With a planned upgrade of its sound systems spanning the spring/summer seasons from 2018 to 2020, the Lincoln Financial Field – home to the Philadelphia Eagles NFL team, as well as hosting the Temple University Owls and many soccer games each season – ran headlong into coronavirus in the later stages of the project, delaying completion of the end zones and fill systems.
In 2017, the stadium had asked technology solutions provider Diversified to design a new system for the seating bowl that would increase system output while maintaining good speech intelligibility and also improve low frequency extension to increase its impact and enhance musicality and energy. In addition, the work was to be phased so as not to interrupt the stadium’s event schedule.
‘The fan experience across the NFL has been improving for a number of years,’ says Jeff Sanderson, Senior Design Engineer at Diversified. ‘The Eagles wanted Lincoln Financial Field to sound as good or better than anything else in the NFL. Speech intelligibility and musical experience is a critical part of that.’
Diversified proposed a Fulcrum Acoustic-based solution, having had experience with the company’s products through other projects and knowing that the combination of output, fidelity and control would provide the solution that the Eagles were seeking. Sanderson used Ease modelling software to design the new sound system incorporating AH, FH and GX series loudspeakers, as well as Passive Cardioid subwoofers. Fulcrum’s ability to provide any model with weather resistant construction was also an important factor.
To this end, rigging structures were pre-fabricated ahead of installation, and Fulcrum worked with Diversified to phase deliveries of products to keep the installation moving efficiently. Where possible, Diversified reused existing loudspeaker locations and wiring, adding to overall installation efficiency. To avoid conflicts with the sports schedule, the installation was to occur in the off-seasons – the upper seating deck in spring/summer 2018, the club level and lower seating in spring/summer 2019, and the final end zones and fill loudspeakers in spring/summer 2020.
Diversified installed 40 loudspeaker clusters from the sunshade at the top of the stadium to provide audio distribution to the upper deck seats. Each cluster comprises an AH65 60° x 45° coaxial horn and two gx1226 120° x 60° coaxial loudspeakers. The high output and long throw of Fulcrum’s AH Series loudspeakers provides coverage to the front half of the upper deck seats while the GX1226s cover the seats below and behind the cluster locations. Additional AH96s and AH463s were installed to supplement coverage beyond the extent of the clusters.
Individual CS118 subcardioid subwoofers were installed between each cluster and aimed downward for low frequency support. The CS118’s Passive Cardioid design reduces rear low frequency radiation, thereby minimising reflections off the roof structure for improved clarity.
For the Club Level (Phase 2) seating between the upper deck and lower level, Diversified used clusters of FH1565 60° x 45° coaxial horns and GX1226 loudspeakers attached to the underside of the upper deck overhang. The FH1565s provide coverage of the lower half of the Club Level seats while the GX1226s cover the seats near the clusters.
Loudspeakers for the Lower Level (Phase 2)are mounted to the underside of the Club Level overhang. Clusters of AH65 and GX1226 are used to provide both long throw and near coverage, similar to the configurations used in the upper seating levels. CS118 subs were again selected for their combination of high-impact performance and low frequency control.
To match the output and fidelity of the new system, Fulcrum developed the ESB44 and ESB31 horizontal arrays. These provide supplementary coverage for seats shaded from the main system (Phase 3). While not originally part of the project, the performance of the existing fill speakers was not suitable for use with the new system. Fulcrum developed the ESB enclosure to duplicate the mounting of the original system. These are mounted to the face of a partial-height concrete wall spanning the length of the stadium.
Every loudspeaker for the project was constructed using Fulcrum Acoustic’s weather-resistant composite material to maintain strength and durability in the face of inclement weather. All speakers were finished in a custom colour selected by the Eagles.
Work planned for 2021 will add new loudspeakers for the end zone seating using DX12 and CX8 series speakers mounted to the stadium’s ‘Talon’ structures. Additional custom ESB44 and ESB31 will be installed to complete the replacement of the existing fill loudspeakers.
More: www.fulcrum-acoustic.com
