With this issue, two factors come into play: our old friend aesthetics (“people don’t want to see that ugly mixer”), and taking up too many “good seats.”
First, there are all sorts of ways to make the operator position attractive, ranging from custom carpentry to off-the-shelf cabinetry that is purpose-designed for AV equipment.
Second, the definition of “good seats” must also include sound quality, not just sightlines. Simply put, if system operators can’t do their best, there are far fewer good seats for the entire congregation.
Other key system components must also be easily accessible to the sound operator, because if there’s a problem, it should be able to be addressed immediately.
It is true that there are audio components and systems designed to be “set and forget”—largely run without an operator.
But these are usually for applications without the dynamics and variables of worship services—conference rooms and boardrooms, to be specific, and even in churches in the form of distributed audio to ancillary rooms outside the sanctuary.
These types of systems usually cannot account for the wide range of factors involved with worship services, where a pastor experienced with public speaking can be immediately followed by a layman who’s never used a microphone, where a soft soprano singer performs a duet with a robust tenor singer, where dramas involving several participants all need microphones and then this diverse range of speaking styles all needs to be clearly heard through the sound system.
A hidden, inaccessible sound system and/or components leads to a lot of grief, and more importantly, runs counter to our primary mission. We can buy components of the highest quality, but if we can’t use them properly and optimally, the only guarantee is disappointment.
Charlie Moore has been involved in management positions at various professional audio manufacturers and large installation contractors for more than 40 years. He also has first-hand experience in live mixing, system design and installation and has been active as a volunteer in a number of church sound system operations.