The Ohio State Buckeyes football team finished an incredible undefeated regular season with a boost from its new Meyer Sound LEO linear large-scale sound reinforcement system. In this first permanent LEO installation in the world, the sound system filled the vast 105,000-seat Ohio Stadiumwith crisp voice announcements and fan-pumping music over the loud, energetic crowd for all eight home games.
The core LEO system is anchored by twin hangs of 14-each LEO-M line array loudspeakers with bass bolstered by ten 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements. A Galileo Callisto loudspeaker management system with two Callisto 616 array processors supplies drive and optimization. Mounted inside the video screen scoreboard structure at the south end of the mammoth oval, the potent LEO system projects sound across the bowl, reaching over 900 feet to the top seats on the north end.
"The LEO system sounds great, covers very well and gets loud," says Wayne Stephens, electronics superintendent for Ohio State Athletics. "With an excited crowd of over 105,000, the noise here gets pretty intense. But with LEO we can stay well above them without pushing the system."
Debuting this summer at major music festivals in North America and Europe, LEO is Meyer Sound's integrated system specifically designed for high-output reinforcement in larger arenas, stadiums, and at outdoor rock festivals. LEO systems have also supported international events including the recent Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway.
This first installed LEO system presages a new era for full-range audio accompaniment of sports events, according to Kelly Prince of Pro Sound & Video, the Florida-based systems integrator handling the project.
"The sound quality is superb, the coverage is excellent, and there is plenty of headroom," Prince says. "Also, in pre-game and time-outs, the system can definitely push low frequencies to the far end of the stadium. I daresay there is not another stadium sound system in the country that can touch it."
Designed by Larry Lucas of Anthony James Partners of Richmond, Va., the Ohio Stadium upgrade also includes six Meyer Sound SB-3F sound field synthesis loudspeakers aimed at the very far reaches to boost high frequencies, two UPA-1P loudspeakers for under-scoreboard near fill, and two Galileo 616 processors for overall system management. The upgrade also retains—and in some cases repurposes—components from a Meyer Sound system installed 12 years ago, including MSL-4, MSL-6, and SB-1 loudspeakers. These loudspeakers are largely directed into the nearest third of the open bowl, while a distributed system of UPM-1P loudspeakers are used for deep under-balcony coverage.
Ohio State's Wayne Stephens is thrilled with the results: "The LEOs have plenty of headroom, the 1100s kick butt in the low end, and the new SB-3Fs are throwing tons of SPL at almost a thousand feet. It's even better than expected."
Headquartered in Miami with offices in Orlando, Pensacola, and Los Angeles, Pro Sound & Video is a leading integrator of large and complex AV systems in performing arts centres, stadiums, and arenas. Other recent installations of note include Amway Center in Orlando,New World Center's SoundScape in Miami Beach, Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (formerly Carnival Center for the Performing Arts) in Miami, and sports facilities at theUniversity of Florida and Mississippi State University.
