Based in Des Moines, IA, Conference Technologies (CTI) recently completed a new sound system integration in the 1,200-seat fan-shaped sanctuary at nearby Grace Church in replacing the former PA with the constant curvature technology of Martin Audio TORUS arrays.
It’s the latest in a series of AVL upgrades at the church undertaken by CTI over the past 10 years, and meets the high demands of a lively worship ministry is based around bands, choirs and orchestras. Led and overseen by worship pastor Michael Hoskinson, the old system had been in place for two decades since the sanctuary opened and was clearly ready to be retired.
“What we were looking for instead was a line array that would provide even coverage everywhere,” Hockinson says. The previous system’s subwoofers were also set upfront on the ground, and had been visually obtrusive. “And so we were looking for a system that would enable the subs to be flown, and at the same time provide better coverage.”
CTI vice president of systems integration Tim Wright headed up the project and notes, “The frequency response from front to back and side to side was not good, and it had never been tuned to the room. As technology has advanced, and our needs have become more critical with regard to frequency response, so our expectations have changed.”
Wright listed out requirements for the new system and discussed them with Martin Audio North America. “We had a couple of runs with their design engineers and felt the coverage maps could still be improved,” he says. “Then expectations leaned towards TORUS, and I knew that solution was spot on. I had heard the system at a trade show and knew exactly what it was capable of.
“Sonically I have always been impressed with the vocal quality of Martin Audio and TORUS is a level beyond that. I tested it with a CD and the clarity was fantastic; for the price point Martin Audio hits, this is second to none.”
Hoskinson adds, “From the other integrator options I was given we could have spent double the money for the same result.” Wright had presented four different options meeting different price points. “When I was asked which one I would recommend it was a no brainer,” he says.
The constant curvature array technology is designed for applications that typically require optimumized throw between 15 and 30 metres, and where a larger line array or point source design may not be appropriate. The T1230 offers a vertical pattern of 30 degrees while the T1215 offers 15 degrees, and both have a horizontal pattern that can be manually adjusted between 90, 60 or 75 degrees (asymmetrically).
Installation challenges on the project included locating the three hang points, with a confined workspace above a hard-deck ceiling. However, a left-center-right system was duly implemented with a combination of two TORUS T1215 with a T1230 underneath, backed by a pair of SXCF118 cardioid subs on each hang and driven by four iKON iK42 4 x 2500W Dante-supporting process-controlled amplifiers. A further pair of Martin Audio XD12 point source loudspeakers were deployed as corner fills and seven compact DD6 loudspeakers are placed around the perimeter of the stage for close front fills.
The new system also meets the church’s aesthetic requirements, since the ceiling is now painted black and the loudspeakers blend. Hoskinson is also pleased to have the subs up in the air, noting that while the trim height of the hang is now lower than previously, it doesn’t intrude on the two-screen projection set up. “The whole thing looks really sleek now,” he says.
When Martin Audio’s Will Harris came to commission it, “as soon as it was physically turned on it sounded great,” according to Wright. “It sounded exactly like it looked on the engineering document. Any DSP that was needed was built into the amps. [iKON] is a complete process-controlled amp for a good reason because it is designed to work together [with TORUS].”
