EGYPT — The New Administrative Capital Stadium has implemented a stadium-wide Harman Professional audio system designed to deliver clear, reliable communication across one of Egypt’s largest and most strategically important sports and entertainment venues. Serving as a hub for football matches, national events and large-scale public gatherings, the stadium required a system capable of maintaining intelligibility and consistency under demanding conditions.
Located within Cairo’s expanding New Administrative Capital, the venue supports professional league play, international fixtures and televised events, while also accommodating concerts, ceremonies and public programming. 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-C256 loudspeaker system, 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 minimizing reflections and acoustic interference.
This configuration delivers uniform coverage across all spectator areas, with measured sound pressure levels averaging between 96 and 100 dBA, and peak levels reaching up to 108 dBA. System tuning achieved level consistency within ±3 dB across most seating zones, while Speech Transmission Index values 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, equalization, 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 fiber-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.
Environmental durability was also a key consideration. The JBL VLA-C series features IP55-rated weather protection, designed to withstand high temperatures, dust and exposure typical of outdoor venues in the region. This ensures consistent long-term performance while reducing maintenance requirements.
Since commissioning, feedback from stadium management and event organizers has highlighted improved clarity of announcements, greater operational control and reliable system performance during large events. Spectators have reported more consistent sound levels and clearer messaging throughout the venue, supporting both the match-day experience and overall safety.
With its networked Harman Professional audio system, rooted in JBL Professional, Crown, and BSS technologies, the New Administrative Capital Stadium strengthens its role as a key venue within Cairo’s sports and entertainment infrastructure, delivering consistent, intelligible sound for events at any scale.
