DP Design of Milwaukee recently implemented a new sound reinforcement system incorporating Martin Audio Wavefront Precision Mini (WPM) line arrays for the sanctuary of the Celebration Church in Lakeville, MN.
“The church was built in the early 90s and they’ve been slowly upgrading for the first time since then,” explains David Price of DP Design, which provided both system design and installation on the project. “Now they’ve added a new PA, console and wireless, which is a big first step for them. Celebration is a very contemporary church with a large area including a stage built to be more of a theatrical performance venue that holds about 850 people. The basic shape is square that eventually curves out into a fan-shaped auditorium space.
“They wanted concert-level sound so we installed Martin Audio WPM-based on its minimal impact on sightlines and its exceptional audio performance for mid-sized concerts, something they often do there,” he continues. “There are eight WPM boxes a side powered by Martin Audio iK81 amps with one-box resolution for maximum coverage throughout the audience area along with four SX118 subs built into the stage.”
In addition, a Martin Audio XD15 per side for out fill is flown outside of the arrays because of the room’s width and fan shape. The church offers contemporary worship music with electric bands and several vocalists for its services but also wanted the system to be authentic for speech, with a Martin Audio CDD15 loudspeaker flown in the center for the pastor’s mic during the message to help make the sermon feel more intimate and authentic. There are also four CDD6 set into the stage for front fills to enhance coverage for congregants seated in front of the stage.
The venue’s two main entrances include CDD5TX-WR’s on the exterior perimeter and Martin Audio C8.1T ceiling loudspeakers in the tall lobby atrium based on their narrow pattern and ability to throw more effectively below, and C6.8T in the restrooms. An Allen & Heath dLive console is stationed at front of house and wireless in-ear systems are driven by IP mixers that control the mix buses and the rest of the band is on the A&H ME1 personal monitoring system.
“The old PA was a large point-source rig with a lot of phase coherence problems, dead spots and other issues. The original subs were massive double 18’s groundstacked on the extreme left and right and there was just no smooth bass response,” Price concludes. “The church was blown away with the new WPM system, especially compared to what they had before. The way we were able to array the subs and integrate the WPM’s into the room and blend the outfills and center speakers, every seat in the space feels the same, even those right in front sound great because the CDD6’s keep up so impressively with the main PA. There just isn’t a bad seat in the house anymore which is something they’d never experienced.
