The newly refurbished 8,600-seat.Chonburi Stadium in Eastern Thailand returns to action with a new 40-box Bose ArenaMatch loudspeaker system driven by Powersoft’s crossover X Series amplifier platform. The system is completed by a Midas M32R Live console and Electro-Voice ND86 wireless microphones.
Built in 2009 to host the 39th Thailand National Games, held in Chonburi in 2010, the stadium is currently home to Thai League 1 football team Chonburi FC, who play both domestic and international home fixtures in the ground, located around 50 miles east of Bangkok. Replacement of the original audio system – the choice of equipment having been driven by budget considerations – is part of an ongoing upgrade of the venue’s facilities, which also included lighting, seating and a re-turfed grass pitch.
Tasked with improving intelligibility for both speech and music, system integrator Asavasopon used Bose Professional Modeler and Auditioner software by (for which Asavasopon is Thai distributor) to design a suitable sound system.
‘To the stadium owners, the sound quality in the stadium is crucial, both in terms of loudness and clarity,’ says Asavasopon President, Phaisal Asavasopon,. ‘The quality of the communications providing information to spectators was considered particularly important.’
The chosen set-up pairs Bose’s ArenaMatch loudspeakers with six high-performance Powersoft X4 DSP + Dante amplifiers also made use of Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus control and monitoring software, which is fully integrated with the X Series, to fine-tune the newly installed system.
Designed for both touring and install applications, the Powersoft X Series – comprising the four-channel X4 and eight-channel X8 – combines audio quality with loudspeaker management, including a fully featured DSP, in a single 1U-high unit. The X4 also integrates a worldwide-compatible three-phrase power supply and, in the DSP + Dante version, a 16-in/8-out redundant Dante connection.
The refurbished venue was handed over to the city by Asavasopon in May, with local Government representatives ‘overwhelmingly enthusiastic’. Phaisal Asavasopon reports the new audio system as far exceeding expectations of sound quality, especially with regard to money spent.
The venue is now a showcase for high-quality audio, as it is likely this is now the best sports stadium in Thailand for sound quality. With Chonburi FC currently fifth in the Thai League 1, the club stands a good chance of qualifying for international competition, meaning the new sound system could also get a work-out in front of an overseas audience for the first time soon.
‘We are delighted to have worked with our Thai partners on this once-in-a-generation project to create Thailand’s best-sounding stadium,’ says Powersoft APAC Sales Manager Consultant, Arthur Soh. ‘It is great to hear the X Series doing what it does best: delivering powerful, reliable, high-quality sound that meets the demanding requirements of a world-leading venue.’
More: www.powersoft.com
