Beijing National Stadium Concert Showcases Large-Scale Cable-Suspended Audio System
In a groundbreaking achievement for live sound engineering, Chinese pop star Jason Zhang recently performed 12 consecutive concerts at Beijing National Stadium (the "Bird's Nest") powered by an unprecedented d&b sound system—the first time China has seen a cable-suspended audio deployment for a stadium concert.
The technical team suspended a massive d&b SL-Series system of 512 loudspeakers from a network of steel cables spanning 126 metres across the venue's distinctive roof. This is almost double what is normally used for a regular three-sided stage performance at the stadium.
Four groups of GSL large-format line array loudspeakers hung back-to-back above the stage covered the inner field, middle, and rear areas of the first floor stands. Six groups of KSL medium-format loudspeakers strung along the ceiling bowl targeted the second and third floor stands.
Audio Engineering Challenges Overcome:
Signal integrity maintained across 150-metre cable runs using d&b's LoadMatch technology
Perfect coherence achieved through 12 strategically placed KSL delay systems between the main stage and distant mixing position
Sound pressure level variation maintained within only 3 dB from first row to last row
SL-SUB cardioid subwoofers reduced stage noise by 50 percent through advanced driver cancellation
Rainy conditions handled reliably by the system
Jin Shaogang, Sound Engineering Director, stated: "We've been using d&b audiotechnik's Q- and J-Series systems since 2009. The introduction of the SL-Series in 2019 and its ArrayProcessing technology solved many challenges that traditional setups couldn't address. Whether in the infield or the stands, the system delivers impressive dynamics, high sound pressure levels, and remarkably even sound coverage".
Zhang Xiaonian, Sound Engineering Production Director for Nanjing OST, noted that ArrayProcessing enabled his team to tackle complex issues that a traditional solution would not have been able to address.
The setup ensured the entire audience of 70,000 fans, seated on both sides of the stage, experienced studio-quality audio reproduction each night without hindering visibility of the show. This achievement sets a new benchmark for large-scale concert engineering in China.
