DENVER – Pathways Church's Temple Event Center couldn't budget for a total sound system upgrade, but Summit Integrated Systems was able to achieve a significantly improvement in output, fidelity and imaging via Danley SH-96 loudspeakers and T-115 subwoofers.
The Temple Event Center started as a Moorish-style synagogue built by architect John Humphreys. Both a local and national historic landmark, the Temple Event Center, as it has been known since Pathways purchased it in 1899, features elaborate stained glass windows, intricate woodwork, vaulted ceilings and gold leaf stenciling.
Though no longer functioning, a large 1911 Estey pipe organ provides a backdrop for the nearly 1,000 congregants who can sit comfortably on velvet-upholstered seats.
Given the classic architecture that surrounds Pathways, it may be surprising to learn that the church delivers a decidedly contemporary service, complete with a rock band. Less surprisingly, the existing sound system was hardly up to that task. Coverage was spotty, output was weak, and intelligibility was fleeting.
Rigging the loudspeakers was a challenge for Summit, even with Danley's relatively lightweight gear. A 20-foot span above the stage gives way on both the left and right to vaulted ceilings of some 75 feet covered in hand-painted stencils. The wide, fan-shaped room would need to be addressed using as few rigging points as possible.
After a speaker demo showing that a single SH-96 had more output, higher intelligibility and better seating coverage than their existing six tri-amped full-range boxes costing upwards of $130,000, Summit chose four Danley SH-96 full-range loudspeakers to cover the main seating area.
The SH-96 has a three-way system composed of four 15-inch, six 4-inch, and one 1.4-inch drivers all situated within one horn, and as with all Danley loudspeakers, the SH-96 provides internal, passive crossovers and thus cuts down on the number of amplifier channels required (no bi- or tri-amping needed).
Flipped on their sides, the Danley SH-96 loudspeakers each provide 90- by 60-degree pattern control that was tight enough to focus its energy fully on the seating area, keeping the sound off the Temple Event Center stage for greater gain before feedback. With the overlap in the patterns of adjacent speakers, Summit gave Pathways their requested stereo imaging as a pair of alternating left/right outputs.
In addition to output, fidelity, and imaging, the new system includes an additional dose of bass via two Danley TH-115 subwoofers tucked into the stage.
"Loudspeaker and subwoofer efficiency was paramount in this design," said Shane Beeson, sales and installation specialist at Summit Integrated Systems. The existing Yamaha DME24N processor and Yamaha PC4801N and PC9501N amplifiers were retained, and Beeson credited the Danley SH-96 and TH-115 for being "markedly more efficient than comparable units from other manufacturers," helping to "deliver the high SPLs Pathways was seeking. The fact that we could do this without bi- or tri-amplification was also essential.
"Pathways is very happy with the new system," Beeson added. "The difference between it and the old system was not subtle. As soon as we fired it up, they knew without a doubt that they had gotten their money's worth. It was a night and day difference. Now they have abundant volume that's clear and intelligible with stereo imaging on top of it all. We plan to continue working with Pathways so that as the funds become available, we can round things out with rack upgrades and a modest amount of down fills and front fills."
For more information, please visit www.danleysoundlabs.com
