The new Allianz Park stadium in North London, home to Saracens Rugby Club, has raised the bar for audio systems in the world of rugby.
The upgrade to a concert-standard sound system for the 10,000-seater stadium, designed and installed by RNSS Limited, has been designed to give fans the best possible audio experience.
After outlining his vision for the rugby stadium of the future, Saracens CEO Edward Griffiths brought in Roger Lindsay, as consultant for the project giving him a clear brief to achieve the highest possible audio performance. His view was that many rugby grounds had antiquated sound systems, but believed rugby fans had higher expectations due to better TV, domestic sound systems and music venues, and cited Milton Keynes Bowl as being one of the better examples at that time.
Roger Lindsay took that brief and brought in RNSS Ltd to work up the design with him and deliver the project.
Hi-fidelity sound is now available throughout the stadium. In addition to the new East grandstand, it also encompasses the three other stands and all internal spaces. This includes the 105 metre long interior space under the East stand which doubles as a match day bar, indoor athletics track, and training area. All 17 corporate boxes are equipped with individual multi-source audio and local level controls, and the four function rooms have the same capability, plus comprehensive full range audio playback from a variety of audio sources including wireless microphones and CD players via a bespoke control rack.
RNSS is no stranger to high profile projects having been responsible for audio at the mammoth Jubilee River Pageant and River of Music last year, and also the long-term contractor for audio at Southbank Centre and The Barbican. The project at Allianz Park is one of the most significant sports installations the company has undertaken in recent years.
Given the environmental concerns of local residents regarding “noise pollution”, RNSS addressed this challenge by designing a tightly controlled system which focused all audio directly into the areas occupied by fans within the stadium, while keeping ambient sound levels in the surrounding area to an absolute minimum and well within local authority guidelines.
Edward Griffiths said: “From the outset, we wanted anybody visiting Allianz Park to experience a series of ‘wow’s. The sound system is, without any doubt at all, a ‘wow’. It offers, as Roger Lindsay would say, sound you can feel rather than sound you can hear. We may have identified the target but, through their expertise and commitment, it is RNSS who hit the bulls-eye.”