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| To power and process PA system, each of the stadium’s four rack rooms is equipped with Dynacord DSA 8410 amplifiers |
Promising spectators a new level of sporting experience, Hazza Bin Zayed is the new flagship stadium in the United Arab Emirates. In addition to 25,000 seats, the new home of Al Ain FC football club features nine lounges and restaurants, a medical center, and a media center, as well as further facilities to hold local, regional and global events.
To equip the stadium with equipment to match its reputation in the region, JBK Controls International’s UAE office was assigned with the installation of around a dozen systems – including a pro audio system. For the latter, JBK Controls International secured the services of Dubai-based Prosonic. The challenge for the Dynacord partner was to install a powerful while elegant sound system. “The design of the system changed a lot due to the roof structure,” recalls Prosonic managing director Amir Bagheri. Based on EASE simulations carried through with the help of Tony Sawyer and Oliver Sahm of Bosch Communications Systems, Prosonic opted for a combined Electro-Voice and Dynacord system.
Due to the different locations and dispersion angles, the ideal loudspeakers for the task proved to be Electro-Voice EVF front-loaded and EVH horn-loaded speakers. “Depending on their individual needs, our customers can select from the wide range of speakers in the EV-Innovation family,” explains Klaus Seitz, Bosch Communications Systems Director Sales ProSound for the Middle East. “EVF loudspeakers match exceptional audio performance, efficiency, ease-of-use, and aesthetics with unprecedented value, while EVHs feature a unique coaxial horn-loaded design that is unmatched for pattern control and intelligibility in reverberant environments.” The stadium itself is divided into four sound zones. “To cover these, the EV speakers are arranged into 32 clusters which cover the complete stadium,” explains Tabraiz Ali Khan, JBK Controls International’s General Manager – Operations. “This way, even if one zone fails, there is still coverage from other zones.”
In addition to the EV innovation speakers, a ring of Electro-Voice EVID speakers covers those areas that the roof-installed main system does not reach. “We take care of most areas from the roof, but some seats – such as the few rows at the back under the second tier – aren’t covered by them,” explains Amir Bagheri. “We therefore installed a whole bottom ring using small EVID speakers to cover these areas.”
To power and process the PA system, each of the stadium’s four rack rooms is equipped with Dynacord DSA 8410 amplifiers, as well as Dynacord P64 digital audio matrix managers which master DSP. Full control and supervision is assured by IRIS-Net software. A Dynacord CMS 2200-3 mixing console manages the system. “This way, you can use a microphone for announcements and broadcast from this position during live matches.”
“A lot of investment is currently made into sports venues, be they indoor or outdoor stadiums or sports halls,” says Klaus Seitz. “With its state-of-the-art equipment, the Hazza Bin Zayed stadium is a case in point.” Tabraiz Ali Khan agrees: “The sound reinforcement system is fantastic. The sound level is even all the way around the field and matches the SPL that we proposed. The Hazza Bin Zayed stadium is currently an important reference case for the region."
