The sound reinforcement system was required to cover the entire outdoor venue, using temporary staging and ground-support structures. LP Unlimited Productions worked together with JBL's distributor for South Africa, Wild+Marr, to plan for rental-system expansion with new JBL Vertec line array system components. The technical production team evaluated the stadium architecture and advance audience-area plans, relying upon JBL's Line Array Calculator software tool for system configuration decisions. It was decided to employ a total of 28 VT4889-1 full-size line array elements, 32 VT4888 mid-size line array elements and 34 VT4880 full-size arrayable subwoofers to implement the event system design.
For the event, which served as the inaugural outing for LP Unlimited's new full-size Vertec system elements, the setup included two main left/right arrays, each made of 14 VT4889-1's. Out-fill arrays each included seven VT4888 loudspeakers and eight VT4880 arrayable subwoofers. An 18-box centre ground-stacked subwoofer array was set up for ultra low-frequency support, using 18 VT4880 subs. This centre VLF cluster was configured as a steered array, with a 120-degree, figure-eight polar response coverage pattern for the main audience area on the field. Side subwoofer arrays of VT4880's augmented low frequency coverage on the far side seating areas at both pavilion ends, as well as areas behind the stage.
In addition, three signal-delay towers, each comprising six VT4888 mid-size line array elements, were in use at the rear of the massive stadium. All JBL speakers were powered by Crown I-Tech amplifiers, and four dbx 4800 DriveRack loudspeaker management systems were in use with one unit dedicated as a multi-zone matrix and audio distribution device. Harman HiQnet System Architect Software provided remote control and monitoring of the signal processing and amplification.
(Jim Evans)
