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LD Systems upgrades audio system at NRG Stadium in Houston

LD Systems has installed a new Fulcrum Acoustic bowl audio system at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The new system is based on a large-scale deployment of weather-resistant Fulcrum loudspeakers to ensure operation whether the stadium’s roof is open or closed. 

All loudspeaker enclosures are now able to withstand potential exposure to environmental challenges in what has become the largest World Cup in history. Working on behalf of Harris County and the NFL Houston Texans, LD Systems worked with technical consultants WJHW for the scope which focused on improving audio quality while maintaining the venue’s existing point-source system design.

In 2002, LD Systems integrated the venue’s original audio requirements stadium-wide, including concourses, clubs, restrooms, terraces, and entrances, and has provided its technical maintenance and production support for every major event since. “Our deep knowledge of NRG Stadium has allowed us to be extremely precise during this new phase of the building”, says LD Systems Sales Engineer Kevin Broussard. “We knew exactly what this job required and that familiarity ultimately saw us back on the project.”

The main bowl (situated on the venue’s “super truss”), concourses, and support spaces utilize a total of 1,194 Fulcrum loudspeakers comprising AHC443 horn-loaded arrays, CS218LWR dual 18-inch subwoofers, and various other models including CX1226-MT200, CX1226, CX1595, CX826-MT120, FH1566 and FH1595. According to LD Systems, the overall system weight has been reduced by forty percent compared to the previous rig. “Because this stadium has a retractable roof, we can’t hang anything from it and therefore everything had to be mounted onto the super truss”, explains Broussard. “This constraint defined both the original system design and upgrade.”

The super truss is located approximately 250 ft above the football field. “We re-used the original custom rigging system frames which allows the speakers to be lowered and serviced without ever affecting alignment”, says Broussard. “In 24 years, we’ve never had to lower a single speaker from the original system. Our new install follows the same approach - removing old speakers and hoisting new ones into the exact same positions.” The LD Systems team, including Project Manager Michael Keefe and Project Engineer Anthony DiDonato, had six months to remove the old system and install the full, site-wide upgrade, yet bowl system tuning was completed in just six hours over a single day. 

The combination of long-throw horn-loaded systems, distributed point-source loudspeakers, and dedicated subwoofers provides NRG with even coverage and high intelligibility throughout. System amplification is provided by Powersoft Unica amplifiers serving the main seating bowl and concourse systems, and Crown DCI amplifiers are dedicated to clubs, back-of-house, and ancillary spaces.

LD Systems has also installed a new control system and network backbone across the building. The primary mixing platform is a Yamaha Rivage PM5, and wireless audio is supported by Shure Axient wireless microphones. The audio infrastructure is managed through a Q-Sys platform featuring Core 5200 processors operating in a redundant configuration, and the Core 610 processors service the suite-level audio systems.

Suite audio distribution was a significant aspect of the upgrade and houses more Q-Sys; SPA-Qf 60x4 network amplifiers and QSC AD-C6T-ZB-WH ceiling loudspeakers. This design provides a centralized control center, monitoring, routing, and DSP processing across the stadium while also enabling independent audio management for the venue’s premium VIP suites and hospitality areas.

“One of the biggest improvements during this entire upgrade was adding dedicated audio to over 260 suites”, Broussard concludes. “Previously, the suites relied on spill from the bowl or delayed TV audio, which could lag by up to four seconds. Now, every suite has its own speaker system, control panel, and multiple selectable sources: bowl audio, TV audio, radio, postgame feeds, and Bluetooth. Each Bluetooth receiver is also uniquely named, allowing suite users to connect directly and hear the action in real time.”

(Photos: LD Systems)

www.ldsystems.com

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