Community solution for Adelaide racecourse
- Details
The SAJC plays host to 58 days of racing action throughout the year at Morphettville Racecourse. In addition to racing on a weekly basis, Morphettville is a multipurpose venue featuring 22 function rooms able to host events of all occasions seven days a week.
Early in 2017 the SAJC published an Expression of Interest (EOI) for the upgrade of the audio systems at the Morphettville Racecourse. The existing audio systems were based on a network of Media Matrix Nion controllers and primarily Lab.gruppen amplifiers, which were to be retained. The loudspeakers were a diverse collection of box and ceiling loudspeakers, of varying quality and suitability. Overall, most areas did not perform well and complaints from members and guests were frequent.
HCS responded to the EOI, presenting a solution utilising the Community range of products. HCS had recently upgraded the Strathalbyn Race Track with a combination of Community D4 ceiling loudspeakers and R Series outdoor loudspeakers and the result had been described by the club as “stunning,” so it was
The systems needed to provide a diverse range of acoustic solutions in the different areas to be covered. These included: large open indoor areas, requiring high resolution reproduction in noisy environments from ceiling speakers; two large open conference and exhibition pavilions with high ceilings; multiple intimate conference and presentation areas; the Main Grandstand and Horse Mounting Area; Heritage Grandstands, requiring sensitive loudspeaker positioning; and Lawn Areas.
The indoor open areas were fitted with a combination of Community D4, D5 and D6 ceiling loudspeakers, where the wide dispersion pattern was an advantage for the low ceiling heights. The club described the sound in the main Members’ Area as “fabulous” on the first Race Day.
The Large Conference and Exhibition Pavilions are 45 x 25 and 30 x 15-meter ‘permanent temporary buildings,’ with glass and composite panel walls and high composite panel and canvas ceilings. One area has a suspended Tule inner lining to hide the ceiling structure, the other an open area with hung lighting truss frames.
Both areas were fitted with three rows of Community DP6 pendant loudspeakers, interspersed with D10SUB high output ceiling subwoofers painted white and hung as pendants.
The lower levels of these pavilions are large open low ceiling areas and the installation of D4 ceiling loudspeakers, closely spaced and tapped to low power levels, resulted in a very clean and consistent sound quality that compensated for the reflective nature of the room.
SAJC had previously experienced coverage problems with the Main Grandstand and Mounting Yard and these were easily resolved by the selection of the appropriate combination of Community R Series loudspeakers.
Blake Kirby of Hills AV observed, “The system proved itself on Race Day. With thousands of racegoers in attendance it was possible to walk from any location to another within the complex and be subjected to the same uniform, outstanding sound quality.”
John Horder from HCS commented, “I wanted to achieve ‘a warm bath of clear audio’. The combination of Community and Hills’ technical services was the perfect toolkit to achieve this and exceed the client’s expectations.”
(Jim Evans)
