The Adelaide Oval has completed a Aus$575m expansion and upgrade that includes a new sound reinforcement system featuring EAW QX Series loudspeakers.

Home to the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) and South Australian National Football League (SANFL) as well as one of the premier entertainment venues in the country, the venue completely stripped its field and added new south and east stands, increasing seating capacity from 34,000 to 53,583. Minor modifications were also made to the existing west stands.

System integration and production company The PA People installed the new sound reinforcement system, which was designed by Wrightson, Johnson, Haddon and Williams (WJHW). ‘It was a good sized project,’ reports Brett Steele, Manager of Installed Systems for The PA People. ‘We installed 27 clusters of EAW QX 500 Series loudspeakers to cover the majority of the stand seating areas. The objective was to provide comprehensive coverage while keeping the PA system as unobtrusive as possible.’

The western grandstand is covered by 11 clusters of three QX564i loudspeakers. Ten clusters, comprising two QX564i enclosures and one QX544i, covered the eastern grandstand seating. The southern stands have a higher roof to work beneath, requiring four clusters to cover the seating area. Two clusters were single QX566i cabinets, while the other two comprised one QX566i and one QX544i.

‘The QX Series is a nice compact box that has extremely high output and looks terrific,’ Steele says. ‘Each model uses the same enclosure but has a choice of coverage patterns. The aesthetic is quite attractive while the coverage is tailored to what is required.’

EAW’s QX Series loudspeakers provide a high ouput level, making them appropriate for long throws in stadiums like the Adelaide Oval. The PA People created custom metal brackets that were used to fly the clusters from the lip of the overhangs with the assistance of a 150-ft boom.  ‘This is an excellent project for South Australia’s premier sporting venue and we are proud to have been involved,’ says PA People MD, Chris Dodds.