RCF Line Arrays for Largest Stadium in Switzerland
Locally referred to as “Joggeli”, The St. Jakob Park in Basel, Switzerland has a long-history and is the largest stadium in Switzerland. Following a new construction managed by architects Herzog & de Meuron St. Jakob Park is the first multifunctional venue in Switzerland with apartments, a shopping centre, restaurants, department stores, and is also a UEFA Category 4 football stadium.
During the most recent modernisation in 2020 and 2021, the owner, FC Basel 1893 renewed the entire sound system with an RCF system, upgrading the under-balcony PA system and the entire grandstand PA system, with RCF loudspeakers. Power amplifiers and audio matrix systems have also been replaced. In particular, the client chose passive systems of the RCF HL, HVL, and P series from the Italian manufacturer to renew and improve the sound experience.
Since the modernisation took place the team around Martin Reich (audioconsulting ag) implemented the renewal of the audio system in three phases. First, the amplifiers and the audio matrix were replaced, followed by the installation of the under-balcony fills, and as a final step, a completely new sound system for the grandstands.
Martin Reich, CEO of audioconsulting ag, draws a positive conclusion: “After the first few games, we received very positive feedback. The music reproduction and the coverage by the new RCF systems have become more homogeneous in comparison, and speech intelligibility has also improved distinctly. With the line array systems, we can make much finer adjustments in terms of quieter and louder sections than was ever possible with the previous point-source loudspeakers.”
Due to the high acoustic requirements of the UEFA directive for stadium sound systems and the excellent experience with RCF loudspeakers in several Bundesliga stadiums, the decision was made to install loudspeakers from the HL, HVL and P Series from RCF. In total, the grandstand PA system utilises 205 HL 40 line array elements, 30 HS 2200 high-performance subwoofers for the main PA, and ten HVL 15 loudspeakers for the corner PA. A total of 330 P 4228 loudspeakers, specially manufactured in Basel-Red colour, are used to reinforce the under-balcony areas and the walkways.
Georg Hofmann, head of the RCF Engineering Support Group (ESG) in Germany, talks about the installation: “With such a large installation in a stadium, it was not only necessary to take into account the structural and acoustic conditions, but also the use during operation. With the new RCF system, St. Jakob Park has a sound reinforcement system that has both optimised voice reproduction, including emergency alerts, and massively improved music reproduction, in terms of sound quality and power output.”
The RCF systems fulfilled all benchmarks, with the most important criterion being the improvement in speech and music reproduction, which is largely achieved. The audio system is also used for safety-related announcements, so it must guarantee the requirements of the Swiss SES guideline SN EN 50849. Equally crucial was the seamless transition from the old to the new system and excellent weather resistance and reliability parameters during day-to-day operation. The system can be controlled and monitored remotely, virtually, down to the smallest transducer.
