Arena / PAVA / Leisure
MKM Stadium – Audio & PAVA System Upgrade
Project Overview
Client: MKM Stadium (Hull City & Hull Sharks)
Location: Hull, UK
Sector: Arena / PAVA / Leisure
Scope: Full bowl speaker replacement, control system upgrade, concourse and ancillary audio improvements
The Challenge
The existing stadium audio system, originally installed in 2000, was no longer fit for purpose. Aging equipment, declining sound quality and unreliable bowl speakers were impacting both matchday experience and operational confidence.
The system also needed to meet strict safety requirements, integrating with fire and emergency systems while supporting both automated operation and manual control during live events.
The client required a complete upgrade that would:
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• Deliver clear, intelligible audio across a 25,000-seat stadium
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• Meet and exceed current safety and speech intelligibility standards
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• Provide powerful, engaging sound for matchday entertainment
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• Integrate seamlessly with existing fire and emergency infrastructure
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• Support future ambitions, including increased capacity
Our Solution
Nuway designed and delivered a fully integrated stadium-wide audio and control system, engineered for both performance and resilience.
A new bowl speaker system was installed using Outline loudspeakers powered by high-performance Powersoft amplifiers, delivering consistent coverage and achieving target levels of 105dB across all stands. The system was designed to exceed speech intelligibility requirements, ensuring clarity for both safety announcements and live event content.
At the core of the system, QSC digital signal processors were deployed across multiple plant rooms, connected via a redundant fibre-backed Dante network. This architecture enables flexible audio routing, system resilience and real-time monitoring across the entire venue.
Existing infrastructure within concourse and ancillary areas was assessed and upgraded where required, ensuring a consistent audio experience throughout the stadium.
Control is delivered through a Q-SYS platform, allowing operators to manage announcements, pre-recorded messages and live audio via touchscreen interfaces and paging microphones. Ambient sensing microphones automatically adjust system levels in response to crowd noise, maintaining clarity at all times.
The system is fully integrated with the stadium’s fire and life safety systems, supported by redundant networking, power supplies and battery backup to ensure continuous operation in critical scenarios.
For matchday entertainment, a Yamaha digital mixing system with Dante integration was installed, along with radio microphones and talkback facilities, providing a complete, production-ready solution.
The Result
The MKM Stadium now benefits from a powerful, future-ready audio and PAVA system that significantly enhances both safety and spectator experience. Speech intelligibility has been dramatically improved, ensuring clear communication across all areas of the stadium, while increased output and even coverage create a more immersive and engaging matchday atmosphere.
With a resilient, networked infrastructure and integrated control platform, the stadium is now equipped to support large-scale events, evolving operational requirements and future expansion — aligning its technical capability with the ambitions of a modern, top-tier venue.
“Nuway provided a first class design and installation service and continues to provide excellent support of the Boxxe Head Office AV systems.” — Boxxe PLC”