Public Viewing with Electro-Voice in Linz

Every day in Linz, thousands of soccer fans are gathering in front of a giant screen to witness the unfolding drama of Euro 2008. The sound in the public viewing area is never less than transparent with a level of intelligibility that can only be described as ‘excellent’ – thanks to MTR-Production and Electro-Voice.

Over 8,000 spectators have been assembling almost daily in the Austrian city of Linz during the European football championships for a giant football party in the aptly named ‘Public Viewing Area’. To cast the event in the proper light acoustically, the organizers engaged MTR-Production – using systems from Electro-Voice – to handle the sound.

MTR-Production is being supported for this event by the EV distributor Signal Sound & Light Distribution GmbH of Fohnsdorf. Commented Signal MX Matthias Reinthaler: “The sound reinforcement at public viewing events such as these invariably poses a challenge, since people want to be able to hear and understand every word of the commentary even when – as is often the case – their fellow supporters are making the most almighty din.”

To resolve this conundrum, MTR-Production proprietor Thomas Millmann and his team opted for systems from Electro-Voice: Twenty-four Electro-Voice XLC127 DVX line array elements driven by sixteen Electro-Voice P3000 amps form the centrepiece of the sound reinforcement concept. “It was the right choice,” says Reinthaler, “not only because MTR-Production has been getting excellent feedback from the organizer but also because the weather has been absolutely dreadful, which has brought the outstanding resilience and reliability of Electro-Voice systems into play. So far, not one has let the side down – which is more, alas, than many of the trainers can say of their players.”

Photo caption: The calm before the fan-storm – the Linz public viewing area with equipment from Electro-Voice.

www.electrovoice.com