Van Brienen Audiovisueel has installed an eight-zone, Dante-networked PA system build around Powersoft Unica 8K8 and Unica 5K4 amplification at BUKO Stadium, completing the project in under three weeks to meet the demands of SC Telstar's return to the top flight of Dutch football.
The club, known as the Witte Leeuwen (the White Lions), had secured promotion from the Eerste Divisie in June 2025, returning to Dutch professional football's highest tier for the first time since 1978. Their 6,000-capacity venue in Velsen-Zuid, North Holland, had to meet the operational and acoustic
standards of an Eredivisie match from day one. That requirement immediately exposed the limitations of the existing PA system, which was outdated, difficult to control, and no longer capable of delivering the speech intelligibility and coverage consistency that a full, sold-out stadium demands.
The project was entrusted to
Van Brienen Audiovisueel. Founded in 2014 by Jeroen van Brienen, Van Brienen AV specialises in professional AV installations across commercial, hospitality, and sports environments.
The project was confirmed on 24 July 2025 and installation began four days later, with the first Eredivisie home match set for 15 August.
That provided less than three weeks to go from confirmation to match readiness. Van Brienen AV began by developing a coverage plan in EASE acoustic modelling software to predict loudspeaker coverage and speech intelligibility across the different areas of the stadium before installation commenced. Multiple design options were
assessed, with the final solution chosen for the best balance between acoustic performance, practical installation routes, and the time available.
The replacement system is built around two AtlasIED Atmosphere AZM8-D audio processors, which form the central routing and zoning platform for the complete installation. One unit manages the
four indoor zones. The second handles the four outdoor stadium stands. Dante audio signals and system control run over Netgear network switches, giving the installation a clean digital backbone and reducing the need for long analogue cable runs across the stadium. Amplification is provided by two Powersoft Unica
8K8 and one Powersoft Unica 5K4. These are third-generation platform amplifiers that combine multi-channel output with on-board DSP, integrated Dante/AES67 networking, and ArmoníaPlus control capability.
The system covers eight distinct zones. Four indoor areas serve the stadium's hospitality and function spaces, including a DJ and party room,
a bar area, a presentation and dinner room, and a secondary bar area. The four outdoor zones cover the main/west stand, the north stand, the east stand, and the south/away stand. Each zone is configured and driven independently within the Powersoft Unica platform to reflect the different acoustic behaviour
of open stadium stands and enclosed interior spaces.
A team of six installers carried out the work, with four on site every day across the installation period. The project ran concurrently with a broader stadium upgrade programme. At the same time, contractors were working on the pitch, new stands, cabling, camera systems, and other facilities.
Images: DGF