In total AIS have distributed 25 Blackline F12 (12" + 1") enclosures in the North, South and West stands, with some of the pre-existing enclosures being redeployed for infill duties. To provide the coverage and quality required for the East stand, they also needed some long-throw enclosures - so Martin supplied five AM906 large-format lightweight composite material stadium horns, giving 90° x 60° coverage, and five AM404 stadium horns, with a spread of 40° x 40° - mounted at the front of the stands, with five WTUB (twin 6.5" + three 1" soft dome) boxes as under-balcony fills. Four Blackline H2s (10" + 1", horn-loaded mid/hi pack) for covering the pitch, complete the system design.
All Blackline boxes and WTUB's were weatherproofed for external use and fitted with high quality 100V line transformers. The system is fed from a networked Bosch Praesidio, digital software controlled PA/VA system running on a redundant ring based, fire-rated fibre optic backbone, backed up by a UPS system - and an auto start generator - provided by the club. Inputs include a number of feeds from the DJ station, a fully monitored control room mic used by the police and a remote back-up mic located outside the stadium. The new sound system goes live in time for the new season.
(Lee Baldock)