Amsterdam ArenA with MediaMatrix.

Amsterdam ArenA is home to AFC Ajax, the Dutch football team’s international fixtures and provides a stop-off point for touring artists, including names such as Coldplay and U2.

Challenge

▪ Addressing the issue of atypical acoustics, difficulties that could not be solved - in realistic financial terms - by current construction techniques.

▪ The system needs to serve three different scenarios: concert delay support, football matches and voice evacuation with seamless operation

System requirements

• Regulation compliance including Dutch national regulations and specific UEFA/FIFA requirements for performance and intelligibility.
• Compliance with national and international safety standards for evacuation systems
• Enhancing the venue’s reputation as a host of other entertainment events - especially concerts - with an acknowledged leading audio brand.

Audio solutions

The application utilizes innovative d&b ArrayProcessing technology to create the best tonal balance and covering in various situations. When there is a concert, the system can be used as a delay system. The arrays can be mechanically rotated to position them in line with a stage PA on the north side.

Integration solutions

d&b R1 Remote control software was used for the initial setup and in case we needed to change AmpPresets and ArrayProcessing settings to meet the latest requirements, but these settings should not be accessible to any user. Interoperability with MediaMatrix was implemented using the d&b MediaMatrix plug-in for comprehensive operation of the three different scenarios, redundancy, and evacuation situations, all with a maximum of reliability and efficiency.

The MediaMatrix monitors all system functions and devices, from inputs to outputs, and network ports to amplifiers. The d&b amplifiers monitor the correct operation of all connected loudspeakers constantly. The main MediaMatrix set and the backup set monitor every device and connection in the system constantly - the entire system is redundant.
Presets set the Input levels, EQ, delays and AmpPresets (with the correct ArrayProcessing slot).
For smaller matches, the audio engineer can use 2 other ArrayProcessing settings.

• Lower part only (1st ring)
• Upper part only (2nd ring)

On 30D amplifiers, we use Input monitoring to check for pilot tone presence on all inputs. The Input fallback in the 30D is used to switch automatically from the main inputs to the backup in case the pilot tone drops below the threshold. Dante routes the audio signal to the amplifier racks that are installed at two different positions on the catwalk. The d&b DS10 is used to convert the Dante signal to AES3, which in turn feeds the amplifiers. The whole setup is implemented twice, one Main and a Backup all the way to the amplifiers.