Following a convincing demo of a Meyer Sound M’elodie line array loudspeaker system during its annual Christmas concerts, Evangel Church in Kansas City, MO was convinced that they had found the ideal audio technology to fully support its services.
The congregation soon rallied to marshal its resources, eventually investing in a nearly identical Meyer Sound system, designed and commissioned by Greg Slape of Special Event Services in Winston-Salem, N.C.
“We immediately fell in love with the Meyer system,” says Tim Murlatt, the church’s business administrator, about the first demo. “It was a spectacular sound we had never heard before in that space.”
The permanently installed system includes a trio of eight-high M’elodie line arrays that cover most of the flat front floor as well as all rear stadium seating in the 1,200-seat, fan-shaped auditorium. They are joined by four 600-HP subwoofers, four M1D line array loudspeakers for front fill, two UPJ-1P VariO loudspeakers for corner fills, two UPM-1P loudspeakers overhead for choir monitors, and a Galileo loudspeaker management system with one Galileo 616 processor.
Additionally, two UM-100P stage monitors supplement the musicians’ in-ear foldback systems. The renovation also included an Avid VENUE Profile console with direct AES3 digital connection to the Galileo system.
With the Meyer Sound system in place, the previous complaints about “raspy” sound and missing words in the sermon have disappeared. “They were long overdue for a system that matched the talent and vitality in the church,” says Slape. “They now have full, robust, concert-capable sound, with uniform coverage to the last row.”
The M’elodie system has also opened the door to hosting concerts with no need for outside system rentals.
“We brought in Dove award-winning artist Natalie Grant, and she was blown away by the quality of the sound,” says Murlatt. “And when Press Play sent us their rider, we were happy to tell them our system easily exceeded their requirements. We now have full confidence that we can host any concert without a hitch. And it will be amazing.”
