WAYNESBORO, PA – Steve Christiano of G.A.D.G.e.T. Media saw some red flags when Hollowell Brethren in Christ Church opted to scrap plans for a new facility in favor of converting the gymnasium into a multi-purpose facility.
"To me, the word ‘gymnatorium' screams compromise, as in, ‘does neither one well,'" said Christiano, who ended up designing and installing all of the project's sound, lighting, and projection, as well as much of the acoustics. "It makes me nervous."
Adding to Christiano's anxiety was the "absolutely amazing ear" of the person who would judge the project a success or failure: Paul Beard, maker of top-quality resonator guitars, who is the senior sound reinforcement tech at Hollowell.
"People like Jerry Douglas use Paul's guitars," said Christiano. "The system had to deliver superlative midrange clarity and a transparent, balanced response from top to bottom. Paul would be sure to hear any shortcomings, however minor."
But careful planning, abundant acoustical treatment, and top-rate gear, including Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers and Ashly DSP, helped the project win Beard's approval, and also an award recognizing successful renovations among churches with 800 seats or fewer.
Christiano and acoustician Neil Thompson Shade of akustx developed a plan to knock the gym's five-second, 500Hz-centered reverb down to an even one second. They built "clouds" of perforated aluminum filled with twelve-inches of unfaced fiberglass, which, in addition to damping reflections, served to protect the lighting and projection equipment from errant basketballs. In addition, Shade had the idea of repurposing an overhang that ran all the way around the room. The team filled it with four feet of fiberglass and replaced the sheetrock of the soffit with perforated aluminum, effectively building a huge bass trap.
The choice of loudspeakers for Christiano was an easy one. "I've been doing live sound now for 26 years," he said. "Danley Sound Labs builds the very finest sound reinforcement loudspeakers that I have ever heard. The midrange clarity, three-dimensional depth, and separation are fantastic."
Because of their efficiency, Christiano only needed two full-range cabinets with fill from a center cluster of three Fulcrum eight-inch loudspeakers. On either end of the stage, a flown Danley SH-96 delivers full program content with stereo imaging. Powersoft K3 and K10 amplifiers provide power.
To provide the system with the modest conditioning required of the Danley speakers and, perhaps more importantly, flexibility, Christiano installed a modular Ashly ne24.24M DSP with four inputs and eight outputs. Together with a Crestron touch-panel interface, the Ashly ne24.24M affords Hollowell tremendous flexibility to deploy the technology to match the scale of a particular event.
"The Ashly programming interface is remarkably easy," Christiano said, also crediting the ne24.24M's reliability and audio quality. Because the Ashly ne24.24M is network ready, Christiano was able to attach the sound system to the church's local wireless network and adjust settings from a netbook.
Consistent with its "gymnatorium" functionality, Christiano installed a Roland M 400 digital mixer, which is capable of being disconnected and rolled away in a matter of moments. The church also opted for Roland's on-stage monitoring system, affording each band member his or her own mix with integrated ambient mics to facilitate band banter. Using the Crestron touch-panel interface, anyone with the right access code can configure the room for gymnasium, church, or an array of special events at the touch of a button. One mode provides a wireless microphone and a DVD/CD feed that work independently of the mobile sound cart. That way, the church can facilitate small events or sporting events without requiring a sound tech.
"The whole point of doing this was certainly not to have the technology be an end unto itself," said Christiano. "Rather, the church wanted to be able to communicate in the most effective way, and they wanted to be a resource for the community. Perhaps the coolest testament to their content-centered vision is the fact that by going with a ‘gymnatorium,' they ensured that money would be left over to fund the programming in that space.
"I think that other churches can learn from Hollowell's example," Christiano continued. "Often, church leaders are afraid that the older members will be turned off by technology. At Hollowell, the exact opposite is true. The older members enjoy seeing and hearing clearly, and, perhaps more importantly, they enjoy seeing the younger members of the church fully engaged."
For more information, please visit www.danleysoundlabs.com.
