The church committee and technical personnel had put a good deal of energy into their wish list for capabilities of the system, an effort which paid off during the implementation process. A highlight is plenty of interconnectivity that even extends beyond the platform.

One of the many floor boxes supplying flexible interconnectivity. This one’s in the front row of the sanctuary, beneath a pew.

Four Ace floor boxes, each with six connectors (four mic, two monitor), are distributed around the stage. Conduit and wiring to increase monitor capability were wisely installed during the construction process. Thus the two active monitor jacks were later doubled in number simply with the addition of another power amplifier at the rack. Monitors are low-profile Electro-Voice S15M wedges. Two additional floor boxes were also installed beneath the first seating row, both to the left and right of the platform. These are quite handy when the platform is extended by another eight feet for drama presentations.

“The technical personnel in this instance were quite wise with their requests, especially with regard to future interconnectivity,” Bartelt explains. “This issue is always something we bring up, but all too often, we don’t arrive on a project until after the concrete’s poured, and then it’s too late. Architects and electrical engineers must push this issue harder. They’ve made some improvements of late, but there’s still a long way to go.”

Gary Johnson at the loft-based Mackie SR56 house console.

The church also sought to make a future investment in the house console, opting for a 56-channel Mackie SR56 rather than a 40-channel model that meets all current needs. As Bartelt points out, “they’ve already gone beyond the 40-channel mark and in the near future will likely be using the bigger console to its full potential.” A minimal amount of outboard gear – gates, compressors and reverb - accompanies the console in its loft overlook of the sanctuary. Eight Vega 2020 UHF frequency-agile wireless receivers reside here as well, working in tandem with a choice of bodypack/lavalier and handheld transmitters used as needed at the platform and in the house.

Audio-Technica microphones have become another staple in Kingdom Sound & Lighting projects, with two compact, white A-T 933 microphones flown left and right above the choir area on the platform. Two more A-T 933’s can be patched into the floor box adjacent to the bell choir area to feed the house system when desired. An A-T 915 condenser mic, with flexible gooseneck, is mounted to the podium.

Johnson and Bartelt note that this system project met all expectations, including their own. Bartelt closes by relating a story encompassing what his team strives for in every project.

“I recently received a call from a representative of a local Christian school, asking about a sound system for their chapel,” he says. “During the course of our conversation, the lady said ‘I attend Roseville Covenant Church, and I want to know why we don’t use the sound system there’. I replied that the system is in use every Sunday. To which she replied, ‘Wow, it sounds like pastor is just talking to me.’

“And I simply stated, ‘that’s because we did our job’.”

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