Cheltenham Racecourse Enhances Safety and Spectator Experience with L-Acoustics Sound System Upgrade

Cheltenham, United Kingdom – October 2025 – Cheltenham Racecourse, home of jump racing and one of the world's most prestigious racing venues, has upgraded to a new L-Acoustics professional sound system designed and installed by Audiotek in conjunction with technical service provider Racetech. The upgrade replaces parts of the existing PA system with a cutting-edge, fully monitored system that delivers uncompromising speech intelligibility for live commentary, background music, race-day announcements and emergency and evacuation messaging - essential for maintaining the excitement and the safety for up to 75,000 spectators across the grounds.

A project three years in the making, the Jockey Club, which owns and operates Cheltenham Racecourse along with 14 other racecourses across the UK, selected Audiotek following a competitive tender process managed by audio consultant Stuart Strachan of RaceTech, who specified strict performance criteria for the new system based on the British Standard BS 7827.

"Cheltenham is one of the jewels of the Jockey Club portfolio, and it was important that the new system matched the heritage and prestige of the venue while meeting modern performance and compliance standards," says Chris Kmiec, Project Manager at Audiotek. "The brief was all about clarity - ensuring every word of the live commentary is heard precisely."

“The crowd at Cheltenham is one of the loudest in racing – the “Cheltenham Roar” at the start of the Festival is famous – so it was vital that we selected a system which would play in harmony with, not fight against, the atmosphere of the enthusiastic crowd” explains Strachan.

Meeting BS 7827 Standards with L-Acoustics Technology
The replacement of Cheltenham's ageing system was driven by the need to comply with BS 7827, the British Standard code of practice for designing and operating emergency sound systems at sports grounds and large public venues. This standard ensures that voiced messages remain intelligible in all parts of a venue during both routine operations and emergencies, defining requirements for speech intelligibility and sound pressure levels. The old installation no longer met these modern standards, particularly in maintaining clarity during live race commentary, a defining part of the race-day experience.

The architectural and environmental challenges of the site added further complexity. Cheltenham's grandstand, built in the 1970s, features exposed façades, balconies, and variable crowd densities, requiring precise control of coverage and SPL uniformity. Weatherproofing was also a crucial consideration, with the system needing to operate safely and consistently in open-air conditions.

"The goal was not just to meet compliance but to enhance the spectator experience," explains Kmiec. "Horse racing commentary is continuous and dynamic; every word has to cut through the crowd without sounding harsh or fatiguing. We needed a solution that could deliver power, precision, and clarity in equal measure."

Design Optimisation Using L-Acoustics Soundvision
To address these challenges, Audiotek and RaceTech used L-Acoustics Soundvision as the primary design tool alongside EASE. Working with L-Acoustics UK application engineers Ross Brett and Kyle Durno, the team ran multiple design iterations to achieve even coverage and full compliance with BS 7827. Predictive modelling enabled Audiotek to simulate SPL distribution, speech intelligibility, and mechanical constraints across the entire betting ring and grandstand façade, while FIR filter optimisation fine-tuned tonal balance across varying audience zones.

"Soundvision gave us the confidence to predict how speech would project over the betting ring and the grandstand tiers," says Kmiec. "We could test scenarios virtually before installation, verify results on-site, and ensure both acoustic and mechanical precision. It's an invaluable tool for projects of this scale."

“The accuracy of the acoustic modelling data really made the L-Acoustics bid stand out during the tender process. The correlation between Soundvision, EASE, and the data I measured on site during a product demo proved to be ruler-accurate, which really gave me confidence as a consultant to recommend the system to my customers at the Jockey Club. When significant investment is being made, it’s essential that the system can perform to exacting requirements.” says Strachan.

System Architecture: A15i, X8i, and LA7.16i
The final design deploys A15i arrays that cover the 40-metre throw from the front of the grandstand to the running rail, covering the main spectator area, configured as hangs of three or four cabinets each, using a mixture of Focus and Wide variants. Fifty-four X8i loudspeakers cover the tiered seats, steppings, and act as front-fill between the main arrays.

Every speaker's location was precisely defined in Soundvision and cross-verified for mechanical compatibility with the existing grandstand structure. Custom bracketry was engineered to integrate neatly into the façade, maintaining a low visual profile while ensuring weather protection and long-term stability.

The system is powered by six LA7.16i amplified controllers, chosen for their reliability, power density, and built-in monitoring capabilities. The advanced DSP and networked control via L-Acoustics Network Manager allow Cheltenham’s technical team to supervise remotely, ensuring operational confidence on event days.

“The LA7.16i has all the necessary features for a life safety system – dual network audio and control, analogue backup, speaker line monitoring, fault reporting, and seamless integration with the Q-SYS DSP. It’s clear that the team at L-Acoustics has put real thought into the sports ground use case.” said Strachan.

"Designing to BS 7827 added complexity, but it played to the strengths of the L-Acoustics ecosystem," adds Kmiec. "With Soundvision and LA Network Manager, we could design, deploy, and monitor with total precision. The end result is discreet, powerful, and completely fit for purpose."

Proven Performance and Festival-Ready
"During the tender process, L-Acoustics was the proposal I was most excited to turn on," says Strachan. That excitement proved justified when the new system debuted successfully during Cheltenham's October race meeting "The Showcase," immediately improving speech clarity and crowd engagement across the venue.

"Customer feedback has been excellent from both the Cheltenham team and spectators," Strachan continues. "As sound engineers, we're usually happy if nobody notices we're there – but spectators are actively praising the sound quality."

Looking ahead, the installation prepares the venue for the world-famous Cheltenham Festival in March, serving up to 280,000 racegoers over four days. Beyond racing, the flexible, networked infrastructure supports live events, hospitality, and AV integration across the site. "Cheltenham now benefits from a future-proof sound system that enhances both functionality and guest experience," comments Gemma Steve, Regional Head of Operations at Cheltenham Racecourse.

"Audiotek's team delivered the installation with impressive speed and responsiveness within a tight timeframe, and the support from L-Acoustics has been fantastic – Kyle and Ross did an excellent job with the system design," added Strachan. "Above all, the product sounds fantastic. The A15i fills a real market niche as a high-end constant curvature array with incredible output at a great price point."

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