Powersoft, protagonist of the sound system of the new Argentine stadium

The Unique Mother of Cities Stadium has been equipped with 19 Quattrocanali amplifier platforms 4804 DSP+D to cover most of the stadium, as well as two Mezzo 322 AD and two 604 A for smaller rooms. This is complemented by a Xilica Solaro FR1 DSP and XTouch control system..

In April 2018, the Government of Santiago del Estero, together with the Argentine Football Association (Argentine Football Association – AFA), began drawing up plans to design a new provincial stadium that was to begin construction in June. Although its destiny to serve as the headquarters of the Copa América 2020 has been frustrated by the pandemic, The stadium has been completed in compliance with all FIFA regulations, Conmebol and AFA.

He Unique Mother of Cities Stadium It is a cylindrical stadium with covered stands and capacity for 28.000 seated spectators and includes VIP areas, press spaces, for restaurants and covered parking for 400 cars; as well as a main access plaza and a sports museum.

In addition, has become the first stadium in the country designed with the sound system in mind from the early stages of construction, which makes it one of the venues with the most future potential in Argentina.

The audio part of this ambitious project was entrusted to Equaphon Sound Systems SRL, an Argentine company with more than 45 years of experience in the professional audio market.

“In this type of enclosures, safety is a determining factor”, comments Rubén Branca, general director of Equaphon. “Thanks to the different limiters offered by Powersoft amplification platforms, a very high degree of system security is achieved”.

Since June, All Powersoft amplification platforms have achieved EN certification 54-16, which means that they meet the test and performance criteria to be used as control and indication equipment for voice and public address alarms..

Main sound system features stadium voice capabilities, emergency and people search, and is divided into different areas, with the possibility of directing audio programs to different areas, according to the needs of events and circumstances. Levels are controlled by touch panels, from three different locations in the stadium: the stadium voice booth, the CCO position and the monitoring position.

A total of 19 Quattrocanali amplifier platforms 4804 DSP+D to cover most of the stadium, as well as two Mezzo 322 AD and two Mezzo 604 A for some of the smaller rooms. The audio system is complemented by a Xilica Solaro FR1 DSP and XTouch control system that centralizes the processing, IP audio distribution and management.

Grandstand area

At the project design stage, working with acoustic simulations, the team decided to cover the grandstand area by hanging eight sets from the stadium ceiling, which were composed of 12 STS Touring Series V15+ cabinets manufactured by Equaphon each.

This model is an active line array system powered by a two-channel Powersoft D-Cell504 IS module and has a neodymium loudspeaker. 10 inches 500 W and a 1.4 neodymium driver″ 160 W.

“Since the system had to be permanently hung outdoors, work was done to optimize it for these circumstances”, Branca said.. “It became a bi-amped passive box, with a newly designed fixed rigging structure. The amplifier chosen was the Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D, that operates six cabinets at the same time”.

The system design decentralized the amplifiers taking advantage of the Dante protocol and the fiber optic ring, distributing them in 11 racks placed at strategic points in the stadium. This minimizes wiring, which in turn reduces costs and allows maintenance and inspection of the amplifiers without disturbing the entire system.

“In the north stands, east and south, the high tray blocks the coverage of the upper part of the lower stalls”, explains Branca. “For this reason, line speakers are used 100 V to reinforce that area, which is amplified by two channels of another Powersoft Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D”.

Interior areas

The interior areas of the Unique Mother of Cities Stadium feature two-way in-wall cabinets or STS Touring Series Onyx8 two-way coaxial in-ceiling speakers., both on lines of 100 V.

These areas and the VIP boxes are powered by three Quattrocanali 4804 DSP+D y dos Mezzo 322 AD distributed in three strategically located racks.

Both the home and visiting teams will have access to rooms where training staff can play tactical videos. Both rooms have an STS Touring Series mikra4 stereo system and a mikraSub12 subwoofer as a complement. All powered by a Mezzo 604 A.

The rooms where the press conferences will be held have two STS Touring Series Suono8 portable systems in stereo configuration. Each of them includes a 15 subwoofer″ and a column with 8 3.5 speakers″ and is powered by a Powersoft LiteMod HV module and processed with a DSP-Lite. Being a portable and active system, the user has the flexibility to place them as required by the application.