Qwest Field, a 72,000-seat stadium that opened in 2002 and is home to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks franchise, recently installed EAW DSA (Digitally Steerable Array) Series loudspeakers to meet high-end sound reinforcement needs in seven newly renovated club spaces.
Under the direction of veteran audio engineer Fred Micera, Qwest Field installed the DSA Series to provide its club spaces with highly intelligible, high-output game-day radio broadcast programming, in addition to live feeds of pre-game activities, the team’s field entrances and the national anthem.
The three larger club spaces are each served by two sets of single full-range DSA250 and enhanced low-frequency DSA230 loudspeakers configured one over the other in a tight vertical line, topped by a single 12-inch loaded SB120x subwoofer. The four smaller spaces are handled by single DSA250s, also topped by a single SB120x sub.
All DSA loudspeakers are positioned well above the heads of patrons. According to EAW, Micera was able to place coverage exactly where it’s needed while avoiding reflections from hard surfaces because of the loudspeakers’ driver selection and precision-matched DSP.
“The ability to both tightly focus coverage and also direct it under balconies is the first attraction,” Micera explains. “In addition, the ease of mounting these systems is another big plus, and the actual mechanics of it are so simple and well-defined in the user’s manual that it really simplifies and lessens the cost of installation.”
Local contracting firm Power Comm installed the loudspeakers and companion cabling under Micera’s direction. Each DSA loudspeaker is plugged into adjacent AC outlets, while the subwoofers are driven via the few spare power amplifier channels that were available.
“The DSA Pilot software is outstanding as well, handy and intuitive,” Micera adds. “The integration of [EAW] Smaart within the software is great, with the ability to overlay response filters within the Smaart platform a huge bonus.”
For more information, visit www.eaw.com and www.qwestfield.com.
