Pioneer Memorial Church, situated on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, MI, has revitalized sound reinforcement courtesy of New Era Technology (Mishawaka, IN), which deployed a range of Danley Sound Labs loudspeakers as the key components in a new system serving the large worship santuary.
The previous system was showing its age, lacking the ability to deliver even coverage and intelligibility. “It was a cluster of units placed 50 feet up in the air, at the top of the sanctuary’s large A-frame ceiling,” explains Paul Black, account executive with New Era Technology. “Not everyone could clearly hear what was going on, and the system lacked overall intelligibility. The frequency response was limited.” In short, Pioneer Memorial Church needed smooth, even coverage across an expanse of pews capable of accommodating approximately 1,000 people. That includes a loft section at the back of the sanctuary and the pews below it.
“When we saw that Pioneer Memorial Church had requested an RFP for Danley Sound Labs, we knew they had done their homework,” Black continues. “They’re the closest thing I’ve heard to a high-end home speaker in terms of smoothness and musicality.”
The system incorporates three pairs of Danley SBH-series columnar loudspeakers — SBH10s on each side of the stage cover the first half of the sanctuary, and a delayed pair halfway back cover the remainder, including under the loft. A pair of SBH20s handle the loft, with dual TH212 subwoofers filling out the low end. A pair of four-channel Danley DNA 10k4 Pro amplifiers drive all loudspeakerrs. New Era Technology ordered the amplifiers with optional Dante connectivity to connect with the church’s existing console.
There were some concerns about how the new loudspeakers would look. Their old system was positioned at the top of the ceiling, and the proposed system was lower and more in sight. New Era Technology worked closely with the church to coordinate the aesthetic concerns, producing 3D models of the space, showing the client exactly what the system would look like. “The column form of the new loudspeaker system is attractive, and they have been professionally painted to blend in with their surroundings,” Black concludes. “The church is very happy with the look, and they’re thrilled with the clarity, evenness, and intelligibility of their new Danley system.”
