Powersoft, the Italian amplifier specialist, has supplied its compact Mezzo amplifiers for a redeveloped venue which has plans to become one of the most sustainable on the planet.
Since opening in October 2021, the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, Canada, has announced its intentions to become the most progressive and responsible arena in the world. The site plans to do this by establishing a net-zero carbon status, using no single-use plastic, conserving water and being zero waste, as just some of its initial ambitions.
Idibri senior consultant David Battershell was appointed AV design consultant for the arena’s new construction, with Idibri acting as the AV component of a more extensive Populous design machine.
Designed to replace an existing venue, Battershell says that KeyArena, the existing venue, was “too small and outdated,” adding “the [original] arena’s roof is a historic landmark and couldn’t be torn down, so it had to be lifted off for work to begin. The rest of the building was then completely dismantled, the floor was lowered 20ft, and the new arena was built up to where the original roof would eventually be replaced.”
Idibri needed to provide high-quality audio in the arena’s suites, supporting bowl audio extension, background music and local TV audio. Battershell and his team decided that Powersoft’s Mezzo compact amplifier platform was the ideal solution to meet the criteria.
“We thought that the Mezzo would be well-suited to being installed behind the televisions in each of the suites,” he adds. “We used them to provide an audio input for local TV audio, amplification for local speakers, and IP audio connection to the bowl audio feeds. Mezzo has the exact feature set that we wanted, as well as being very well-priced for such high quality.”
Sounding sustainable
Mezzo offers integrators an industry-leading power-to-size ratio, requiring fewer amplifiers to run PA systems, helping to minimise CO2 emissions. Despite the smaller size, it provides the same sound clarity, reliability and build quality of any Powersoft install amplifier, in a half rack-unit form factor.
VP of technology for Climate Pledge Arena, Dave Curry, was a keen supporter of the Powersoft infrastructure which has been deployed at the venue, a contributor to the arena’s sustainability award win at the recent 2022 Mondo DR Awards held in Las Vegas, US.
Emphasizing the importance of premium-quality AV systems for the fan experience, Curry says: “The Powersoft amplifiers give us total control over the individual level, EQ, and audio routing to each suite in the arena,” Curry says. “The Mezzo amplifier platforms have performed very well so far and the feedback from guests has been very positive. The quality of the sound system and acoustics in the arena are consistently complimented on guest surveys, and the Mezzo amplifiers are integral to smooth running of this system.”
Earlier this year, Powersoft announced that Mover, the firm’s compact transducer, would form a key component of the brand new Our House experience in Amsterdam.
Photos: Climate Pledge Arena/DPdrones
