Africa's second-largest stadium chooses a Harman system | AV Magazine
Twenty clusters of JBL VLA-series loudspeakers are delivering clear and reliable communication across the 93,000 seats at the New Administrative Capital Stadium, near Cairo in Egypt.
The New Administrative Capital Stadium, near Cairo, has installed a Harman Professional audio system designed to deliver clear and reliable communication across its 93,000-plus seats. As Africa’s second-largest stadium, the Egyptian venue hosts international football matches, concerts and public ceremonies. The installation was designed to meet the needs of both daily operations and large-scale events, where high ambient noise levels and wide coverage areas present significant challenges. At the core of the system is a distributed loudspeaker design built around JBL VLA-C256s, configured into 20 clusters and installed around the stadium’s perimeter. Each cluster consists of multiple VLA-C256 elements arranged in compact vertical arrays, enabling precise control of vertical dispersion and long-throw coverage across the seating bowl. The clusters are mounted along the roof structure and aimed downward to ensure consistent sound levels while minimising reflections and acoustic interference. Uniform coverageThis configuration delivers uniform coverage across all spectator areas, with measured sound pressure levels averaging between 96dBA and 100dBA, with peak levels reaching 108dBA. System tuning achieved level consistency within ±3dB across most seating zones, while Speech Transmission Index values of between 0. 55 and 0. 65 ensure announcements remain clear and intelligible, even during peak crowd noise. To support intelligibility and system control, the audio infrastructure is built on a networked backbone combining BSS BLU-806 signal processors and Crown DCi DriveCore Network Series amplifiers. The BSS processors manage routing, equalisation, delay alignment and zoning, allowing operators to control audio distribution across different areas of the stadium, including seating sections, concourses and VIP zones. Crown amplifiers provide high-output, stable power delivery, with built-in monitoring that enables real-time system diagnostics and remote management. The system is integrated into the stadium’s fibre-optic network, enabling low-latency audio transmission between the central control room and distributed amplifier locations. This approach improves signal integrity over long distances while supporting redundancy, ensuring critical announcements and emergency messaging always remain available. The JBL VLA-C series’ IP55-rated weather protection – designed to withstand high temperatures, dust and exposure – ensures consistent long-term performance while reducing maintenance requirements. Event organisers have praised the new system’s operational control and reliable performance, while spectators have reported more consistent sound levels and clearer messaging, supporting the matchday experience and overall safety.