PRUDENTIAL CENTER

New Jersey, USA

Images: Adamson Systems Engineering

Adamson Systems Engineering’s reputation for excellence in touring applications is driving the inclusion of the Canadian audio firm’s technology in large-scale, high profile fixed install projects across the United States. When it comes to large venues, they don’t get much higher profile than New Jersey’s Prudential Center, and the choice of Adamson’s class-leading E-Series and IS-Series loudspeakers for Prudential’s main audio system represents a dramatic expansion of Adamson’s footprint in the North American installation market.

“Adamson’s brand equity is very strong on the production/touring front, but when it comes to permanent installations, they still were relatively newer to the game,” said Stephen Morris,

President of C.V. Lloyde Audiovisual, the company tasked with the installation of the Adamson system by Virginia-based, Anthony James Partners (AJP), the design firm for the project.

Based on Prudential Center and other recent projects, Adamson loudspeakers have been deployed in, however, Stephen added: “I fully expect and already know that’s changing, and that Adamson products are being designed in as key elements for future large venue projects because of their performance and success stories like Prudential.”

In total, AJP specified eight main arrays of 10 E12s, each topped by a pair of E219 subs wrapped around the venue, roughly following the perimeter of the dasher boards that surround the rink during NHL games. Adamson IS10ps were also deployed as delay elements for the upper seating areas; 8 per side lengthways in the arena and four at either end. For downfills, a pair of IS10s and one E119 subwoofer per side are also mounted at each end of the arena, with the entire rig powered by Lab.gruppen D Series amplifiers with Lake Processing.

Opened in 2007, Prudential Center is one of the busiest multipurpose indoor arenas in the US. Beyond being the home base of the NHL’s New Jersey Devils and Seton Hall University’s men’s basketball program, the Seton Hall Pirates, it’s a major concert venue that’s featured superstars including Bon Jovi, Big & Rich, and countless others over time.

“The number one challenge on this project was having uninterrupted time on the floor. You either have a game in there during basketball/hockey seasons, which overlap. Or there’s a concert or special event booked. We had less than a week to hang the main arrays and another week’s worth of days to put the delays in after that,” said Stephen. “You can’t just man up and work extra hours - there really aren’t any

‘extra hours’ at Prudential.”

Stephen credits everyone working on the project – including Star-Lo Communications and their lead on the project, Mike Jenks, C.V. Lloyde’s local AV install partner, for their assistance with the physical install – for making that time count and getting the job done quickly and effectively.

“The folks at Prudential were also wonderful to work with in helping with the logistical challenge of removing the old system and installing the new Adamson system,” said Jack Covert, AJP’s Director of Audio & Design Engineering. As for the choice of Adamson, he explained further: “Knowing Prudential is used to having big touring acts and audio come through there, and that the people who frequent the arena are aware of that, we wanted to make sure that the house system was right up there with any audio a touring company brings in for concerts. That led to Adamson being top of the list.”

“It’s an NHL arena,” Stephen noted. “And the NHL expects a strong, musical product, excellent articulation and intelligibility, and SPL that can reach up to 105 dB to get over crowd noise. Adamson’s E-Series platform does that. The uniformity of coverage is very impressive.”

The results have spoken for themselves since the project finished in late September 2022, Jack said, noting now brightly social media has lit up with fans’ comments about how good the venue sounds. But the Adamson system has also drawn effusive praise from Prudential’s management and ownership.

“I personally heard the GM use the word awesome,” Stephen concluded. “The owners are convinced they have the bestsounding arena in the NHL. Now, they could be biased, but having heard a sizable number of rooms myself, I concur; it is the best-sounding NHL room.”