USA - The World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brand is a global behemoth, with loyal fans in over one billion households throughout 180 countries. That’s largely because its events are among the most electrifying experiences in live entertainment, taking over the biggest and best-known sporting venues the world over and packing them to capacity on a weekly basis.
On occasion, WWE brings private events home to its new Stamford, Connecticut-based corporate headquarters, where it seeks to deliver the energy and excitement of a sold-out stadium bout at its sunlit atrium for a few hundred select invitees. That’s why the world leader in sports entertainment called in the team at OSA International to design and install a PK Sound T10 robotic line array system for the space. ACT Entertainment is the exclusive North American distributor of PK Sound products.
Owing to PK’s multi-axis robotics, the system’s acoustic coverage is precisely tailored to the atrium’s architecture to maximise clarity and consistency, augmenting its expansive LED video system to deliver the guest experience.
“WWE takes pride in being at the leading edge of media and production technology, redefining the standards of excellence in content creation, broadcast and, of course, live entertainment,” says Joseph Solari, VP of studio operations at WWE. “We programme events like company townhalls and parties in our lobby space, which presents some major acoustic challenges.
“The PK Sound solution devised by OSA is configured to keep acoustic energy off reflective surfaces and focus it only where people are gathered, and the results are truly phenomenal. Our first townhall with the new system was like night and day compared to our previous events, with clean, intelligible and impactful sound reproduction across the board.”
The atrium is a long, tall, narrow rectangular space with the building’s massive glass façade on the west side and three stories of open balconies on the east, each with a high-resolution LED video screen as its fascia and a fourth lining the top of the space. The central LED wall on the south end spans four stories from the base of the main floor and commands attention from any vantage point.
The main array of eight PK Sound T10 robotic line source modules is installed above the centre of the south video wall via a custom rigging solution by Atlanta Rigging Systems, with a column of three T218 intelligent subwoofers flown behind it for ample low-frequency reproduction. Owing to its patented robotic rigging system, the T10 delivers ample vertical coverage with 0.1° of precision for the long space without the need for a rear pullback point.
From there, variable horizontal coverage is configured on each module in the array from 60 to 120° symmetrically or asymmetrically - and easily reconfigured remotely and in real time via PK .dynamics control software. For events with smaller crowds, coverage can be symmetrically focused only on the ground floor. For busier events with spectators on the upper floors, sound can be directed asymmetrically to include the crowds on the balconies while minimising spillage onto the reflective LED fascias.
Content for the audiovisual system is fed through a range of sources, including The Studios at WWE - the building’s new 30,040sq.ft, state-of-the-art production facility equipped with five studios and highlighted by a virtual production stage.
“WWE sets the standard for content creation and delivery, and we knew a PK Sound robotic line array system could overcome the atrium’s challenging acoustic environment and match the excitement and impact of the LED video content,” comments Jim Risgin, VP of design & engineering with OSA International.
“Designed with support from PK Sound and ACT Entertainment, our solution gives them the flexibility to optimise acoustic coverage remotely and in real time for the best possible audio in any application, whether it’s a short spoken-word address for a few inside teams or a packed, high-energy party with WWE Superstars on stage and music covering multiple floors.”
Ralph Mastrangelo, director of sales, live sound with ACT Entertainment, adds: “This project is a great example of how PK Sound’s multi-axis robotics can effectively combat acoustic limitations and remove the room from the equation, resulting in pure and natural reinforcement. Both WWE and OSA are at the forefront of their respective industries, so we were proud to play a small part in this collaboration and couldn’t be happier with the results - an audiovisual experience that reinforces WWE’s reputation as a global leader in live entertainment.”
