Hafjell is located just north of Lillehammer and is one of Norway's largest ski areas, with a starting point 1030m above sea level and a vertical drop of 835m. During the Winter Olympics in 1994 it was the venue for the slalom and giant slalom events and is the now the national arena and training facility for these disciplines. Following the Olympics, the resort was further developed and currently consists of 30 trails serviced by a cable car, three chair lifts and 11 ski lifts. Hafjell and its co-owned neighbouring venue together form the largest ski resort in Norway with 73 km of runs.
Design of the new system was handled by Bj°rn Fjeld of Norsk Lydteknikk AS and the installation was completed by Lillehammer-based °stbye og Sletmoen. The new system was specified to be designed for the highest quality for speech and music with the possibility of future expansion in mind. With these requirements, the Symetrix Radius was chosen for its studio sound quality and Dante network compatibility.
"We chose Community R Series loudspeakers based on many years of experience using them on ski slopes across Norway," said Fjeld. "They provide outstanding audio quality and unequalled reliability in this type of environment. The coverage patterns and throw are also excellent, and critical for accurately covering large outdoor areas."
Community's digital FIR filters are programmed into the loudspeaker management module of the Symetrix Radius 12x8 for optimal system performance and the system is powered by Ecler DPA 2000 and DPA 1400 amplifiers. Clockaudio mics are used for commentary and announcement.
Fjeld commented, "The original system, considered the best in its time, comprised two massive racks of electronics. One 20U rack with a modern DSP-based loudspeaker system has now replaced that and will provide Hajfell with a system we're confident will meet their needs for the next 20 years. For the participants and audience alike, the new system also substantially raises the audio quality for their involvement and enjoyment."
(Jim Evans)
