KICK OFF | AUDIO A closer look at products and projects from the world of audio.
FUNKTION-ONE HUMO ICE DOME The recently opened Humo Ice Dome in Tashkent, Uzbekistan has been installed with a full-range Funktion-One sound system - courtesy of Igor Horváth (Audioservices), with design support from Andrey Kremenchugskij (Edelweiss Audio). The installation features specially-devised clusters of Evo 6SH loudspeakers with F215 and F124 bass reinforcement. “The sound system is multi-functional,” explained Igor. “It is used for announcements and music playback during ice hockey matches, for high-quality music reproduction for figure skating and as a main sound system covering the seating areas for ice shows, theatre productions and gigs. It is also used for Government events. The system is designed so that it can be used as sidefills for concerts on the ice rink, when we can, for example, bring in a main Vero system.” The loudspeakers are arranged in four corner clusters of nine Evo 6SH - three covering two side sections of the seating and three for the lower corner sections. The short sections behind each goal have two clusters of six Evo6SH (three for the upper seating section and three for the lower) together with an F215 bass enclosure. A third configuration of five Evo 6SH (two covering the upper stand and three for the lower) with an F215 behind have been deployed along both lengths of the arena - four per side. A total of six clusters of two F124 bass enclosures are flown above both goals and two clusters in the third of the side stands. Finally, nine clusters of two Evo 6SH are positioned over the halfway line. Igor explained: “The sound system provides even coverage across 012
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the audience areas, delivering very high resolution, intelligibility and dynamics in speech and music of many genres - including national folk, Uzbek music and instrumentals. The extensive acoustic treatment has reduced the delay and reverberation time, while the accuracy of the Funktion-One loudspeakers ensures there are minimal reflections. The sound is so coherent and the dynamics are more like that of a concert hall than a sports arena.” The system is fully operated on a 96kHz Dante network into a Roland M5000 as a main desk in the control room, where there are also two Tascam multiformat players and four Sennheiser 500/965 wireless mics. To ensure sound quality is upheld across the audio spectrum, MP3s have been banned. Three audio racks house the MC2 amplfiers, each with three Delta 40 DSP Dante (for highs), three Delta 80DSP Dante (mid/highs) and three Delta 100 DSP Dante (mid/lows and sub), as well as optical cross, switch, and power distributor. “The distances between the connection points, control room and catwalks where the amplifiers are situated, plus its ability to maintain audio quality, meant that a Dante network was the best solution,” said Igor. “It also means that the sound system can fully cooperate with broadcast and TV and with systems coming in for special events. The Dante controller allows the whole system or parts of it to be controlled from anywhere.” www.funktion-one.com