A new stadium is a big event for any minor-league baseball team, but perhaps doubly so for one in a major-league city. The St. Paul Saints built CHS Field is one such example, a beautiful ballpark with attractive amenities and seating for over 7,000, located the city’s Lowertown district.Electronic Design Company (EDC) of Minneapolis was contracted to design and build the stadium’s sound system, with Sales Engineer Kent Stevenson as primary system designer. With the park’s open-air structure in an urban neighborhood, it was critical to use loudspeaker systems with both high intelligibility and tight pattern control.
“We’re manufacturer agnostic. It’s my job to find the best product for the application, regardless of brand,” says Stevenson. “For outdoor venues where you have to worry about bleed-out noise being disruptive to the neighborhood, I’ve found Electro-Voice EVH and EVF speakers to be a great choice. The have really precise, consistent dispersion, and they sound great, which is not always the case for speakers with tight pattern control. Plus, EV has weatherized versions, which is obviously critical in our weather conditions.”
Working with EASE modeling software, Stevenson’s design called for nine EVF-1122S/126 full-range loudspeakers from Electro-Voice to be hung from the underside of the upper deck to cover the main lower level seats, while three EVH-1152S/99 models provide long-throw coverage for the outfield bleachers and picnic area. One additional EVF-1122S from Electro-Voice provides audio excitement at CHS Field’s main entrance.
A selection of Electro-Voice EVID Series loudspeakers fulfill other audio tasks throughout the ballpark, with over 100 application-engineered EVID speakers providing crisp, clear audio in key locations. The Saints’ locker room is outfitted with high-fidelity EVID ceiling speakers, including six EVID C8.2 mains and two EVID C10.1 subwoofers. Another 13 ceiling-mounted EVID C4.2 models provide audio in the elevators, bathrooms, work room, and break room.
Various Electro-Voice wall-mount models are also employed. A total of 31 EVID 4.2T speakers serve the concourse, guest services, and suites, while 57 EVID 6.2T models cover the entrance, walkways, and the suite terrace.
“The team and the city wanted an audio solution that would sound great with minimal leakage outside the stadium, and it had to withstand Minnesota winters,” notes Stevenson. “That’s why we chose Electro-Voice. They’re rugged, they sound fantastic, and let me put the audio exactly where I want it. Plus, the EVID ceiling and surface-mount models are the perfect complement.”
Electronic Design Company President Joe Kankovsky agrees. “I was out at a Saints game recently and I have to say, it made me proud,” he reports. “The music sounded great and the announcing was extremely intelligible. The Saints do a great job of using the system to keep fans entertained, and it made for a really good game day experience.”
Electronic Design Company www.edcsolutions.com St. Paul Saints http://saintsbaseball.com CHS Field http://chsfield.com