Auburn University’s Jordan-Hare Stadium is the tenth largest on-campus football stadium in the NCAA. On top of this, it now has the largest HD video board in college sports accompanied by high-quality sound, delivered over IP by a Dante audio network.
Designed, built and installed by Daktronics, the massive 197x57-sq-ft LED video display is part of a US$14m infrastructure upgrade to the venue. ‘Dante is next-generation digital audio networking technology,’ says David Sturzenbecher (CTS-I), Audio Project Engineer for Daktronics. While Daktronics distributes most of its display products via a dealer network, it directly handles all of the systems integration involved with its massive video displays, including the sound systems.
‘We use Dante on roughly 60 to 70 per cent of our big-screen installations because it’s extremely flexible, scalable, and configurable,’ Sturzenbecher says. ‘Its seamless interoperability between components makes it easy to expand existing installations.’ Auburn University is already planning an upgrade to its stadium’s north end zone stands, including the addition of another big-screen LED video display.
Centralised in an audio control room in the stadium’s press box, the Dante network allows a single audio operator to manage a wide array of inputs from CD players, microphones and more used by the announcers, referees, and musical performers. Dante also routes audio over IP from a Midas mixing console in Auburn University’s video control room, a half-mile up the road from the stadium.
All control room game day audio elements interface with a Dante-enabled Yamaha RIO (Rack Input Output) 3224-D unit, which supports 32 inputs/16 outputs. These signals are centrally monitored and controlled from a 64-channel Yamaha CL5 digital audio mixing console – equipped with native Dante capability – in the stadium’s audio control room.
Working in tandem with Dante-compatible networking components, the CL5 delivers the audio signals to the DSP units around the stadium. The BSS London-Blu-806 digital signal processors, convert various analogue and digital audio signals to the digital format required for transmission over the Dante network, as well as performing venue routing and equalisation. The Dante network also uses six London Blu-326 processors, which accept Dante signals and decode them to AES-EBU for the public address system, monitors and loudspeakers.
‘The London Blu-806 essentially acts as the brains of the network because it does the majority of the processing. It takes in Dante streams from the mixing console, performs the processing and then routes the audio throughout the various locations, such as the press box, loudspeakers, delay speakers and other network destinations.’ Sturzenbecher explains. ‘Not having signal routing limitations was a definite advantage on this stadium installation. With Dante, we get the same quality audio signal out that we put in, even at the end of 2,000 feet of fibre.’
From the control computer’s touchscreen, the operator can control the volume and other quality attributes of every audio signal and device on the Dante network. ‘With the wide range of Dante-compatible components available on the market today – such as the Yamaha CL5 mixer, London Blu-806 and 326 processors – we’re able to create a powerful, entertaining sound presentation that beautifully complements our big-screen video experience,’ he adds. ‘By following standard networking protocol, Dante’s smart design makes complex audio over IP networking relatively simple.’
The loudspeaker system consists of four vertical arrays housing 28 JBL loudspeakers with eight Danley 18-inch subwoofers in support. ‘Our goal is ±3dB at any location in the stadium,’ he adds. ‘It’s a very similar sound level and quality if you’re directly beneath the board.’
More: www.audinate.com
