No matter what faith or style of service, all churches share a common goal — that of spreading the message. Some have a greater emphasis on spoken word; others rely more on music in any variety of styles, whether it be folk, liturgical, gospel or flat-out rock ‘n’ roll. But all houses of worship need a sound system that provides clarity, intelligibility and musicality. With that in mind, we present some recent installation projects, ranging from whole system to incremental upgrades. Each project took a different approach, proving there are numerous solutions to any audio problem — large or small — for any sanctuary.
Eastridge Church, Issaquah, WA
Eastridge Church of Issaquah, WA upgraded its main campus with a new Meyer Sound Leopard system that meets the demands of its contemporary services. Designed and installed by AV integrator and concert / corporate sound provider Point Source Inc. in collaboration with Meyer Sound, the upgrade replaces a legacy system that was a bottleneck in terms of sonic quality and programming flexibility.
“The old equipment caused disparities in sound quality and volume all around our room,” says lead pastor Josh Jamison. “Point Source Inc. made our needs a priority, working alongside us as a true partner in ministry.”
The church’s production team provides audio, video and broadcast support for both in-person and online worship, as well as special events and strategic partnerships with touring artists.
“Our old system was harsh and had substantial coverage issues,” says production director Keefe Bieggar. “This extended to the low-end, with a poorly deployed ground sub system. You could stand in one place and get blown away, then move four feet over and not hear any low-end whatsoever. Every person in the congregation was getting a different experience.”
The new Meyer system centers around eight Leopard compact linear line array speakers per side, supported by a flown center cluster of three 2100-LFC low-frequency control elements in an end-fire cardioid configuration. Additional coverage is via Ultra-X40 and Ultra-X42 center and side fills and Ultra-X20 front fills along the stage lip. A Galileo Galaxy 816 Network Platform handles management.
Point Source Inc. led the installation and system design, with Meyer Sound technical support specialist David Vincent and Eastridge’s in-house team. “Leopard was the right size and scale for the room,” explains Point Source’s owner Curt Hare, with the right visual impact, the right weight load and the right coverage and power.”
“It now sounds the same in every seat,” Bieggar adds. “The response has been incredible. We can run it quiet or loud and it sounds nice and smooth. The comments we keep getting are, ‘I can’t believe how clear everything is. It’s not harsh and it doesn’t hurt anymore’.”
Budget was also a factor. “Out of the three bids we received, Meyer Sound came in under the other two,” says Bieggar. “I wish every church could have Meyer Sound — it solves so many problems, and it’s shockingly affordable considering it’s a premium product.”
With improved coverage and headroom, Eastridge Church can now support both weekly worship services and additional events and special programming. “The old system couldn’t handle touring shows — acts had to bring in their own rigs on crank stands, which ate up seating and impacted sightlines,” Bieggar explains. “With the Meyer Sound system, we can handle most of the events that come through without needing to bring in extra gear. It’s a huge win for us.”
Eastridge Church
- Capacity: 1,494
- Key Components: Meyer Sound Leopard
- Integrator: Point Source Inc.
Bedok Methodist Church, Singapore
Established in 1946 with 15 members gathering in a traditional attap house —a dwelling with palm frond roofing — Singapore’s Bedok Methodist Church has grown to serve hundreds of faithful. Recently, the church undertook a complete revamp of its current premises, culminating in the installation of an L-Acoustics A Series sound system. This technical upgrade marks a dramatic shift from the church’s previous mono array configuration to a sophisticated stereo system, bringing pristine clarity and uniform coverage to the 400-capacity sanctuary.
“The selection process was uniquely thorough,” explains Gerald Fong of L-Acoustics Certified Provider Distributor, Concept Systems Technologies. “Through a rigorous 4-week demonstration period, prospective systems from four different manufacturers were put through their paces in real worship services with live bands and pastoral programs.” At the end of the month, the L-Acoustics A Series stood out, delivering tour-grade sound quality within the church’s budget parameters.
The final system design, meticulously modeled in L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D software and verified by L-Acoustics application engineers, features A10i and X Series components. The main left-right configuration consists of two A10i Focus and one A10i Wide per side, complemented by three centrally flown SB18i subwoofers for controlled low-end reinforcement. This configuration was selected after demonstrations revealed the SB18i provided a tight bass response best suited to the sanctuary’s high-ceiling, A-frame architecture.
Coverage uniformity was achieved through strategic placement of fill speakers. Single L-Acoustics X8i enclosures mounted on each side of the hall offer under-balcony coverage, with four additional X8is serving the lower ceiling rear seating section. Two compact 5XT coaxial speakers handle a small adjacent section, with four X8 cabinets providing stage monitoring.
“From the choir’s first breath to the worship band’s full performance, the A10 system delivers unparalleled clarity,” says church audio-visual lead Aiden Lee. “The combination of the hall’s acoustic treatment and L-Acoustics’ pristine sound gives me complete confidence in managing our diverse range of services and musical productions.”
Bedok Methodist Church
- Capacity: 400
- Key Components: L-Acoustics A Series
- Integrator: Concept Systems Technologies
UPPERROOM, Dallas, TX
Dallas-based UPPERROOM has redefined immersive worship in its newly opened facility. The church recently installed a d&b audiotechnik speaker system along with the company’s Soundscape acoustic enhancement system, featuring the En-Scene and En-Space software modules.
Designed and installed by Epic Resource Group, the system dramatically transformed the acoustics of the church’s reclaimed industrial space, designed by Overland Partners, an architectural firm known for transformative and innovative solutions. An array of acoustic challenges in the space had to be overcome, including an asymmetrical shaped room with a glass wall, an overhead circular “halo” over the congregation, an acoustically dead environment and numerous structural poles that blocked speaker dispersion.
UPPERROOM wanted to create a more intimate and engaging worship environment to draw attendees into the worship experience, both as in-person services and as many as 10,000 viewers per day on YouTube, so there was a strong desire to enhance the quality of its online ministry as well.
In working towards a solution, it became evident that a d&b audiotechnik Soundscape solution could both meet and exceed the UPPERROOM requirements. “With a complete d&b solution, we were able to do something amazing in this space,” says Epic Resource Group founder Brandon Chynoweth.
The system features the DS-100 Signal Engine combined with 117 d&b speakers. The front 180 degrees utilizes five compact T-Series line arrays with each array comprised of six T10 enclosures. Twelve flown V-SUBs combine with nine ground stacked 21S-SUBs. Front fills are xS-Series 44S enclosures. Six array boxes comprise the inner surround ring, and 19 E-Series E12 point-source speakers complete the outer surround ring.
d&b audiotechnik’s design tools helped provide a working plan. “Designing a system for a space this complicated wouldn’t have been possible without d&b’s ArrayCalc,” shares Chynoweth. “The software let us quickly envision how acoustic energy would fill the room and guided loudspeaker placement, with Array Processing ensuring consistent acoustic energy projection across the room. With their inherent directivity patterns, the system’s loudspeakers and subs were instrumental in providing low stage volume, for in clean, high-quality live recordings.”
Soundscape helped solve the room’s most vexing acoustic problem: its 12 support poles. “Any stereo iteration I considered always had a pole about three feet in front of at least one speaker. Soundscape’s En-scene module provided the only answer,” affirms Matt Wheeler, Epic senior audio systems designer. “With Soundscape’s object-based mixing, a single speaker doesn’t have to do all the work. En-Scene minimized shadowing from the room’s support beams ensuring adequate coverage of the entire room. Now, you don’t hear the obstruction from the poles, sound appears to pass right through them.”
En-Space room emulation opened further possibilities. “The natural reverb time of the room is less than half a second, but with En-Space’s Basilica emulation, we can create an acoustic space with up to a six-second reverb tail,” says Brandon Meyer, UPPERROOM’s global audio director. “Although we’re not physically in a huge cathedral, acoustically we are,” Meyer adds. “Best of all, FOH engineers can apply processing to specific elements or sources within the mix. Then when the pastor speaks, the message can be more tightly focused and sound like he’s speaking directly to you.”
UPPERROOM’s immersive new location also contributed to a growth in attendance. “People don’t know what they’re hearing, they just know they like it, says Meyer. “Sunday’s services hit capacity and nearly doubled the attendance of our previous location. In fact, we’ve added another service on Saturday to accommodate everyone who wants to be a part of our worship experience.”
“When you connect with people that deeply, your retention rate is much higher,” Epic’s Chynoweth concludes. “If you’re focused on what that means for growing your church, spreading the word, making meaningful experiences in people’s lives, and keeping them engaged, Soundscape is a relatively small investment for the outcome it helps provide.”
UPPERROOM
- Capacity: 1,600-1,800
- Key Components: d&b T-Series, A-Series and Soundscape
- Integrator: Epic Resource Group
First Apostolic Church, Nashville, TN
The First Apostolic Church of Nashville turned to All Seasons Audio for a sound system upgrade to address a lack of uniform sound coverage within the worship area. All Seasons Audio steered the church toward a DAS Audio system including the company’s SARA-100 and LARA-SUB enclosures along with ALMA control and monitoring software.
Apostolic churches in the U.S. are known for the rich sound of their celebrations. These events typically feature solo vocalists, powerful choirs and highly engaged congregations, creating a demanding acoustic environment. It is common to have full bands with instruments such as keyboards, guitars and percussion, requiring versatile sound systems that can deliver clarity, power, and precision for both music and spoken messages.
First Apostolic Church of Nashville faced specific acoustic challenges due to the architecture of its sanctuary. The primary issue was the lack of uniform sound coverage, meaning that not all attendees experienced balanced audio quality, which particularly affected the clarity of voices and the message. To address the acoustic challenges, DAS Audio provided a specially designed setup to ensure clarity, power and uniform coverage throughout the hall.
Ten SARA-100 line array boxes were installed in an L/R configuration as the main system, ensuring precise audio projection for the entire audience. To reinforce low frequencies, two LARA-SUB subwoofers with a cardioid dispersion pattern minimized unwanted rear energy and prevented reverberation issues that could compromise sound clarity. Additionally, two DAS ARTEC-500 systems were incorporated to complement the main system and ensure complete coverage.
After the installation, the improvement in sound quality was immediately noticeable. Jody Shoulders, First Apostolic’s audio engineer, says that “the system is really good — clear, clean, and musical. Both voices and instruments are perfectly defined. The improvement over the previous system is evident.”
Brian Bush from All Seasons Audio adds that the installation impressed from day one. “The room is now filled precisely, evenly, and naturally, providing unmatched clarity and fullness in the low frequencies that were previously unattainable,” he says. Working with DAS Audio, he adds, means having a trusted partner. “The DAS team always delivers. Their products exceed our expectations, and we are always very satisfied with the final result.”
First Apostolic Church
- Key Components: DAS Audio SARA-100, LARA-SUB
- Integrator: All Seasons Audio
Barnert Temple, Franklin Lakes, NJ
New Jersey’s Barnert Temple, which has been in its current location for about 40 years, recently underwent a renovation including a new audio system utilizing 1 Sound loudspeakers. The goal was to have great sonic clarity in every seat for spoken word from the lecterns, while offering the capability for versatile live music – all blending in aesthetically to not distract from the architecture of the space.
Integrator ComNet Communications worked with Barnert Temple’s AV team to implement the new audio system, choosing 1 Sound’s Tower Series as the main loudspeakers. The Tower LCC84 is a line array providing even sonic distribution in its field, covering wide with a long throw. Its true line-array arrangement means microphones are extremely less likely to feedback if they are in the field of the loudspeakers.
Another advantage with the Tower LCC84 for this application is that its precise dispersion pattern is also narrow vertically, so the sound does not bleed into the cavernous ceilings. The Tower’s cardioid characteristics make this ideal for limiting the sound on the stage area. They have 20dB of cancellation in the off-axis/rear of the loudspeaker, limiting unwanted sound bleeding into microphones.
The main system has a left, center, right arrangement of Tower LCC84s, with four more as delays in the synagogue. For the low end, four SUB12s were recessed in the ceiling and concealed. 1 Sound worked closely with ComNet to make sure they were satisfied with the color match of the loudspeakers so they would blend in seamlessly. The audio system is powered by Powersoft T304 and T604 amplifiers.
“The 1 Sound speakers are absolutely amazing. The customer was extremely pleased. I am pretty sure, since I started in 1981, that I haven’t heard anything that sounds this good,” says Ed O’Connor, ComNet Communications’ AV systems designer.
Barnert Temple
- Capacity: 650
- Key Components: 1 Sound Tower LCC84, SUB12
- Integrator: ComNet Communications
V1 Church, Brooklyn, NY
V1 Church began as a gathering of 18 people in a Long Island living room, and over the past seven years, the congregation has expanded to eight campuses nationally, with approximately 2,500 attending in person each week and more than 8,000 joining online weekly.
“Our main campus is in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, which doubles as a 1,500-person capacity music venue during the week, says Christopher Wrigley, lead audio engineer at V1 Church. “This means we set up and tear down our entire church setup every week. Despite these challenges, the eMotion LV1 Classic handles the complexity and rigors of our Sundays seamlessly,” he says.
“I’ve mixed on a lot of consoles, but the first time I heard a full band through the LV1 Classic was like a breath of fresh air. There’s something about the combination of its amazing preamps and the use of Waves plug-ins that ensures a pristine source and a clean, musical mix every time,” Wrigley adds.
“One of the best advantages of the eMotion LV1 Classic is its simplicity. It never feels overwhelming. Its well-designed interface keeps things straightforward, making operation effortless even for new users, and it can fit into a relatively small, easily transportable case. The LV1 Classic’s routing options are the most straightforward and user-friendly that I’ve seen on any console out there. It all just makes sense,” he continues.
“Its intuitive user interface — familiar to those with either a console or a DAW background — together with Waves plug-ins integrated directly into the system eliminates the need for setting up external connections or additional software. And with years of experience using Waves plug-ins, adapting to the LV1 Classic was a breeze. Training volunteers is also incredibly straightforward — a crucial factor in a church setting,” he notes.
“Also, the eMotion LV1 Classic runs smoothly on its internal DSP at approximately 65% capacity, effortlessly handling the demanding audio requirements of V1 Church’s services. While we have access to a Waves Extreme-C SoundGrid server for connection if needed, the system’s internal processing power is more than sufficient.”
As for his Waves plug-in preferences, “my must-haves are the SSL G-Channel. It’s extremely versatile, reliable, and delivers great results. Having grown up working on SSL consoles in studios, I appreciate their excellent sound quality and musical EQ curves. Using it in a live setting has truly been transformative. The F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ (RTA) is a true workhorse with countless applications,” he adds. “Its real-time analyzer is especially valuable when training new engineers, helping them visually grasp the reasoning behind my processing decisions.”
“For vocals, pairing a fast-attack/release CLA-76 Compressor/Limiter with a slower CLA-2A creates a classic compressor chain that gives you a smooth result every single time. Then, follow up with a C4 [multiband compressor] for a final touch. The H-Reverb offers an impressive range of algorithms, but my go-to is the warm plate for a rich, spacious vocal reverb. I’ve also been loving the ‘80 Good Ole Plate’ preset in the hardware section — it works beautifully for vocals and is equally amazing on snare. Finally, applying a light SSL Comp on the LR adds the right amount of glue for a flawless mix. I could confidently run any show, from a small 25-person church service to a stadium, on these seven plug-ins alone.”
Wrigley’s setup features an LV1 Classic at the FOH and broadcast location, where the system integrates seamlessly with several Macs running MainStage, Ableton, Reaper, ProPresenter, Resi and Pro Tools.
“Since adopting the Waves eMotion LV1 Classic, our production team has been receiving weekly compliments on the sound quality,” Wrigley concludes. “The integration of Waves plug-ins allows us to fine-tune and shape the audio with remarkable ease, using a system that is reliable, intuitive and familiar. Week in and week out, the LV1 Classic runs like a well-oiled machine. And, we currently have two more eMotion LV1 Classics on order.”
V1 Church
- Capacity: 1,500
- Key Components: Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console
- Integrator: In-house
