Churches can be amongst the most challenging environments in which to properly set up a professional sound system. Given that the architectural variance between houses of worship is so great, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to deciding which equipment you will need and how it should be placed. To top it all off, some churches may require a versatile sound system that allows them to accommodate a variety of different speakers, performers and musical styles – anything from choirs, to soloists to full bands. It can be a real headache if you don’t know some of the ground rules to help you through the process.

One of the major issues to be found when it comes to church audio systems are unwanted echoes, reverberations and amplifications of certain frequencies caused by the large, open design of the main worship area itself. Many churches boast high ceilings with angular walls, and most of the time, these rooms are rectangular in shape. Rectangular or square, ‘boxy’ rooms have a troublesome habit of creating what are called ‘standing waves’ of sound. The waves are caused by low-frequency sound bouncing from wall to wall around a room. Standing waves can radically change the way that sound is perceived, depending on the position of the listener. Church attendees in the front row may have trouble hearing certain parts of a sermon or musical piece but others scattered throughout the room may actually be assaulted by amplified low-end frequencies which drown out the whole of the sound itself.

There are a few possible solutions to this problem. The first is to install what are called bass traps. Bass traps are boxes made of wood and filled with fiberglass that act to absorb low frequency sound before it can be reflected. They accomplish this by vibrating when hit with a sound wave – unlike stiff walls, which reflect instead of vibrate. Properly placed bass traps around a church hall can be an excellent method for ensuring that the both music and speech are able to be heard with clarity by all attendees.

Alternatively, room equalization (EQ) can be employed instead of bass traps. EQ is the art of managing the balance of frequencies leaving a sound system so that they match the acoustic properties of the space where the system is placed. Equalization can be performed manually, or it can be done automatically by the device itself. When it comes to manually equalizing a church hall for a specific type of sound, sound engineers can actually enter in the size parameters of the space in front of them, as well as the approximate number of people who will be occupying that space. Even the materials that the church has been constructed out of can be taken into consideration. Once this has been entered, algorithms within the device itself can automatically adjust the sound coming out of the loudspeakers so that it is clear and bright, no matter where people are listening from. More advanced equalizers actually use microphones placed throughout a church and ‘listen’ to the sound that is being recorded. They then use a spectrum analysis which examines the frequency distribution in the room and automatically adjust the EQ to compensate for any trouble spots.

Khary Reynolds is a Pro Account Manager for Guitar Center Professional, specializing on sound system design. He is experienced in putting together sound and live sound systems from the ground up as well as music and pro audio product sales. Also a certified CTS by Infocomm International, the trade association for the A/V industry, Khary is dedicated to go above and beyond expectations, establishing himself as a respected resource. Visit his site at http://audiogearpro.com

Setting the standard for sound and video design/installation, Metro Audio Video has helped make the Sunday morning service at Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in Columbus, Ohio a pleasant and enriching experience.

For those who manage the audio components of the morning sermon and worship service, the installation of the V-Mix system by Roland has proven to make their task  much easier. Commenting on how easily the system is to set-up basic operations for his sound team, Steve Wood says ” I am learning something new every time I use it.”

 The built in recording feature on the V-Mix system is a valuable component in reproducing the entire service, (worship and sermon) for those who are unable to attend regularly. By simply connecting a USB “thumb drive”, the sound team at Grace can record the stereo mix directly to the USB drive for CD audio quality.

This digital audio system is a featured product with Metro Audio Video in Columbus, Ohio listed on the News Page of their website for complete details of yet, another design/install project well done. Congratulations to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Columbus for going tech and choosing the professionals at Metro Audio Video.