Having acquired the site in 2004 from Six Flags Inc, early last year the park's operators, Belgian-based StarParks recently embarked on a major technology upgrade and commissioned a new audio-visual infrastructure, based around a central BSS Audio Soundweb London DSP/distribution system.
Under the supervision of technology integrators, FACE, the installation began in the early summer and was completed by the end of the year. Using Soundweb London (and HiQnet London Architect configuration, control and monitoring software) FACE's project manager Heiner Feldhaus established site-wide audio distribution over CobraNet.
All the paging, playback music and announcements are routed, switched to and amplified within the various zones by 98 Crown CTs 1200 and 65 CTs 600 amplifiers and a combination of 13 Soundweb London BLU-80's and 14 BLU-32s. These devices are required to switch up to 126 presets simultaneously.
BSS Audio's Justin Hankey, who provided technical support, states that it is the power and flexibility of HiQnet London Architect that is responsible for the advanced level of functionality - in particular sequential control of the daily parade.
It is in this application that Soundweb London really demonstrates its merit; as the daily parade moves systematically through the park, with the aid of video cameras an engineer in the control room is able to change the programme material from background music to the parade music as it passes through each designated zone.
(Jim Evans)
