ALLEN & HEATH iDR INSTALLED IN GERMAN STADIUM

Situated in the German Alps, Oberstdorf’s multi-purpose stadium has undergone an overhaul of its sound system based around Allen & Heath’s iDR DSP range. The new sound system has improved audio clarity within the stadium and reduced disturbance to the surrounding residential areas.

Günther Acoustic & Media Technology was tasked with completing the installation and selected Allen & Heath iDR-8 and iDR-4 mixing processors, and an iDR-in expander unit to control audio distribution throughout the stadium.

Oberstdorf stadium during the Nordic Ski World Championships, which were held in spring 2005 using the upgraded audio system

“The installation was complex due to the vast size of the stadium but using the iDR-8’s digital bus the installer was able to transport audio over long distances,” comments Günther Acoustic & Media Technology’s MD, Uli Günther.

“The Oberstdorf stadium is in use all year round hosting various events including the prestigious Nordic Ski World Championships, which means the venue requires a flexible system with many different configurations. We programmed the iDR to cater for these numerous scenarios – with different EQ, volume and audio distribution settings to the speaker areas - so the system meets the requirements of the specific event.”

Front-end control is provided by a Crestron processor and touch screen, connected over telnet to the iDR processors.



The Crestron touch screen displaying control options for the iDR-4 DSP mixing processor

The stadium’s main speaker system comprises a 26-piece Nexo line array, with 20 FOHHN speakers positioned in the near field tribune, and 2 Kling & Freitag downfills by the referee tower. There is also a TOA system of ceiling and wall mount speakers, specifically for the emergency alarm system. During emergency mode the iDR is programmed to only allow announcements through these speakers and all other sources are disabled.