Church Sound Files: Equipment Should Be Seen As Well As Heard

You’re probably thinking, “These examples have to be from the 1950s and 1960s, right?”

Sadly, no. These are things I’ve seen within the last 10 years, and in a number of cases, the systems were installed by so-called church sound “specialists”.

Asking why this happens leads to a couple of logical answers: aesthetic concerns and lack of understanding about the function and purpose of a sound system.

It also leads to another question: “Where should the sound equipment be located?” And this leads to the opposite answers – aesthetics cannot be allowed to overrule everything else, and the function/purpose of the system has to be understood.

Loudspeakers must be properly placed to properly perform. Beautiful architecture enhances the worship experience, but so does quality sound. Often there are choices that can be made based upon the art of compromise.

For example, if a highlight of a sanctuary is a 12-foot cross centered above the platform, do not seek to fly a big loudspeaker right in front of it. Very likely, there are other feasible loudspeaker locations to facilitate solid coverage to every seat within the space.

But it must be made clear that this central location is indeed often the optimum position, and thus the sound team is already making a compromise due to an aesthetic concern, so a reasonable alternative for optimally locating the loudspeakers needs to be accommodated.

In other words, if choice A is off the table, then choice B should be given due priority in the shared goal of the best overall presentation of worship services.

Many manufacturers offer custom finish services that do wonders in helping loudspeakers “blend in” with their surroundings. And if the loudspeakers must be covered, make sure the covering material (“scrim”) does not degrade performance.

The system operator position must be located in the primary listening area. Period. Mixing my metaphors, you don’t want a pilot flying blind, and you don’t want a system operator mixing deaf.