Argentina. Xilica has raised the score for stadium audio with a centralized IP-based DSP architecture at the new Estadio Único Madre de Ciudades sports venue in Argentina.
Designed and integrated by Equaphon Sound Systems, the system uses a Xilica Solaro FR1 DSP to optimize the costs and infrastructure normally required to process and distribute live event audio in a large outdoor stadium. The Xilica architecture includes XTouch control solutions to manage the stadium's voice, emergency and location functions from three locations.
The 28,000-seat venue, located in the city of Santiago del Estero, officially opened in May and will welcome more fans to the stadium for future events, including the Copa America men's soccer championship in June 2021. The Xilica Solaro FR1 routes the stadium's public address (live voice, music clips), pagers and emergency notifications through a Dante network to 12 indoor and outdoor areas, including the grandstand, VIP boxes, ticket offices, parking areas, changing rooms and stadium entrances. The Solaro FR1 processes high-quality Dante audio for 96 speakers in the grandstand alone, and supports 76,800W of PA power.
Xilica's core DSP value proposition through infrastructure optimization, audio quality optimization, and IT integration shines throughout the facility. The unique high-capacity scalable Solaro FR1 effectively centralizes DSP functions while decentralizing the 21 Powersoft amplifiers serving the 12 zones. This allowed the integration team to place amplifier racks at strategic points in the stadium, while minimizing wiring and associated costs. Xilica Solaro XIO 8 modular expansion frames add value to stadium staff through the fast connection of external audio sources to the Dante network.
Xilica XTouch 80 touchscreens enable simple and intuitive voice and audio management within the stadium's voice booth and two monitoring stations tasked with safety and emergency notifications. The XT80 allows security personnel to override general public address audio to deliver emergency messages and safety instructions, while announcers in the stadium booth can easily switch between a handheld microphone, Dante, and analog audio inputs. All XTouch systems interact with amplifiers to manage volume control and other audio settings.
"Xilica's audio and control integrate seamlessly with the stadium's IT infrastructure, allowing us to centralize central processing and other DSP functions while leveraging the stadium's fiber optic ring and Dante network for distribution," said Ruben Branca, Managing Director of Equaphon Sound Systems. "Xilica's clean interoperability with third-party AV and IT components also simplified system scheduling and routing paths during the design and integration phases, allowing us to simplify and optimize deployment, system operation, and end-user serviceability."
