Harman Professional Showcases Brilliant Audio Quality At The SBS ISU Senior and Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final

In another example of Harman Professional technologies being deployed at world leading sporting events, integrator Sovico, a Korean distributor, designed a Harman sound system at the 2008-2009 SBS ISU Senior and Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Finals held at Ice Arena in Goyang City, Republic of Korea, from December 11 to 14. Goyang Ice Arena opened with international and state-of-the-art facilities at the Goyang SPART Comlex & Park in October 2005. Sovico provided the design set-up for the rink’s Harman Professional audio system. A total of 84 skaters represented 12 International Skating Union (ISU) members during the course of the four-day event; all looking for the opportunity to win medals and prize money in either of the disciplines that are rewarded; men’s singles, ladies’ singles, pair skating, and ice dancing.

The Senior Final presents 24 skaters/couples with the chance to display their best skills in order to prevail to the $272,000 prize money. Before the Final, six skaters/couples qualify in the six events of the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series: Skate America in Everett, Homesense Skate Canada in Ottawa, Samsung Anycall Cup of China in Beijing, Trophee Bompard in Paris, Cup of Russia in Moscow and NHK Trophy in Tokyo.

Audiences at the Finals were satisfied with the sound system’s ability to stimulate exceptional audio quality. “The brilliant sound system was a big help in success of the event,” said a civil official of Goyang City.

Harman proudly supplied the system with 26 Crown Macro-Tech series amplifiers, six Crown CE2000A amplifiers, eight Crown CE1000A amplifiers, 12 JBL LSR6235P studio monitors, 20 JBL Control 25AV loudspeakers, 43 JBL AM Series loudspeakers, six JBL AE Compact Series loudspeakers, six JBL SRX715 loudspeakers, 14 JBL Control 5 monitors, 12 JBL PD Series loudspeakers, two Soundcraft K3 consoles, Soundcraft K1 console, five AKG K271S headphones, 19 AKG microphones, and additional processing was provided by dbx and BSS audio products.

“We had faced a tremendous issue with designing a sound system due to the conditions of a typical ice rink; hard surface floor, concrete walls, and a metal ceiling,” added another civil officer of Goyang City. “There is virtually nothing in it that absorbs sound. These conditions make it difficult for any sort of intelligible sound, especially voice announcements.”

Sovico did not hesitate in distributing Harman audio products for this complex task. Goyang City holds presence to an international standard sized swimming pool building next door to the rink and was concurrent with the decision to also install a large sound system primarily made up of Harman Pro products.