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Stuttgart’s MHP Arena undergoes RCF mega-watt audio upgrade

Established in the 1930s, MHP Arena in Stuttgart has been a cornerstone for sporting events since 1963, hosting over 1,000 professional German football league games in the Bundesliga, as well as many global sporting events including the 1974 FIFA World Cup, 1986 European Athletics Championships, 1988 European Cup final, Euro 1988 fixtures, 2006 World Cup, and more recently, UEFA Euro 2024 games.

This renovation project, which includes a new media infrastructure, signifies a leap towards enhancing Stuttgart's position on the global stage for sports. After rigorous demonstrations and assessments, RCF audio equipment was chosen for its performance capabilities, with the new cutting-edge sound system serving the MHP Arena Stuttgart’s 61,000 seats and public areas with RCF sound quality.

Meeting UEFA and FIFA standards, the system is said to have received high praise since its debut in August 2023. Comprising over 11 tons of equipment, the audio system, which also functions as a voice alarm system to bolster safety protocols, features more than 400 speaker modules that deliver over one megawatt of continuous power.

The new cutting-edge sound system serves the MHP Arena with RCF sound quality.

Ebert Ingenieure's managing director, Matthias Zorn, led the project, while Richard Merget of RM Audio Engineering ensured adherence to all specifications. Media technology firm AVEO GmbH managed the installation, working closely with Marcus Bretschneider, head of arena operations and services at VfB Stuttgart.

“The roof structure of the MHP Arena is based on ring-shaped and radial steel cables. Both the attachment and the dimensioning of the loudspeaker systems and their mounts were therefore subject to considerable restrictions. The use of standard rigging components was not possible.” explained Wolfgang Huber from AVEO, as he describes a few of the challenges during the early stages.

"Despite this, the installation was worth the effort, we developed special components for rigging and our collaboration with the RCF ESG team made the integration much easier. The focus was on optimising the weight of the overall system," he continued.

Georg Hofmann of RCF Germany's Engineering Support Group offered his expertise in planning and implementing logistical and technological requirements. Hofmann noted the need for a system capable of handling extreme sound levels while ensuring clear speech intelligibility throughout the stadium. "The dual use of the system as a voice alarm plays a crucial role, as it aids in the efficient evacuation of the stadium during emergencies without the need to install a secondary audio system," Hofmann explained, highlighting the importance of tailored solutions.

The installation includes 187 HL 40WP line array modules, 36 HL 38-S subwoofers, 16 HL2290/HL2260 horn speakers, 73 P 4228W speaker modules, and 32 Compact C45. Powered by 66 RCF’s XPS 16KD amplifiers connected on a Dante network, the system has 264 channels, each with 4,000 Watts of continuous power. Specifically designed Q-Sys plug-ins allow sound system control and monitoring for reportedly seamless media management.