HK Audio loudspeakers have proven to be a popular option for German football clubs. This season, according to the company, one in seven teams in the county’s professional leagues rely on the manufacturer’s sound systems for parts of their stadium solution.
One line that has proven to be particularly popular is Vortis 2. The EN 54-24 certified solution has become one of the first-choice options for clubs looking to meet their regulatory requirements for voice evacuation.
In 2. Bundesliga, Böllenfalltor Stadion, home of SV Darmstadt 98, relies on the Vortis 2 system to provide clear announcements as part of the critical voice alarm system. Hertha BSC’s Olympiastadion in Berlin also benefits from HK Audio’s powerful and flexible Vortis 2 loudspeakers, which provide life-safety announcements across the outdoor areas of this historic venue. Another 2. Bundesliga club to benefit from Vortis 2 is SV Elversberg, one of the modern success stories of German football. Their Ursapharm Arena has been upgraded many times to keep pace with their rise from the Regionalliga Südwest to the 2. Bundesliga over the last four years and Vortis 2 now plays a key role in life safety at the 10,000-capacity stadium.
In the 3. Liga, Vortis 2 is also the choice for FC Saarbrücken at Ludwigspark Stadion, again selected due to its life-safety capabilities. With life safety and musical performance seen as the main priorities, the EN 54-24 certified Vortis 2 system provides the ultimate PA/VA solution, ensuring premium sound quality to every seat.
It is not just the professional leagues that are benefitting from the safety elements of HK Audio sound systems. Several historic multi-use stadiums across the country are also taking advantage of HK Audio’s pristine sound quality and voice evacuation certification. The historic Grotenburg Stadion in Krefeld once hosted international football, but after a fan-led rebuild is now home to KFC Uerdingen in the Oberliga Niederrhein and the Krefeld Ravens American Football team. A recent installation here has seen Vortis 2 loudspeakers added to help bring the stadium back to its former glory and meet regulatory requirements.
Vortis 2 has been designed for applications requiring standard-compliant voice alarm as well as high-quality music and speech reinforcement. To achieve this, all models have been certified according to EN 54-24:2008 (type B – outdoor use). All models are also available in an outdoor-suitable IP 55 variant to protect against dust and water ingress. The Vortis 2 family’s high maximum sound pressure levels ensure that the necessary speech intelligibility can be achieved even in environments with high noise levels.
“Our systems deliver the clarity and power required for safety announcements,” notes Fabian Reimann, Senior Application Engineer and Product Manager Installation at HK Audio. “We back this up by supporting planners and installers with detailed simulations, consulting and on-site commissioning. Our Application Engineering team is available for last-minute acceptance measurements to ensure every system performs exactly as intended. It’s about giving our customers confidence that their stadium is ready for anything.”
