Formula One boosted by Community loudspeakers

Austin’s Circuit of the Americas (COTA), America’s first purpose-built Formula One racing track, has seen a number of Community loudspeakers installed across the complex.

Completed late last year, COTA’s campus includes the Main Grandstand with VIP Lounge, the Grand Plaza with food court and shops, a 251-foot (77m) Observation Tower and the Pit Building with an adjacent Media Center. The track includes bleachers at several locations to supplement the Grandstand seating.

The venue retained consultant Acoustic Dimensions for many of the venue’s networks and for the audio and video system upgrades. The firm engineered the low-voltage systems and, in cooperation with Hughes Associates, led the effort to comply with the mass notification code. AT&T, the overall campus technology contractor, selected Ford AV to assist in the A/V systems field design and installation.

The original audio specification consisted principally of paging horns for race audio and public announcements. To meet its request for A/V upgrades, Acoustic Dimensions and Ford AV set up a loudspeaker performance evaluation for Circuit of the Americas’ management personnel. Conventional paging horns were utilised as a baseline and two upgraded systems were offered for comparison, with Circuit of the Americas eventually deciding upon Community’s R-Series.

Community R2s, R.5HPs and WET Series loudspeakers were used in the Main Grandstand, on the track and in other outdoor areas. Meanwhile, Community Distributed Design Series ceiling and surface-mount loudspeakers were used in the Main Grandstand, the Grandstand VIP Lounge and the Pit Building. 

Elsewhere, Community VERIS2 loudspeakers were used in the Media Centre with the video systems. 

Audio electronics include Crown amplifiers, BSS London DSPs and Soundcraft digital mixing consoles. Acoustic Dimension’s Craig Janssen, commented: “Circuit of the Americas is very pleased with the choice of Community loudspeakers for these systems.”