Nilsson’s Columns

• Case Studies

Bergsåkers Trotting Racetrack in the Swedish city of Sundsvall took delivery this summer of the largest Iconyx system to be installed in the whole of Sweden.

Both the largest internal and external audience areas of the racetrack were upgraded to the new sound system. Robert Nilsson from Swedish design and installation company DAT AB says: “We supplied a rental system last year to the racetrack, using a Renkus-Heinz system, for their biggest racing event, and the customer was so pleased with the sound quality and coverage that the company placed an order with us to design and install a new, full range sound system for them. They wanted it not only to provide superb sound for race day commentary, safety information and background music, but also to be capable of delivery full-range music for corporate events and even concerts.”
The DAT team analysed the racetrack’s acoustical coverage in EASE 4.1, simulating both coverage and STI – which confirmed that the biggest challenges to solve would be the upper floor and restaurant sections of the indoor facilities.
Nilsson continues: “The customer had huge acoustical problems inside those areas, because of the seating layout, the reflective table surfaces and the huge, tall glass windows that face the track. They needed a high Q, precisely aimable loudspeaker system that would direct sound onto the audience and keep it away from the hard surfaces – but without impeding the clear view through the windows out to the track.
“Our experience with Iconyx and the results we’ve had with it in other projects suggested that this would be the perfect solution. The system we designed comprised six IC16 loudspeakers and two IC8s, one of which is delayed for special coverage for the seating areas, along with 12 TRX61/T cabinets as downfills for the area directly underneath the seats covered by the IC16s. The final touch was a set of very compact, custom designed subwoofers that complement the Iconyx and form a complete, full-range music system.”
For the building’s entrance, with a stone floor and concrete roof, a distributed delayed system of 21 TRX61/T cabinets solved the difficult acoustics, delivering both clarity and the correct volume for the betting locations. “The employees are very happy about the improvement in working conditions the system creates for them,” says Nilsson.
The story continued outside, drawing on other products from Renkus-Heinz’s range. After more EASE calculations the team specified 10 high-power CDT500/44 constant directivity horns to cover the audience areas and eight CDT1/CCH1500/94 horns as downfills to cover the racetrack area itself. Finally, eight BPS12-2 WR subwoofers added a tight, clear low end for music. The entire system is controlled via a Media Matrix Nion system with CAB4s.
Nilsson says the results have been received with enthusiasm: “We ended up with a result that even exceeded our expectations – solving the acoustical problem, getting a good sound yet still having a wonderful, good-looking installation.”
It’s a view the client, Racetrack Manager Johan Sundberg, is happy to confirm: “We are delighted with Robert Nilsson of DAT AB and his staff for their commitment and dedication to giving us the best possible sound solution. The design and installation of the Iconyx is superb and perfect for our needs in the upper public areas.
“After hosting our biggest event, the Sundsvall open trot with an audience of 18,000 audience in one day, we can only say ‘we are so happy’. And the custom design of the down fill and subwoofer systems from Renkus-Heinz carries that special experience into all the other areas of the racetrack too.”