Friday, July 18, 2014

Good Church Sound System Design Clarifies Words And Music

By Marylou Forbes


Nearly all bodies of worship congregate in a central location, which may include elaborate, soaring spaces reminiscent of cathedrals, or unassuming strip mall storefronts re-purposed for meetings. No matter what room is used, its acoustics determine whether or not the experience is inspiring or irritating. Good church sound system design encourages enthusiasm, while poor acoustics create fatigue and frustration.

Most people today have been in spaces with unpleasant amplification issues, and are aware that simply throwing a lot of money at a poor setup may indeed resolve some issues, but can actually end up creating others. Volume may become normal in some parts of a hall, but horrendously loud a few feet away. People using microphones may be loud enough, but impossible to understand. The pulpit speaker might seem disembodied or distorted.

Some congregations must cope with too much reverberation, or meet in a room so deadened with panels and carpeting that all echo disperses. The people sitting up front may hear adequately, while those back a few rows might feel that they are not even present. Some microphones pick up spoken words reasonably well, but cannot handle the extended frequency range of music, creating irritating overtones, distortion and muddiness.

Church members sometimes attempt to correct these issues without outside help, even though acoustically fine-tuning a room for both music and sermon may be best accomplished through professional analysis and necessary equipment improvements. Most churches have limited resources, but the costs involved are only one factor in selecting the best components and controls. While sometimes necessary, spending a great deal may not be effective.

Good analysis relies on digital electronics for critical measurements, and the human ear for final judgments. Every room has its own unique acoustical footprint, and that can be determined best using specialized audio reference software. Spots that encourage echo or that swallow certain frequencies can be eliminated, creating a dynamic range that is not only aesthetically pleasing, but which is also universally audible.

A single speaker may be enough for a small space, but using multiple sets can cause timing problems and other issues. Proper echo-control and balance eliminates most of those irritations, giving each listener the gift of clean, easy-to-process sound waves. Without the proper equipment, however, achieving accurate calibration can be frustrating or difficult, and a design company eliminates the guesswork.

Most services are a combination of speech and music, and a well-designed configuration should be able to reproduce both equally well. Speech amplification needs microphones that clarify specific types of output, but those same devices must also be capable of reproducing musical tones without listeners noticing or complaining. Both speakers and microphones should be chosen based on reputation, not necessarily on cost.

After finalizing the equipment choices and room design, professional installation avoids code-breaking electrical errors, while eliminating inductive noise sources. Other important requirements include concealment of intrusive connections and wiring, and making sure that heavy, hanging speakers are safely anchored. After installation, most firms also train selected church members in audio control panel operations.




About the Author:



No comments:

Post a Comment