30 INSTALL
“We designed the job in Revit for complete understanding of the sightlines around the curves of the hockey dasher boards and glass, and to reliably document the new conduit system needed to handle the more numerous zones.” The final design was based around Fulcrum Acoustic CX1265 12-inch coaxial speaker clusters. A total of 16 double CX1265 clusters hang above the playing surface perimeter to cover the arena’s upper and lower bowl, with additional clusters deployed into each of the low-roofed end zones to avoid obstructing scoreboard sightlines, plus speakers to cover the arena seating portion of the private suites. “The Fulcrum speakers we specified are perfectly packaged for the smallto-mid-sized arena format. They rig easily,” said Dave. “Fulcrum’s EASE data is very accurate, so there were no adjustments by ear in the field from the modelled geometry. The Revit families worked well. Previous experience with Fulcrum in a stadium setting gave us confidence that the speakers would sound great. A no-brainer.” Two ‘blue line’ clusters of four stacked Fulcrum Sub115 15-inch subwoofers ringed with four CX1265’s provide steered low frequency support and playing surface coverage. Four compact GX1226 12-inch coaxial speakers can also be raised into the hollow scoreboard for world-class figure skating competitions in which musical timing and imaging are crucial, as well as for other centre stage events such as concerts and boxing.
Loudspeaker management for the 5,400-seat multi-purpose indoor arena is taken care of by a QSC Integrated Core 500i system platform, which is capable of directly accommodating eight Q-SYS input and/or output cards for a total onboard channel capacity of 32 channels. “The networking of the Q-Sys is excellent, as is the programming interface and adaptability to other digital systems through interface cards. For Hershey Centre, it was important to set up fairly small zones for various program requirements. The zoning flowed easily from DSP to amplifiers. It worked out very well.” Summing up the audio upgrade, Dave said: “Engineering Harmonics’ Project Manager and Acoustical Consultant, Jeff Bamford, made things painless, as did the installation contractor, Solotech, and the electrical contractor, Danik Electric, who did great work to get the job done in a multi-contract environment before the hockey season opener and a figure-skating event was broadcast internationally. Solotech’s Mark Radu lent his considerable experience to both system programming and timing and EQ puzzles.” In conjunction with the audio facelift, the LED lighting within Hershey Centre was also replaced. For this Dave worked with Smith + Andersen, who designed the retrofit LED lighting. Obviously, the upgrade to LED offers huge energy and cost savings for the venue, as well as being more efficient for ongoing maintenance.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION INSTALLER / DESIGNER: Solotech, Engineering Harmonics, Dave Clark Consulting BRANDS: Fulcrum Acoustic, QSC, Daktronics, Smith + Andersen WEBSITE: www.solotech.com / engineeringharmonics.com / www.daveclarkconsulting.ca / www. fulcrum-acoustic.com / www.qsc.com / www.daktronics.com / smithandandersen.com www.mondostadia.com
“The main challenge during the installation was the simultaneous replacement of the lighting system with an LED system, differently distributed than the old system, so we had to re-assess the mutual shadowing interferences,” Dave explained. “The predictability of the EASE coverage and the ability to revise the Revit model to respond to the changes in the lighting placement were invaluable.” Although not upgraded in line with the audio and lighting systems, a Daktronics video display completes the technology line-up at Hershey Centre. The Hershey Centre expressed interest in enhancing the fan experience while also bringing the largest display in the OHL (Ontario Hockey League) to their venue. “We worked directly with the arena on a design-build project for the interior displays, including the four-sided centrehung configuration. Each of the four main displays measure 9.5ft high by 17ft wide,” said Ryan Stratton from Daktronics. “All the displays can be seamlessly controlled through the integrated show control system. By combining the centerhung, hoist and control solution from a single supplier, Daktronics is able to provide a single contact point for support of their highly visible assets in the arena.” There was a tight timeframe for this project but thanks to the project management capabilities of Daktronics, the installation was delivered successfully and on time.