In leisure and tourism complexes such as water and theme parks, FECs (Family Entertainment Centres), campsites, hotels and resorts, shopping centres, etc., various sound systems coexist. On the one hand, there are the so-called “Public Address” systems, designed to transmit warnings and/or instructions to the public (for example, in cases of emergency); on the other hand, they also need, at particular times, specific sound installations for shows (concerts, performances, events, etc.); finally, they have equipment for thematic ambience sound effects, responsible for immersing the visitor in the experience offered by the park; in general, the latter must produce the desired immersive effect and, at the same time, go unnoticed.
One of the first decisions in the design of the various sound systems in the water or theme park, FEC, campsite, hotel or resort, shopping centre, etc., is the choice of the sound console components. This is the nerve centre that controls and coordinates the various sound systems. It integrates the sound sources, the amplification equipment and the volume controller or mixer, from which the signal to the loudspeakers is routed.
Another important decision is the choice of cables that transmit the sound signal from the console to the loudspeakers. Depending on the nature of the signal, we can opt for digital or analogue cables; these, in turn, depending on their ability to cancel out external interference, can be balanced or unbalanced.
The last stage in the design of sound systems in water or theme parks, FECs, campsites, hotels or resorts, shopping centres or other leisure and tourism complexes, is the choice of loudspeakers. For this decision, we will take into account both the versatility required in their sound behaviour and the technical characteristics required by their location, or the type of sound they are going to reproduce.
For example, if their function is to generate an immersive environment, the installation should have conventional two-way speakers, responsible for the higher frequency sounds, and be complemented with bass speakers or subwoofers, which are responsible for more profound effects, such as roars, explosions, gunshots, etc., and make the audience vibrate. The strategic location of this equipment is determined from the initial design of the project, in coordination with the landscaping and theming, so that, once installed, they are perfectly integrated and go unnoticed by the visitor.
By DarÃo Mazzolari Tortajada, senior MEP engineer in Amusement Logic’s Architecture Dept.
