NoiseBoys Technologies Ltd. won the contract to supply the refreshed audio and lighting system for Spectrum Leisure Complex’s ice rink. To minimise disruption to the client, the NoiseBoys team completed most of the AV upgrade in the early hours of the morning, ensuring that all equipment was off the ice before training sessions began at 4.30am each day. 

The project involved the removal of three pairs of old, centrally located 15” speakers hanging above the ice. These bulky cabinets were replaced by 22 FBT Shadow 108CT eight-inch coaxial all-weather loudspeakers distributed throughout the space, supported by six Shadow 114S-T subwoofers, enabling even coverage to the rink and adjacent stands.

A rack full of analogue amplifiers was replaced by a trio of APEX CloudPower CP1504 amplifiers, each delivering 4 x 1500W. NoiseBoys made extensive use of the CloudPower amplifiers’ integral equalisers and other DSP tools to mitigate the inevitable reverberations encountered in an environment with many hard surfaces. Each of the new amplifiers occupies a single rack unit, freeing up valuable space in the control room. Both the loudspeakers and amplifiers were supplied by distributor, FBT Audio (UK) Ltd. 

“CloudPower gave us all the tools we needed at a sensible cost,” explains NoiseBoys Technologies director, Phill Beynon. “With the time constraints we were working under, it was great being able to use the IntelliCloud software to tweak the amplifier EQ and level settings from the ice or in the stands, without wasting time climbing all the way up to the amp room each time. The APEX team was also refreshingly approachable and happy to discuss the project with us.” 

NoiseBoys created a custom browser-based interface that allows the ice rink staff to switch between events that require audio on the ice only, in the stands only, or throughout the whole venue. 

The ice rink’s lighting system also benefitted from a full overhaul, enabling the client to employ lighting effects during discos and play timed light shows before ice hockey games. A total of 72 older Par Cans were replaced with 48 colour changing LED Par Cans and 12 high powered LED flood lights.