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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EAW AX & MK Series Loudspeakers For New Distributed Sound Reinforcement System At Calgary’s Olympic Oval

Whitinsville, MA – September 5, 2007 -More than 60 EAW AX Series and MK Series full-range loudspeakers were recently installed as the key components of a new facility-wide distributed sound reinforcement system at the Olympic Oval in Calgary, a premier speed skating site and training facility, with new EAW Smaart version 6 (v.6) also utilized for the system analysis and alignment process.

Constructed for the 1988 Winter Olympic Games, the 10,000-seat venue continues to serve as a premier speed skating site in addition to hosting a wide range of athletic practices and events that keep it in constant use seven days a week. It offers a structure of pre-cast, pre-stressed concrete that completely covers a long-track speed skating oval encircling two international sized ice rinks for short-track speed skating and ice hockey, with the long-track surrounded by a running track.

The new sound system at the Oval replaces the outdated original system that relied upon a main centralized loudspeaker cluster, requiring supplemental rental systems to meet major-event expectations. Seeking a permanent solution, Olympic Oval Director of Operations Kameron Kiland began discussions with Terry McConaghy of Allstar Show Industries, a leading integrator with offices in Calgary, regarding a new system to provide dramatically improved coverage to the grandstand and portable seating areas, as well as the ability to simultaneously support multiple events.

McConaghy notes that EAW attracted his interest because of its deep line of installation loudspeakers capable of meeting the unique high output and directivity requirements of this project, furthered by the support of the Application Support Group (ASG), an EAW team of experienced audio professionals that supply design support and review services. SF Marketing, EAW’s distributor in Canada, provided additional support, and they also enlisted Arthur Skudra, a veteran electro-acoustic design consultant based in Windsor, to focus on loudspeaker selection, location and positioning throughout the entire venue.

Two ceiling catwalks (an “inner” and “outer” catwalk) running above the oval surface proved quite opportune as mounting positions for most of the system’s 66 EAW AX Series (longer throw) and MK Series (shorter throw) full-range loudspeakers. They’re positioned to cover at least a dozen different areas that are broken down into individual zones, with both series of loudspeakers offering a variety of coverage patterns that fit the often-unique dispersion requirements of certain areas.

The six-week system installation process was headed up by Keith Watson of Allstar, with the venue’s constant use every day of the week dictating workdays starting at 10 pm and lasting until 5 am. Skudra returned to the venue immediately following installation to perform two nights of system tuning and optimization, utilizing new EAW Smaart v.6 measurement and analysis software.

Specifically, he deployed Smaart v.6 on his MacBook Pro computer, noting, “this proved to be a really awesome combination. I was easily able to set time delays in such a way that the system is very transparent in terms of imaging, which can be a problem in such a huge venue and with such a huge system.”

Photos & Captions
(Click on thumbnail for hi-res version of image)

A panorama view of the Olympic Oval in Calgary, where many of the EAW loudspeakers installed as part of the venue's new distributed sound system can be seen, mounted to catwalks.

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A look at several EAW AX and MK Series loudspeakers flown from an Oval catwalk, providing sound reinforcement around one of the huge venue’s curves.

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About EAW
Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW) is a global leader in producing high-performance professional audio equipment trusted by the most discerning professionals for every possible sound reinforcement application. EAW is a registered trademark of LOUD Technologies Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.