PANSTADIA & ARENA MANAGEMENT WINTER 2013/14
AUDIO EXCELLENCE W
L-ACOUSTICS is meeting the growing need for sports facilities to provide a concert-like sound experience.
hen the founder of L-ACOUSTICS, Dr. Christian Heil, invented
the V-DOSC system – the very first line source system featuring the exclusive WST technology in 1992 – it revolutionised the professional audio industry.
Since 1984, a large body of theoretical research and experience has been behind every system that L-ACOUSTICS has developed. Today, L-ACOUSTICS sound systems are considered the number one choice for energising international events ranging from the Hollywood Bowl to the Olympic ceremonies and the FIFA World Cup, and at countless facilities worldwide.
As sports and entertainment businesses continue to converge, sports facilities are increasingly required, by fans and advertisers alike, to provide a level of excellence in sound reproduction equal to a live concert-like experience. On the following pages L-ACOUSTICS presents a select number of sports facility challenges and solutions tackled by owners, consultants, engineers and contractors with L-ACOUSTICS systems. From the early stages of design through to system commissioning, every sound system sports facility project presents its own unique set of objectives, challenges and constraints.
London 2012 Olympic Games
As soon as L-ACOUSTICS was selected as the brand of choice for the sound system at the Olympic Stadium for the Olympics and Paralympics at London 2012, the collective team faced a gargantuan task. Exceptional sound was required to electrify a brand new stadium with a capacity of 80,000 for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics and Paralympics as well as for every single athletic event held within the Olympic Stadium over a 29-day period.
The amount of kit required to meet these diverse needs was exceptional. Most large-capacity touring gigs do not usually require more than 100 large format line source cabinets, but the Olympic Stadium hosted over double that figure.
Scott Willsallen, from Auditoria Pty Ltd, London 2012 Ceremonies Audio Systems Designer responsible for the design and implementation of the technology at the Olympic Stadium, says: “I’ve never put that much power in the air with a sound system before.” As far as L-ACOUSTICS is aware, no one has ever assembled so many amplifiers to one network before either.
The total inventory comprised 220 V-DOSC line source cabinets, plus 51 ARCS II downfill cabs spread out across 22 arrays, suspended from a custom tension ring made especially for the event. An additional two arrays were suspended from the roof with 6 KUDO in each. On the ground, a further 88 SB28 subs and 88 KUDO were provided as
additional sound reinforcement for the opening and closing ceremonies. The equipment was supplied by Delta Sound, Norwest Productions, Autograph and Britannia Row Productions.
Scott Willsallen recounts:
“To create the best sound possible for these Games, we had to use a lot of resources, the best companies and equipment and many talented people working together over several months and even years in some cases. We also needed a great sound system with minimal visual impact that could provide the best possible performance for the ceremonies and the track and field events throughout both Games.
“What set the London 2012 Olympic Stadium apart, visually and acoustically at least, was the spectacular ring of flown arrays for the upper bowl, suspended above the audience and athletes for almost four months against the elements. For a sound systems designer, the primary area of concern is the geometry of the space to work within.
“I would like to think that the amazing performances from the athletes were due to the brilliant sound system, but perhaps it was also due to their years of training and commitment!
“The atmosphere was incredible. Take any one element away and it would have suffered. The presentation of sport is becoming a strong focus for all disciplines and every element of the presentation has to keep up. I’m very proud that London 2012 was the best sounding Olympics ever.
“I have to think very hard to remember the occasions where I have experienced component failure in an L-ACOUSTICS system. The reliability of the products was key for London 2012 when you consider how difficult it was to access the flown loudspeakers.
Opening ceremony rings. Photo: Scott Willsallen
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“With over 450 loudspeaker products directly exposed to the elements for over four months, our total failures were just two 15” woofers. This is a testament, not only to the quality of the L-ACOUSTICS products and systems but also to the efforts Delta Sound made in preparing the systems for the event.
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