CHINA: At the 55,000-capacity Helong Stadium in Changsha, a venue synonymous with national football fixtures and large-scale music events, a recent audio overhaul has quietly reset expectations for how stadium sound should perform. With a brief centred on achieving both high speech intelligibility and musically satisfying reinforcement, the stadium’s management set out to strike a careful balance between clearly audible announcements and an enjoyable listening experience for music across its vast, tiered seating areas.

The comprehensive upgrade was delivered by Zhejiang Tongbo Vision Technology Co. Ltd, who specified and installed a professional-grade system from CODA Audio. Stadium acoustics present inherent challenges, from open architectural volumes to complex audience geometry, and this project was further complicated by an extremely tight timeline driven by an impending schedule of major events. Drawing on extensive experience with large-scale installations and a deep familiarity with CODA Audio’s technologies, the Tongbo team completed design, preparation, installation and commissioning in just twelve days.

The system design centres on CODA Audio’s HOPS range of high output point source loudspeakers. In the grandstand areas, 32 units of HOPS12i full-range, three-way loudspeakers are powered by 8 units of LINUS14 DSP amplifiers. For mobile performances within the venue, the system deploys 8 units of HOPS12T alongside 8 units of PW418 subwoofers, driven by a further 8 units of LINUS14 amplifiers, while VIP areas are covered by 6 units of HOPS5 loudspeakers powered by 2 units of LINUS6.4 amplifiers. Together, the configuration is engineered to deliver uniform coverage and consistent performance throughout the stadium.

A spokesperson for Tongbo comments: “Optimised for speech intelligibility and music performance, the new CODA system at the Stadium constitutes a major leap forward in audio performance, maintaining exceptional clarity for announcements, with uniform coverage and a natural listening experience in every seat, from the front rows to the furthest reaches of the stands. It will significantly enhance the audio experience for both sporting events and cultural activities, setting a new benchmark for venue acoustics.”

David Webster, Global Head of Sales and Marketing for CODA Audio adds: “Tongbo have once again excelled themselves with this installation, particularly as it has been completed in such a short time. We’re very proud to see a CODA system trusted to deliver audio at this high-end international-class stadium.”

With its upgraded audio infrastructure now in place, Helong Stadium reinforces its position as a leading sports and cultural destination, equipped to meet the demands of both elite football and high-profile live entertainment with clarity, consistency and confidence.