The installation of the system was scheduled to take place during the final stages of the building works, so A.C. was under both budget and deadline pressure to complete all work in time for the re-opening. A.C. chose VDC because the characteristics of its cables were ideal for their requirements, plus the company was able to respond quickly to their brief, which was important given the strict time pressure."
A.C. used Van Damme Brown Series single quad cable and Van Damme Ecoflex speaker cable. The actual system features 40 speakers and a number of overhead microphones that replay the auditorium audio to the various VIP areas, restaurants and bars within the Arena complex.
The installation involved over 2,800m of cable including very long cable runs, some of which ran the full length of the Arena. Therefore A.C. needed a cable that could handle that kind of run with as little signal loss as possible. They also had to comply with stringent safety standards, which meant choosing a cable that offered low smoke and fumes in the event of fire.
A.C. Lighting completed the installation in time for re-opening of the world famous venue, which took place on 2 April following the 15-month, £35 million refurbishment programme.
(Lee Baldock)
