North Carolina State University in Raleigh, North Carolina, recently renovated the sound system at its Carter-Finley Stadium. Home to the university’s Division I football team and one of the 80 largest stadia in the US, the nearly 57,000-seat stadium has been revamped to better reflect the energy and excitement of games, graduations and other large-scale events.

The Carter-Finley Stadium required a modern audio system that could handle the scope of its needs, as the previous system was outdated, unreliable, and unable to provide the sound clarity and control necessary. As the university embarked on a major scoreboard renovation, it was an ideal opportunity to give the sound system an equally significant overhaul.

Allen & Heath played an important role in both the technology and services of the audio system replacement project, assisting integrator Precision Audio, based in design, implementation and support of the work at the school’s facility.

At the heart of the new sound system is Allen & Heath’s AHM-64 audio matrix processor, which handles the distribution, tuning, and control of the stadium’s PA system. This includes audio not only for the field and main seating areas but also for concourses, suites, clubs, lobbies and elevators. Five CC-10 touchpanels run Allen & Heath’s Custom Control software, giving localised and system-wide control to both technical staff and non-expert users like coaches and game-day staff.

Several Dante-enabled DT164 and DT168 I/O audio expanders were deployed around the field, providing numerous remote inputs and instant access to audio feeds. Additionally, four DX012 output expanders are deployed in the concourses and amplifier room to feed the facility’s Danley Sound Labs PA.

The loudspeaker installation includes a variety of Danley loudspeakers and subwoofers, including four J8-94 loudspeakers that cover the majority of the stadium, three SH46 loudspeakers as down fill, a single J6-42 for coverage on the field, and eight BC415 subwoofers to provide lows. Around the remainder of the stadium are 16 OS12CX loudspeakers for coverage on the concourse as well as 32 Go2-8CX loudspeakers for under-balcony fill and 11 OS80 loudspeakers at the entrance gates.

For live events, including football games, Allen & Heath’s dLive mixing system takes centre stage. Equipped with a DM0 MixRack and a C3500 Surface, the system allows engineers to mix audio with outstanding clarity and intelligibility. The dLive mixes the DJ, referee mics, host mics, and a PA announcer, distributing the audio across six matrices to the AHM-64 for further processing and control, as well as local recording and broadcast facilities.

One of the standout features of the new system is its ability to address different areas of the stadium. The clubs and suites, which host some of the university’s passionate alumni and key influencers, can select between various audio feeds. If they’d prefer to listen to the direct audio feed from the dLive, it’s available on the AHM at the touch of a button. If they’d rather listen to the game feed from the local radio for a play-by-play, that’s also an option. This flexibility, combined with ease of use, ensures that every attendee has an optimal listening experience.

Allen & Heath’s role in this project extended beyond supplying hardware. As soon as the bid opened, Precision Audio called on Allen & Heath’s product managers and specialists to design the best-sounding system while maintaining two levels of control: simple, frictionless control for the athletic facility staff that only shows them what they need, and powerful, flexible control for the technicians and engineers. This included detailed support on system design, routing, processing, GPIO programming, and Dante integration.

With cutting-edge audio technology and hands-on support, Allen & Heath has enabled NC State’s stadium to be able to handle everything from intense football games to graduation ceremonies. The partnership with Precision Audio, who specified the system and provided the boots-on-the ground, illustrates the manufacturer’s ability to help integrators and clients achieve both sound quality and ease-of-use.