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Danley Synergy Horn Delivers Pattern Control At Summit Church In Michigan

Simple exploded mono cluster with a single Danley SH-96 loudspeaker for main coverage, opposite Danley SH-60s for side fill and two Tannoy VX6 loudspeakers for near fill

Minnesota-based Audio Video Electronics (AVE) recently designed and installed a sound reinforcement system centered on Danley Sound Labs SH-96 and SH-60 Synergy Horn loudspeakers to serve the contemporary services at the new sanctuary of Summit Church in Niles, MI.

“Summit Church’s worship director posted on a Church Sound and Media Tech Facebook group looking for bids for a design the church had been given,” explains Stefan Svärd, president of AVE. “We were recommended by three people, and I personally responded to his request. Although it seemed like something we could bid on, I wanted to speak with the worship director to understand exactly what their current situation was and what they were hoping to achieve with the new system. We spoke on several occasions, and I came to believe the design they were given was a square peg for a round hole.

“The room was to be wide and shallow – a gym really – with the stage on the long side,” he continues. “The design called for just one screen with only a 40-degree viewing angle, and the specified loudspeakers had no effective pattern control – in a concrete box with no acoustical treatment. It was going to be an audio/visual nightmare. We couldn’t bid on it in good conscience, but we could work out an alternative. We could give them two appropriate screens, excellent pattern control, and acoustical treatments.”

Svärd visited the church over the summer, attending a service at the old sanctuary to get a better sense of the services. Based on that knowledge of the church and the plan for its new multipurpose sanctuary/stage/gym, Svärd designed a new system, with an assist from EASE.

As installed, it’s a simple exploded mono cluster with a single Danley SH-96 loudspeaker for main coverage, opposite Danley SH-60s for side fill, and two Tannoy VX6 loudspeakers for near fill. “I originally included a subwoofer in the design, but the budget wasn’t there,” Svärd says. “Fortunately, the SH-96 has respectable output down to 40 Hz. Summit’s bass won’t knock you over or crush your chest, but it sounds full and musical. As funds permit, they may elect to add a subwoofer.”

QSC CXD-Q networked amplifiers power the loudspeakers, with processing from QSC Q-Sys Core 250. A Soundcraft Expression console on a rolling rack provides flexible control for larger events, whereas a simple microphone jack and input for mp3 players paired with iPad control and/or a QSC touchpanel provide simple control for simple events. Band members use a new Digital Audio Labs Livemix personal monitoring system, which connects to the Soundcraft console via Dante.

In addition, SVSI video processing handles a range of input sources, with final output to two Vivitek 4800lumen projectors and two Draper screens.

Svärd attended the first service at the new location, which turned out to be much more of a concern than he had anticipated. Due to a shipping snafu, the acoustical panels hadn’t arrived in time, and so the system was effectively firing into a painted concrete box.

“Between services, the pastor met with a group of older congregants – the population that typically has the hardest time hearing spoken word,” he says. “Without the acoustic panels in place, the pastor feared the worst and expected some complaints. To his amazement, there was not a single complaint. One older member said that for the first time ever he heard and understood every single word that was spoken. For me, there can be no greater testament to Danley’s tremendous pattern control paired with AVE’s solid design and installation. The guy understood every word in a concrete box. It’s astounding.”

Danley Sound Labs

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TELEFUNKEN Elektroakustik’s mission is to design and build iconic microphones and modern professional audio equipment that provides classic sound for recording, broadcast, studio, and stage . Our vision is to be a global leader in emitting good vibes through manufacturing and design, all while capturing the spark of the TELEFUNKEN legacy and transmitting it with uncompromising quality.