Multi-use Dante® EN54 Solution for U-Arena, Paris

The U-Arena is a brand new, multi-use 40,000 capacity domed stadium, in the heart of La Défense, a Western suburb of Paris. Home to the French Rugby Union club, Racing 92, the newly-opened arena held its first live concert performed by The Rolling Stones in October 2017 with the inaugural home match for Racing 92 taking place on 22 December 2017.

ASL partnered with its French distribution partner FreeVox and project integrator Videlio, France, to deliver a comprehensive EN54 compliant, multi-zoned sound system for the new arena’s public and performance spaces. This project was a technical first for ASL as it embraces an entwined Dante™ and fully EN54 compliant, single system solution within the entire venue. The design, supply and commissioning of the new EN54 compliant system pulled together a number of disciplines ASL offers its customers.

the solution

A total of five EN54-16 compliant ASL VIPEDIA-PRO routers sit in the heart of the system at U-Arena, providing audio routing and monitoring simultaneously across sixty audio outputs.

High-quality digital signal processing within VIPEDIA-PRO routers make it possible to provide audio outputs simultaneously to traditional EN54 compliant loudspeakers, for public amenity spaces, whilst providing high-quality audio output to high performance line-array systems within U-Arena’s bowl.

Dante™ processing within VIPEDIA-PRO routers is used to time-synchro audio signals between front-of-house equipment and VIPEDIA PRO routers’ outputs to twenty two ASL V2000 amplifier mainframe chassis, housing more than one hundred ASL D500 amplifier modules.

Arenas and Venues typically use two separate systems for the main arena and public concourse areas

Ninety four JBL PD500 horn-loaded, loudspeakers installed across fourteen zones within U-Arena are fitted with audio optimised, wide frequency response 500W transformers, each driven by a single ASL D500 amplifier module. ASL’s D500 amplifier modules also provide highly intelligible audio output to a total of one hundred and thirty four JBL Control 16C-VA EN54-24 2-way ceiling loudspeakers located under stands in public concourse zones.

Each V2000 amplifier mainframe chassis, capable of hosting up to ten amplification modules in a single 2U enclosure also incorporates energy-efficient EN54-4 compliant battery charging / back up. Distributing ASL VIPEDIA-PRO routers across five locations rather than a single location within U-Arena allows costly loudspeaker cable runs to be minimised and improves system redundancy across the entire system as the racks are interconnected by dual redundant fibre optic rings in fire resistant sheaths.

VIPEDIA-PRO routers installed at U-Arena also allow direct connection of microphones, music players and other external audio sources. Emergency messages are loaded into the VIPEDIA’s EN54 compliant monitored audio storage.

Using ASL's VIPEDIA-PRO with Dante® a single system solution was provided for the main arena and public concourse areas

In the event of emergencies this flexibility allows simultaneous playback of recorded messages within public concourses whilst delivering live/spoken audio into the bowl of the arena.

An ASL VIPA-WS20 PC based touchscreen system provides complete control and monitoring of the audio system installed at U-Arena, offering comprehensive music control and advanced message scheduling from pre-recorded announcements, via an intuitive user interface.

Three ASL MPS-30-GO-AN modular paging and emergency microphones provide live, store-and-forward and recorded message broadcast from strategic locations into user-selectable zones, as required.

With an established reputation for supplying EN54 certified public address and voice alarm systems for life safety in Retail, Rail, Airports, Commercial, Nuclear, Oil & Gas and Roads & Tunnels, VIPEDIA-PRO routers extend ASL’s reach into stadium and sports venue performance spaces as well as the traditional public concourse spaces.

the outcome

The successful introduction of ASL’s VIPEDIA-PRO routers at U-Arena in Paris affords visitors to this exciting, immersive venue the benefit of crystal clear and accurate audio, wherever they are in the arena.

The venue operators can also remain confident, in the event of emergencies, the installed PAVA solution from ASL provides messaging and safety announcements with reliability and intelligibility inside and outside the main arena.