Located in suburban Lithonia, Georgia, east of Atlanta, Emmanuel Seventh Day Adventist Church offers traditional gospel music as part of its Sabbath services.
Each Saturday, solo vocalists, choir and praise team join Pastor Kenneth Boswell and Praise Team Leader Dale Brown in raising their voices to a congregation of about 450.
After several years of struggles with outdated, karaoke-style wireless systems, church PA Director Michael Edmeade consulted with Jason Block at Guitar Center Pro to find a modern alternative that would improve sound quality while eliminating interference. Together, they determined the Line 6 XD-V75 digital wireless system would meet all their needs.
“We use up to 10 systems at once, so avoiding interference was an important consideration,” said Edmeade. “We requested a good microphone that would last us for years to come and be superb in quality.
“We wanted mics that were solid, physically—and reasonably priced compared to some of these other microphones. So we were looking for quality, but at a good price.
“Jason Block took a look at our situation and recommended Line 6 for us, and it has worked out very well.”
The Line 6 XD-V75 family of digital wireless handheld, lavalier, headset and bodypack systems operate in the 2.4GHz band, which is license-free and not subject to interference by TV stations, conventional wireless systems or cellular phones.
With 14 channels, XD-V75 proved to be a perfect fit for the needs of Emmanuel SDA Church. Upon installation, the sound quality Edmeade had hoped for was immediately apparent.
“As soon as we put the Line 6 mics in, there was a big improvement compared to the sound of our old systems,” he noted. “We felt it right away—we had made a good decision.”
As PA Director for the church, Edmeade appreciates the full feature set that Line 6 wireless offers, such as a battery-saving low power mode and the ability to select various popular microphone models.
“It’s good, because I prefer to have a lot of control of the sound,” he said. “Line 6 gives me plenty of options, yet the operation is very easy. All you have to do is turn it on and follow the menu.
“Changing channels is easy, and being able to monitor the battery status from the mixing console is very nice. I also really like the fact that we can run all ten systems through one set of antennas.”
Reaction from the vocalists and choir has been similarly positive.
“We all have handhelds, and everyone likes them very much. Not just the sound, but the mics themselves. They are very easy for me to operate when I’m setting up, and also for the actual presenter,” Edmeade reported. “They are very solidly built and have some substance, but aren’t too heavy either, so they are comfortable to use.
“We also like the mute control, which our vocalists use when they are not singing.”
Emmanuel SDA Church sees its purchase of Line 6 wireless as a long-term investment.
“The quality of the system is apparent,” said Michael Edmeade. “They are built smartly in every aspect, and we expect to be using them for years to come.”
