Total Events Co was commissioned to design, supply and install the PA system for the new grandstand at the Simonds Stadium in Victoria.

Home of the Geelong Cats, Simonds has become the biggest and most successful multipurpose venue in regional Victoria. The new Southern Grandstand was added during the third stage of the stadium’s redevelopment, increasing capacity to over 35,000.

Total Events Co chose JBL AWC all weather speakers for the Grandstand, JBL Control 25AV speakers for the walkways and JBL ceiling speakers for the function spaces.

Managing director of Total Events Co, Bill Busbridge said 14 JBL AWC129 speakers and 16 JBL AWC82 speakers were installed for the seating bowl and under balcony fills – these fittings were chosen as they were robust, high powered and totally suitable for the application. The speakers also fitted in well with the architect’s aesthetic requirements.

Simonds Stadium is the first venue in Australia to benefit from the BSS Soundweb London BLU-805 AVB (IEEE Audio Video Bridging) system. The BLU-805 AVB combines the proven and respected Soundweb London platform with the industry-supported AVB transport. The BLU-805 allows 64 incoming AVB channels and 64 outgoing AVB channels at 48kHz or 32 incoming AVB channels and 32 outgoing AVB channels at 96kHz. Configuration, control and monitoring are provided by HiQnet London Architect. The audio is fed from the BSS Soundweb boxes via BLU-Link to the Crown CTS amplifiers in various rack rooms that drive the speaker system.

The main audio feed is derived from the existing system control about 300 metres away from the new racks – AVB was used to link from that system via fibre through to the new zone. The BLU-805 also controls three function spaces. 

Bill was particularly impressed by the support he received during the design and implementation of the system by Jands , who brought David Bradshaw to the stadium during the implementation to assist with the set up and programming.