K-array provides sound for the new ice hockey pavilion in Rabat

The new Rabat ice hockey pavilion debuts with an Olympic-sized rink that also functions as a multifunctional space for events, integrating lighting, structural elements, LED screens and a high-performance audio system with audio solutions K-array.

Recognized as the largest and most modern hockey stadium on the African continent, The venue establishes a new benchmark for the region's sports and entertainment infrastructure. At its heart is a K-array sound system designed to fill the entire stadium with a immersive and clear audio for any event.

The project was executed by Cegelec, a subsidiary of Vinci Energies specialized in consulting, design, engineering, construction and maintenance of commercial and industrial buildings and general infrastructure projects. Cegelec's audiovisual division managed the installation of professional equipment throughout the venue. K-array equipment for the project was supplied through EcmaPro Systems, the brand's distributor in Morocco.

The assignment was ambitious and precise. The venue required an audio system capable of offering a entertainment 360 degrees in a wide variety of use cases, from speeches and sports announcements to musical performances and large-scale public events.

Large sports venues present a complex acoustic environment. The reverberation, Crowd noise and structural reflections can significantly degrade intelligibility, especially in a space designed to accommodate thousands of spectators. A compact, precisely controlled system was essential, and had to be able to deliver high performance without creating the acoustic problems that less directional alternatives can introduce..

K-array's combination of technology line array, active subwoofers and integrated DSP amplification It met these requirements without being intrusive from an architectural point of view.. The installed system consists of 48 line array elements passive Mugello-KH2P I, 16 subwoofers activos Thunder-KS3 I y nine Kommander-KA208 amplifiers.

He KH2P I is a thin double-cone 8 line array element″ incorporating K-array's Electronic Beam Steering technology, which allows you to digitally adjust the dispersion of the sound beam for precise orientation throughout the listening area, while mechanical control provides additional control over both horizontal and vertical coverage patterns.

He Thunder-KS3 I is a compact active subwoofer built around a 21" cone driver.″ and a DSP amplifier module 4 × 2500 W, complemented by the eight-channel Kommander-KA208 2500 W per channel. Both are integrated into the K-array Connect ecosystem, allowing remote configuration and signal routing of the entire system via a mobile app. He KA208 can also be managed on a large scale through K-framework3, K-array's professional software for speaker design and system tuning.

The K-array engineering team worked closely with Cegelec throughout the entire project., providing advice on system design, acoustic modeling and analysis, installation and adjustment on site, as well as audiometric measurements and optimization. This collaborative approach ensured the final system met the performance requirements of a modern multi-purpose venue.

Even coverage

“Installing a system of this magnitude in a hockey stadium built expressly for this purpose entails a series of its own acoustic requirements.”, states Najib Bouskour, director de Axians, a Vinci Energies company. “K-array's combination of precise beam control and high clean power gave us the tools to achieve uniform coverage throughout the venue, whether the stadium hosts a hockey game, a concert or any other event”.

The opening of the stadium highlighted both the quality of the facility and the venue's wider ambitions. In the first tournament held on ice, The Moroccan national hockey team won the championship, defeating several rivals, among them the Portuguese team.

Looking to the future, the hockey stadium will host the IIHF Men's Development Cup in June 2026, bringing international ice hockey to Rabat and the African continent at that level for the first time. With a K-array system designed for long-term reliability and flexibility in all types of event formats, the stadium is prepared to face that occasion and all the events that follow.