The Palazzetto dello Sport Paolo Ferraris in Casale Monferrato has a new sound system, courtesy of local distributor AudioLink. The news system is based upon the QSC Audio Q-Sys integrated platform, KLA Series active line arrays, and K Series active loudspeakers.
Informally known as the PalaFerraris, the multi-purpose venue in Northwestern Italy hosts a range of indoor sports, concerts and other events. More importantly, it is home to newly-promoted Serie A basketball team AS Junior Casale.
The past year has been a memorable one for the team – in 2011 Junior Casale were crowned outright champions of LegaDue and, in a dramatic playoff final, clinched promotion to the top division of Italian basketball. As a top-level team needs a top-level arena, Casale Monferrato city council commissioned a major renovation of the PalaFerraris, increasing the seating capacity to 3,510 – and installing a state-of-the-art sound system.
When it came to finding an audio control system with the power and flexibility to meet the diverse needs of the venue, the Q-Sys platform was the obvious choice. Designed with the technical support of experienced independent audio-visual consultant Angelo Rovero, the entire PalaFerraris audio system is built around a single Q-Sys Core 1000 unit. With all processing, monitoring and routing centrally controlled by Q-Sys, the system can seamlessly handle music, prerecorded messages, live announcements and in-game sound effects, maintaining the highest audio quality throughout.
The entire system can be managed from an iPad running the Q-Sys Controller App and Q-Sys Designer software, which allows the user to assemble custom control interfaces (UCIs), placing practically any element of the system under fingertip control. At PalaFerraris, an operator can now monitor and adjust levels, switch source selection and trigger music and jingles instantly using the iPad’s touch screen.
‘Q-Sys was the ideal solution for the PalaFerraris,’ says AudioLink head, Stefano Cantadori. ‘The totally flexible architecture of the Q-Sys Core and the intuitive nature of the Q-Sys Designer software mean that configuring the entire system to fit the needs of the venue is exceptionally quick and easy. Our on-site specialist Giammario Piumatti, who is there to assist the client with programming the system, loves it because any last-minute ideas and requests can so easily be integrated, just as the system can easily be adapted in the future to cope with the evolving needs of the venue.’
To fully realise this potential, AudioLink suggested that PalaFerraris take a look at one of the newest additions to the House of K – the KLA Series active line array. Working with installation contractor Testa Marco, four KLA line arrays – each composed of three KLA12 active, two-way loudspeaker elements – were mounted above the main stands, delivering power and projection without restricting the view of any of the spectators. An additional complement of K Series K10 and K8 active loudspeakers were set at ground level to cover new court-side stands and provide discreet sound reinforcement around the court itself.
More: www.qscaudio.com
