8/24/2023
How to Improve Arena and Stadium Acoustics
A typical arena has an inherently harsh acoustical environment: a large cubic volume space with high ceilings and multiple layers of noise.
However, adequately engineered modifications inside an arena or enclosed stadium can drastically reduce the reverberation and improve the sound experience.
Any given event at this type of venue has roaring crowds and loud audio systems for music or announcements. With all this sound bouncing around the building and each sound reverberating extensively, sound engineers often recommend installing sound-absorbing materials in strategic locations around the building.
MBI Products’ lapendary panels have transformed hundreds of arenas and stadiums into world-class acoustic performance venues. In fact, the original lapendary panel was developed in 1987 by MBI in response to the growing demand for proper acoustics in larger indoor venues.
The advantages of proper acoustics
An acoustically correct arena offers building ownership many advantages. For example, crowd noise can be a constant roar during sporting events, especially for fast-paced games like hockey or basketball. MBI Products’ arena expert Chuck Splain says, “When you don't know who is cheering for whom, you lose your home-field advantage. But when the space has correct acoustics, the crowd noise follows the action of the game, so a loud cheer for the home team fades after the exciting moment.”
Acoustics and reverberation times are also critical to a musical performance. “There isn’t an artist out there who wants to perform a lousy concert because the acoustics are terrible, which affects their booking decisions. If two potential venues are close to each other, the facility with good acoustics will likely get the show,” says Splain.
What are lapendary panels?
Lapendary panels are large, unique acoustical banners hung in a loose catenary fashion or installed flush to the roof deck for a flat appearance. Lapendary panels reduce reverberation time and sound intensity levels, resulting in increased speech intelligibility, better communication, and improved quality of sound systems. This improved condition allows a venue to function as a multi-purpose space.
The lapendary acoustical banner is typically manufactured of a low-density fiberglass core, anywhere from 0.75-1.5 lb density. It generally comes in thicknesses ranging from 1-4 in. It can be encapsulated with a PVC film, nylon rip-stop sailcloth, or a decorative fabric.
Arenas and Stadiums with MBI Products’ Lapendary Panels
Chase Center - San Francisco, California
Opened in September 2019, this contemporary venue in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood was a mammoth project seven years in the making. While the architectural design of Chase Center’s dome helps to reduce noise, MBI Products installed lapendary panels to optimize the sound environment for sporting and non-sporting events
Fiserv Forum - Milwaukee, Wisconsin
This complex project required innovative solutions. Due to unusual roof design restrictions, vertical lapendary panels were installed about twenty feet back from the inside edge of the halo. The back sides of the vertical Lapendary Panels serve as a wall visible from the concourse.
Allegiant Stadium - Las Vegas, Nevada
Located adjacent to the Las Vegas Strip, this state-of-the-art mega-stadium is a global events destination for concerts and sporting events, as well as the home of the Las Vegas Raiders and the UNLV Rebels. Opened in July 2020, the ten-level domed structure with a huge retractable window facing the strip is equipped with a unique combination of lapendary panels and Cloud-Lite® Acoustical Baffles. The sound experience at Allegiant Stadium is second to none.
U.S. Bank Stadium - Minneapolis, Minnesota
This project was MBI’s most extensive job to date. U.S. Bank Stadium is designed like a Viking ship in tribute to its home team, the Minnesota Vikings, so the roof has a steep pitch. The biggest challenge? Installing more than 3,500 lapendary panels on the ceiling to cover over half of the field and seats. About 60,000 square feet of sound-absorbing material was also attached to the stadium walls.
MBI Products offers decades of experience, unmatched service, and support for large-scale lapendary panel installations.