CODA AiRAY power reigns on Singapore Parade
- Details
Well publicised sound issues have plagued concerts held at the venue and whilst the National Day Parade was not simply a gig, its magnificent spectacle leaned heavily on audio, lighting and video technology. On such an auspicious occasion, there was no room for sub-standard delivery. Highly experienced independent audio consultant Shah Tahir had overseen the design of the sound system for each of the previous eight Parades but this was the first at the relatively new Sports Hub. Overseen by the military, under whose auspices the event takes place, Tahir settled on CODA Audio's AiRAY system to deliver the necessary precision.
Arena-specialist integrators, The Show Company, installed 24 arrays, comprising 128 AiRAY boxes, to provide a distributed system for greater directional control and to minimise reflection in the vast dome. Tahir had considered a number of options but the combination of AiRAY's power and compact nature came out on top.
Stringent weight restrictions were in force owing to the large amount of technological hardware already placed in the roof and the light weight of the speakers was a crucial factor in obtaining the required safety certificate. Fixed seating below the dedicated hanging points threw up a further hurdle. Seats below the hoists could not be removed and TSC crew had to lift more than 100 speakers into place before attaching them. In these circumstances AiRAY's 40kg cabinets proved a blessing in terms of handling and ultimately, time taken. 56 of CODA Audio's smaller ViRAY system were placed in the corners at one end of the stadium to complement AiRAY in achieving optimal coverage.
The event itself was a great success. Detailed preparation, experience and great expertise combined with CODA Audio's game-changing loudspeaker technology, delivered high quality audio from a range of orchestral, acoustic and electronic performances. At such a prestigious event, there was no place for anything other than excellence and AiRAY once again demonstrated exactly why it is turning so many heads.
Paul Ward, marketing director at CODA Audio expressed great satisfaction, "This was a real test for everyone concerned with the audio provision. The challenges presented by the acoustics of the Sports Hub were well-known and a number of other restrictive elements served to complicate matters.
“The event constitutes the biggest day of the year in Singapore's national calendar and the pressure to deliver was immense. There were a number of sceptics who had voiced their doubts as to whether a good sound was possible at all in the Hub but AiRAY, in the hands of an excellent team, proved more than up to the challenge."
(Jim Evans)
