Diversified has announced the completion of a new project with the Seattle Seahawks to unveil a technology upgrade at Lumen Field, with a modern fan experience at its core.
Seahawks fans will be brought to their feet with a new sound system designed and installed by Diversified featuring a loudspeaker system from d&b audiotechnik.
The new audio system, designed and installed by Diversified, includes nearly 500 loudspeakers, leading with SL-Series and XSLi-SUB, driven by 148 d&b audiotechnik amplifiers. These and other d&b loudspeakers were selected for their controlled, uniform coverage, improved voice intelligibility and impactful low-frequency sound throughout the stadium.
Chip Suttles, vice president of technology for the Seahawks, Lumen Field and the Lumen Field Event Center, explained the goals for the new sound system were fan-focused. “Our priority was to increase the clarity and range of our PA system to allow for better intelligibility of the announcements and more even distribution throughout the stadium. Music is also now a key element of the game presentation, so it was just as important to enhance the fan experience with full-range, impactful music support by including subwoofers in the configuration.”
The scope of this installation required significant customisation. Diversified and d&b audiotechnik worked hand-in-hand in designing and deploying the new sound system. This includes creating a custom user interface within the d&b R1 remote control software platform.
The natural environmental factors of Seattle, including rain and the corrosive salt content of coastal air, also needed to be addressed. "d&b assisted us in identifying specific locations to implement some of their most intense weatherised technology," said Lane Baird, Diversified’s sports and live events account executive.
The installation features d&b audiotechnik KSL loudspeakers and XSLi-SUBs, the complexity of this full stadium installation and the various zones that needed support required optimisation using d&b audiotechnik ArrayProcessing. This made it possible to distribute audio equivalently throughout the natural architecture of the building. Baird added; "With it, we seamlessly balanced the upper deck, which was closer to the main array, and the lower bowl seating, which was further away from the array. We're also using ArrayProcessing to redirect sound away from unoccupied upper bowl seating during events that only occur in the lower bowl."
Furthermore, d&b ArrayProcessing optimises audio dispersion across Lumen Field, come rain or come shine. "Knowing that Seattle gets its fair share of seasonality, ArrayProcessing is being used to compensate for weather conditions and the sound system adjusts for warm summers and cold, rainy winters.”
Prior to the football season starting, the new d&b audiotechnik sound system demonstrated its superiority in an A/B demo conducted during the installation, with half the stadium using the existing setup and the other half running the new system.