SIDEBAR
Handmade In Italy
With the Paul Brown Stadium audio upgrade greenlighted just prior to the pandemic shutting most of the world down, bringing the project to a successful completion was no small feat on any level.
“It was pretty nerve-wracking because we had made promises in terms of delivery dates,” recalls RCF USA system designer and product specialist Jim Reed, who was instrumental in guiding logistics for the Reggio Emilia, Italy-based manufacturer’s PBS efforts as project manager. “And then the pandemic hit.”
Reggio Emilia is in the northwest section of Italy that was hardest hit by the virus earlier this year. With the factory totally shuttered from March/April through June, as soon as Italian authorities allowed it to reopen a team was quickly assembled and work resumed on designing and building the custom HVL Series enclosures installed on the stadium’s club level.
“John Horrell definitely set the bar very precisely on what he wanted built,” Reed adds. “The factory team was working with very strict guidelines in terms of coverage, SPL requirements, and sight lines. In the beginning we had boxes in mind that would have performed perfectly, but their physical size was too large. Our R&D department worked overtime and had to pay close attention to the details of the brackets and hardware, every detail large and small. Ultimately we were able to construct cabinets that left a considerably smaller footprint without compromising any of the desired performance qualities required of the design.”
Led by CEO Arturo Vicari, the entire RCF team working in Italy was completely dedicated to getting the transducers and enclosures designed, built, and delivered to PBS on time. “All of us here and in Italy felt this project was vital as a boost to everyone’s morale,” says RCF USA National Sales Manager Tarik Solangi. “With added precautions made to keep everyone safe on the job, the factory churned out the work and kept our delivery promises. Beyond the virus, our biggest challenge was fitting our products into the exacting requirements dictated by the stadium. We approached the design staying true to the original system that worked so well there for two decades.
“Even as it was reimagined, this rig is a workhorse,” he adds. “There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles, there’s no over-abundance of DSP or digital networking. Its essence is rooted in a world of straightforward analog performance. We built our loudspeakers to interface with that core logic, all while using the latest drivers and technology we have to offer.”
For CEO Vicari the project represents a milestone in that it brings RCF’s signature sound to one of the most prominent sporting facilities in the US. “All things considered,” he confides, “it was a considerable challenge for us given the complications created by the pandemic. Credit really is due to all the teams on both sides of the Atlantic that nonetheless executed the task with flawless organization and coordination. The project was an ambitious one even when viewed through the lens of a pre-Covid-19 world. Accomplishing it decisively and on schedule within the context of today’s difficulties is testament to the efforts of everyone involved.”