DAVIDSON, NC – The sanctuary at Davidson College Presbyterian Church has been fitted with a new sound system using Renkus-Heinz Iconyx IC24-R digitally steerable line array loudspeakers.
As with many churches known for their impressive architecture, the visually compelling features can also add up to an acoustical challenge. Such was the case at Davidson College Presbyterian Church. The 1,200-seat church's soaring ceilings and Gothic columns resonate with proud tradition – but create overly live acoustics. That may not be a drawback with the 50-year-old organ, but it does interfere with speech intelligibility.
"It's a really reverberant space, and we've always had trouble with people being able to hear spoken word clearly," said Rick Cardenas, the Church's technical director. And as Cardenas explains, aesthetic concerns had stood in the way of finding an effective solution. "It's a beautiful space, and the idea of putting a big speaker system in the middle of it just wasn't an option."
The solution turned out to be a pair of Renkus-Heinz's Iconyx IC24-R digitally steerable line array loudspeakers. The steerable arrays are configured to provide focused coverage to every seat.
Working around the sanctuary's full calendar, Cardenas got together with college staff members to install the IC24-R systems into soffits on either side of the proscenium. The result is effective coverage of the entire floor and balcony seating area, from systems that are all but unseen behind grilles that match the walls.
"The Iconyx system has made the worship experience more enjoyable," Cardenas said. "People of all ages can actually hear the sermons. We'll definitely be using the Iconyx in our next upgrades as well."
For more information, please visit www.renkus-heinz.com.
