Not surprisingly, the project to upgrade the park's audio system was also subject to the limitations of historic preservation. "Because of the park's landmark status, any proposed changes have to run through a number of lengthy and complex approval processes," explains Kevin Tucker of Chicago-based Advent Systems, the company behind the ongoing phased audio systems upgrade project. "Any plans that will materially affect or alter the visual status of the park are extremely difficult to implement. In fact, there are some old multi-cell horns by the scoreboard dating back to the 1930s, and we are not permitted to remove them."
Faced with the challenge of striking a balance between preservation and progress, Tucker worked with Jack McCallum, senior consultant at Wrightson Johnson Haddon & Williams (WJHW), to come up with a system that could deliver intelligibility to the substantial seating area while creating a minimal visual footprint.
The new audio system, which is being implemented in three phases, is based around Community R-series loudspeakers. "We completed Phase One in February of 2006," says Tucker, "concurrent with the expansion of the bleachers and the addition of a restaurant in the enclosed Batter's Eye Lounge."
Working around the additional constraints of the inevitable Chicago winter, Tucker has recently completed Phase Two of the sound system, comprising 27 Community R.5-HP loudspeakers to cover the lower seating around the bowl.
Seven R.5-99 speakers provide additional coverage to the side areas. "The R-Series provides excellent coverage and intelligibility," Tucker observes. "And it's probably the only speaker out there that can withstand the brutal Chicago weather. All my experience with Community speakers has been reallygreat."
The system is powered by Crown CTS amplification, with signal processing handled by BSS London units. As Tucker observes, the new sound system is the park's first foray into digital signal processing. "The last system had been installed around the end of the 1980s, just before DSP-based systems began to catch on. It was one of the last of the big stadium analogue systems." The system's different phases operate independently, with their own amps and DSP, but are tied together via fibre optic connection.
(Jim Evans)
