The first was the victors' podium, where a fixed installation from Electro-Voice provided crystal-clear coverage. Here intelligibility was paramount, with Sir Jackie Stewart on hand to interview the winning trio of Mark Webber, Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel following the presentations.
The quality of musical reproduction, however, was also important, as the playing of the national anthems of the victorious teams was naturally part of the ceremony. Both these challenges were met by an Electro-Voice EVF system comprising two EVF-2151D-BLK and four EVF-1122D/96 BLK cabinets installed in the roof above the podium, driven by an Electro-Voice Qseries power amplifiers and a DX46 processor. A small, but fine, installation. And a premiere with it, as it was the first time the "D" models of the EVF series had been deployed in Europe.
During the fringe programme, too, this year at Silverstone, it was Electro-Voice that set the tone. As was the case at the Moto GP in mid June, a concert stage had been erected from which professional quality sound reinforcement was expected at all times, and, once again, it was the Warwickshire-based installation company 360 Creative Event Solutions (CES) that came up with the requisite solutions. The stage programme combined bands playing live with interviews. The Silverstone stage was also used for the BBC's Red Button Show, which was broadcast live and followed by millions of viewers.
"The production was a very demanding one," says Neal Allen, concert sound sales consultant, Bosch Pro Sound UK, "not only because it involved playing to an enormous crowd with sound of the highest possible intelligibility, but also because races were often continuing nearby and the level of ambient noise was therefore extremely high."
For the show stages, the team from 360 Creative Event Solution opted for an Electro-Voice system enhanced by FIR Drive. Twenty-four FIR-Drive-enhanced XLC-DVX elements combined here with 18 Xsubs and the same number of TG7 power amplifiers for the main system, but to ensure even coverage throughout the entire audience zone, a delay tower was also erected. This was armed with 12 Electro-Voice XLC-DVX line-array elements (also with FIR Drive) and six Xsubs, driven by eight TG7 power amplifiers. Front and side-fill as well as foldback were provided by equipment from Electro-Voice, again, complemented this time by an XA2 system from Dynacord.
Additionally, both the new and old wings of the Silverstone racecourse comprise a NetMax N8000 and CPS 8.5 multi-channel amplifier installation. Replacing the previous 100 V line system, the installed system allows the whole site to be serviced from a central control room on one interactive screen.
"It was a production of the very highest quality," says Neal Allen, "and it appears that we, together with 360 Creative Event Solution, passed the test with flying colours. The client, at any rate, was extremely satisfied, as is shown by the fact that discussions are already under way for next year's race productions."
(Jim Evans)
