If Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) ever returns to its former home in Amsterdam, visitors can expect a better audio experience at the RAI Forum—thanks to a full amplifier upgrade built around Powersoft’s Unica platform.

The RAI Amsterdam Forum, a premier venue for international conferences and events, recently overhauled its aging audio infrastructure to ensure reliable, high-quality sound. After years of use, the venue’s existing amplifiers had begun to fail, affecting the performance of its line array system. Van Brienen AV, led by technician Mike Weijers, was brought in to lead the upgrade, selecting Powersoft’s Unica series for its compact form factor, advanced DSP capabilities and network integration.

“The existing setup required two full racks of equipment, but Powersoft Unica condensed the entire setup into a single half rack,” said Jeroen van Brienen, owner of Van Brienen AV. “This reduced space dramatically without compromising on power output.”

The new system includes six Unica 5K4 and two Unica 9K4 four-channel amplifiers powering a mix of Electro-Voice loudspeakers: eight XLD281, eight XLE181 and four X1i-212/90 line array speakers, along with two XSUB-F subwoofers and four Xi-1082 loudspeakers. The amplifiers are fully integrated with Powersoft’s ArmoníaPlus software for real-time monitoring, remote configuration, and detailed DSP tuning.

“By installing Unica amplifiers, external processors were no longer needed, as all necessary signal processing is handled directly within the amplifiers,” van Brienen explained. The system receives five outputs from the venue’s control room, which are then distributed over Dante to the Unica amps for seamless audio routing throughout the Forum.

Installation time was tight. “We were asked if it was possible to fix the audio, and it took us four weeks from the initial request to delivery, despite the holiday period,” van Brienen said.

“Unica’s DSP capabilities allowed our team to fine-tune the processing of Electro-Voice line array speakers with ease,” he added. Van Brienen AV worked closely with Powersoft distributor Mennegat to execute the project, which followed the success of similar Unica installations—like one completed at the Van Caem Klerks Group headquarters in 2023.

“We trusted Powersoft for this project without even considering alternative brands,” said van Brienen. “The company’s reputation for delivering high-quality, efficient solutions made it the natural choice.”

In addition to improving sound quality, the upgrade reduced equipment footprint and energy consumption, offering long-term cost savings.

“RAI Amsterdam is happy with the end result. The team is pleased that we fixed everything in a short timeframe, have excellent audio quality and more space,” van Brienen said.

RAI Forum Equipment List:

• 6 × Powersoft Unica 5K4 amplifier platforms
• 2 × Powersoft Unica 9K4 amplifier platforms
• 8 × Electro-Voice XLD281 line array speakers
• 8 × Electro-Voice XLE181 line array speakers
• 4 × Electro-Voice X1i-212/90 line array speakers
• 2 × Electro-Voice XSUB-F line array subwoofers
• 4 × Electro-Voice Xi-1082 install loudspeakers