Near the heart of Reykjavik, Iceland, stands Laugardalsvöllur, the National Soccer Stadium. It recently received a major upgrade, with complete renovations to the main seating area and the construction of new office facilities. The stadium now accommodates 15,000 people. Subsequently, the Football Association of Iceland requested an offer for a complete P.A. sound system for the stadium’s west side with the option of later expansion for the remaining areas. To complete this upgrade, the Football Association of Iceland hired local pro audio and lighting firm EB Kerfi ehf, and immediately plans were under way for the design of a full sound system for the entire stadium, which was to include loudspeakers from EAW, a world leader in audio system solutions.

EB Kerfi chose weather-protected versions of EAW’s MK5300 Series Small-Format Installation System loudspeakers with rotatable horns. The design of the system’s speaker setup was accomplished via a collaborative effort with EAW’s Application Support Group. The final design consists of six arrays with two loudspeakers each for the stadium’s main seats, and four additional speakers directed to the track area on the side of the field, for a grand total of 16 EAW MK5300 Series loudspeakers, in addition to an EAW DX810 Digital Matrix Mixer. EB Kerfi also chose Powersoft amplifiers and SommerCable cables for the system.

The loudspeakers’ weather protection has been designed to maximize the units’ durability for outdoor use. Some of the features include multi-layer grill assembly (steel mesh, synthetic foam and a stainless steel perforated grill), an enclosure constructed of exterior-grade plywood coated with styrene resin, fiberglass shell and non-hardening sealant on all hatches and bolts. All drivers and transducers are designed specifically for outdoor applications.

The system’s installation got under way in the summer of 2008 and was completed soon after. Response has been enthusiastic and positive: Páll Sævar Guðjónsson, the main announcer for national soccer matches at the stadium, stated, “This system sounds much better than I ever hoped for!” Stadium Manager Jóhann G. Kristinsson added, “We are very satisfied with the sound system. It’s very easy to use and sounds very nice!”

“The result was just as we had hoped,” stated Einar Björnsson, EB Kerfi’s General Manager. “Every single seat received great coverage and rich sound, with enough power for a rock concert. We aimed for high quality, and the final result for the P.A. matches that. The client wanted the best, and I believe that we gave them the best, thanks to EAW and Powersoft!”