The NMR Buddhist Meditation Center (as it is known locally) in Raynham, MA, which has grown to become the largest Thai Buddhist temple outside of Thailand, has a new sound reinforcement system in its multi-purpose hall that incorporates Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers.
Officially known as Wat Nawamintararachutis, the temple is part of a complex on 55 acres that’s a destination for Buddhists across the United States and the world, with the hall hosting spoken word presentations, musical performances, and other events.
Michael Waitt, project manager for Chicopee, MA-based systems installers Valley Communications Systems, explains that the venue presented a number of acoustical challenges.
“It’s a large, open room, about 50 feet square, with a 20-foot ceiling, tiered granite floors, and a glass wall across the back,” says Waitt. “Needless to say, it’s a very reflective environment, and the acoustics don’t lend themselves to good spoken word intelligibility.”
The new system, designed by Brian Masiello of Acentech, utilizes a pair of ICONYX IC24R-II digitally steered arrays mounted to either side of the small stage area, providing uniform coverage across the entire room. “There really isn’t an audience area, per se,” Waitt notes, “so our main objective was to steer the sound into the center of the hall, and direct it away from the walls and windows.”
He adds that temple officials have been exceptionally pleased with the system: “The IC24 columns blend in so well with the décor, they are barely noticeable, and coverage is consistent to every corner of the room.”