In addition to being the home ground of Cracovia Football Club and hosting Ekstraklasa league matches, the facility will be one of the training stadiums for teams in the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship jointly hosted by Poland and Ukraine. Under a section of one of the stands is also a hidden stage, which is revealed when the stadium hosts concerts and other events.
The audio system was designed and installed by Warsaw-based Tommex Zebrowscy Sp. J., and completed in September 2010. Within the main stadium, the system consists of 19 Community WET W2-2W8T for the East, West and North stands. The largest stand in the South uses 14 90x40 degree R1-94Z loudspeakers, configured in seven clusters. A further three R1-66Z, this time with a 60x60 pattern, cover three corners of the stands and two R2-474Z cover the playing field. In addition, four Community RSH-462 systems are utilized for the public areas around the stadium.
Dynacord P64s provide the multifunctional matrix with DSP processing. The system has three equipment locations, including the main control room where the sound engineer and commentators are located. From the control room, the signal goes from a Dynacord P64 with CobraNet card to the two amp rooms via fibre-optic cables.
Each amp room then contains a further P64 with CobraNet card and the Dynacord multichannel amplifiers used to power the system; two DSA 8805, two DSA 8405 and two DSA 8410. The system also incorporates automatic amp switching in case of failure and IRIS Net software monitors the matrix and every amplifier remotely via a PC in the control room. Also located in the control room, the announcement system includes a Dynacord DPM 4000 PROMATRIX to allow priority for the police and emergency services.
Marcin Zimny of Tommex comments, "The sound is powerful and clear with every area covered to a high specification, and the robust all-weather construction of the Community loudspeakers ensures reliability. Together with the latest digital control and fibre-optics, we have a first-class sound system which performs to the standards expected in this important stadium."
(Jim Evans)
