage to every seat — and sound great!”
Schaller opted for non-powered versions of the TX Series to reduce weight, as some speakers mount as high as 20 meters. Four amplifier racks with Linea Research amplifiers are fixed on the stadium’s roof and connect via fiber and a Dante audio network.
After hosting its first game last fall, the system proved ideal for the stadium. “Our team received great feedback from stadium management, spectators, event sponsors and other vendors,” says Schaller. “Everyone was very happy with the sound.”
Roberto Meléndez Metro Stadium
- Capacity: 47,000
- Key Components: Renkus-Heinz TX Series; Linea Research amps
- Integrator: Schaller Tech
OSiR Zamość Sports and Entertainment Hall, Zamość, Poland
TOMMEEX, the distributor for RCF install products in Poland, handled the audio renovation of the 884-seat OSiR Zamość Sports and Entertainment Hall, used for handball, volleyball, soccer and basketball. And, thanks to a 12×12-meter extendable stage, the facility can also host cultural events and entertainment shows.
The system is based on RCF Compact M12 (12” LF/1” HF) and Compact M08 (8” LF/1” HF). Both are two-way systems with smooth 90°x70° CD horns powered via RCF IPS 3700 and Ashly Audio KLR series power amplifiers and controlled via an Ashly 3.6SP sound processor. The combination provides musicality and optimum speech intelligibility throughout the venue. The low distortion specs and high overall SPLs generated by the system far exceed the expectations of loudspeakers with such compact dimensions, while rear, top and bottom fly points on the plywood enclosures simplified the installation process.
Additionally, the facility’s mobile sports commentator station has a Yamaha MG16XU mixing console and a selection of wired and wireless mics, ensuring flexibility of use of the system throughout the venue.
OSiR Zamość Sports and Entertainment Hall
- Capacity: 884
- Key Components: RCF Compact M Series
- Integrator: TOMMEEX
Finley Stadium, Campbellsville, KY
Kentucky-based integrators JCA Media upgraded the press box and connected facilities at Campbellsville University’s Finley Stadium. Gear included an Allen & Heath dLive CDM32 MixRack, a compact dLive C1500 surface and remote control options to provide audio mixing to the facility’s 20-box Danley P.A.
“The P.A. mix comes from an Allen & Heath IP8 remote control — an 11.5” wide, motorized 8-fader remote that works with the dLive system,” says JCA Media’s Alex Peake. “The main P.A. operator wanted quick level control for the stadium announcer mic, ref mic and music — a sidecar sort of functionality the IP8 handles with ease. A dLive C1500 control surface in the broadcast room lets crews quickly tweak EQs and compression for the broadcast mix to be a little more hands-on.”
Control and I/O options are also provided to two broadcast rooms, a second-floor classroom and the President’s Suite. “DX168 remote I/O units in each location flow in and out of the CDM32 to give connectivity in those rooms,” Peake adds. “Audio control in each of the spaces is handled by wall-mounted IP1s or the more tactile IP8s, which are a quick, powerful way to control a dLive, Avantis or even an AHM.” The IP1 and IP8 units connect via a standard TCP/IP network connection and easily interface with other controllers and computers on a standard Ethernet infrastructure.
Stingers or commercials that show up on the huge stadium display and P.A. are not managed in the NewTek Tricaster, but routed out to fine-tune via the dLive along with play-by-play and ref mics that are then sent back to the Tricaster. “Dante lets us pull from the Tricaster media pool and send to the dLive to combine and mix as needed and round-trip back to the Tricaster program feed,” notes Peake.
Access points for dLive Director editor/control Mac/PC/tablet software offer audio control from any zone in the venue requiring dLive audio control, whether exterior tailgating zones, the press box or various interior zones, when and where needed. “Wherever we have a screen, we’ve got access to Director — and therefore access to the dLive.”
Finley Stadium
- Capacity: 20,412
- Key Components: Allen & Heath dLive C1500, CDM32 MixRack
- Integrator: JCA Media
East Carolina University Stadium, Greenville, NC
After East Carolina Pirates football fans suffered through aggravating system dropouts at their home games, the team turned to Washington, NC—based integrator PC Sound to rescue the sound at the on-campus Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.
While PC Sound tried to find a solution, they also knew the current supply chain could be an issue. “We put the order in on a Tuesday at 7pm and within four minutes I had a reply from LEA Professional’s VP of sales Scott Robbins,” says PC Sound’s James Braddy. “The amplifiers were delivered that Thursday and on Friday we did the install, ready for the weekend’s games.”
The PC Sound team installed eight LEA Professional 704D Dante Connect Series amplifiers. “The new amps, combined with a new mixer, ensured the stadium sounded cleaner and clearer than it had ever sounded before,’’ Braddy adds.
To monitor the system, PC Sound utilizes LEA Professional’s Web UI, a browser-based interface allowing local monitoring of every amplifier connected to the network from any phone, tablet or PC. And with the LEA Cloud remote control platform, the integrator is in full control of the system at all times.
The system at ECU currently runs analog connections, but future plans include switching to a Dante audio network, which provides a safety feature — if the Dante network goes down for any reason, the amps automatically switch to analog.
The new system is exactly what they needed, says associate athletics director Greg Pierce. “I couldn’t have asked for better and we’re so grateful to have a superior sound system in the stadium for our players and fans alike.”
East Carolina University Stadium
Capacity: 50,000
Key Components: LEA 704D Dante Connect Series
Integrator: PC Sound
