In keeping with the organization's long-standing commitment to elevating the fan experience, the Arizona Cardinals unveiled a new sound system in University of Phoenix Stadium for the start of the 2016 NFL season. Designed and specified by the Arizona Cardinals, the system consists primarily of flown L-Acoustics K2 arrays permanently installed in July by AV systems integrator Pro Sound & Video.
"We are committed to providing a world-class stadium atmosphere in every possible way," said Cardinals president Michael Bidwill. "Because the audio-visual experience is a huge part of that, we understood how significant an initiative and investment this was for our team. The upgrade has not only been incredibly well-received by our fans but also keeps University of Phoenix Stadium at the forefront in a very competitive landscape of sports and entertainment venues."
University of Phoenix Stadium is also unique in another way: nearly all of its AV requirements can be met by its own in-house AV/IT systems staff. And who better to understand the nuances of a major venue like an NFL stadium than those who work inside it every day?
Over the past 10 years, the music playback needs of the stadium had also expanded, requiring better low- and high-end reproduction, according to Jamie Gillespie, systems audio engineer for the Arizona Cardinals. At the same time, both the stadium and the Cardinals are always looking ahead, needing a lighter system to take into account the venue's structural ratings for their massive truss system, which will be used for a centre video cluster for NCAA Final Four games scheduled for 2017.
L-Acoustics' K2 was the solution to all of these issues. "The K2 box weighs only 123 pounds, but it's in the same class and has the power and throw of boxes that weigh twice as much," he says. In fact, Gillespie adds, the K2's power and high intelligibility meant that he could dispense with the delay rings that had been necessary in the previous system's design to ensure sound reached the upper levels of the stadium.
"The design approach was to cover from the lower bowl's front row to the top of the stadium's back row from a single point without the need for delay speakers, and the K2 arrays perfectly accomplished that," notes Pro Sound & Video executive vice president David Shoemaker, who led the installation project. "The full bandwidth of the K2 enclosures also provided an incredible amount of usable LF, which, combined with the K1-SBs, eliminated the need for ground-based subs. This setup has provided the facility with an unmatched performance in stadium sound."
For outside live events, as well as indoor events and conventions, the Arizona Cardinals have an additional two-dozen Kara enclosures on hand, which served as the sound system for an appearance by Blake Shelton at a private event earlier this year.
(Jim Evans)
