Belgium’s new water park opts for Powersoft

Powersoft distributor FACE turned to the firm’s Ottocanali amp series when specifying the sound system for Plopsaqua, a new water park in Belgium.

FACE, which is also a long term contractor and maintenance company for Plopsaland De Panne, where the park is based, has worked with Plopsa extensively in De Panne as well as its other parks – three in Belgium, one in Coevorden (the Netherlands) and the Holiday Park in Hassloch, Germany.

In the past FACE has opted exclusively for Powersoft’s M series, D-Cell modules and Ottocanali. Once again it was the efficiency of the Ottocanali 4K4 DSP+D amplification that helped the team make their decision.

The water park itself accommodates a number of attractions but the highlight, which bursts into life for ten minutes every other hour, is the Storm Pool, a full audio-visual experience featuring a 16-channel surround thunder storm and lightning show.

The Powersoft Ottocanali 4K4 DSP+D drives a Renkus-Heinz speaker system, processed with Peavey MediaMatrix NION and programmed by a TiMax2 SoundHub2 – creating thunderstorm effects, with seamless image transitions, over a Dante network. In order to minimise cost the show is then recorded using Motu’s Digital Performer, played back on a Dante-enabled special effects PC.

In addition to the thunder show, the system is also used for other FX sounds, as well as background music, announcements and emergency evacuation spanning 24 sound zones, using three Ottocanali 4K4 DSP+D’s.

“The big advantage of these eight-channel amplifiers is their compact size and?that they have the Dante protocol on board,” said FACE project division manager Steven Kemland. “With MediaMatrix NION and TiMax also using Dante we have control over the whole signal chain. It is a much more flexible option than the Cobranet we were using previously.”

Packing eight channels of 500W power into 2U, coupled with their ability to drive 100V loudspeakers, Kemland explained that the Ottocanali 4K4 DSP+D had been the obvious amplifier for this project. In fact, FACE is increasingly specifying them for multi-zone applications in small to mid-scale installs.

Due to their compact size the entire Ottocanali/NION set-up at Plopsaqua only occupies 12 RU. Despite the complexity and amount of controls and functions, the user interface has been custom designed for ease of use by non-technical staff and flexible day to day operation via the Peavey Mediamatrix kiosk application – further minimising the equipment footprint.

“What I particularly like about Powersoft,” Kemland summarised” is that while many companies produce A, B and C ranges [on a sliding scale], with Powersoft they have different ranges for different applications but they are all A-rated. Whatever I turn to, it’s a perfect amplifier.

“I also like the fact that they have good technology and quality control and they are a company you can talk to. Plopsaland has had a good reputation with Powersoft in the past — we have used it in earlier system upgrades, and all they want is an amplifier that works.”

Since visitor figures have already exceeded expectations, plans are alsready in place to open a Plopsa ‘Aquapark’ in Hassloch, Germany.

Meanwhile FACE’s work at De Panne continues, with the development of the park’s Prinsessia Castle now underway. This will include more live characters from the popular Plopsa children’s television series, as well as additional Powersoft amplifiers.

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