The recent renovation of the second worship sanctuary at Somang Presbyterian Church in Seoul, South Korea — used primarily for wedding services and the church’s youth group — includes a new sound reinforcement system implemented by integration firm Star Networks that utilizes TW AUDiO line arrays and subwoofers.
The auditorium space presented a number of challenges, including high reverberation that had made the previous audio system sound muddy. “The old system had a lack of intelligibility which we needed to solve,” explains Jung Hak Kim of Star Networks. “Plus, the interior of the sanctuary has been completely renewed. We needed to ensure that the new system was unobtrusive and didn’t block the audience’s view of the new LED screen at the rear of the stage.”
He continues: “Like most churches, they didn’t want us to put subwoofers on the floor, mainly because of appearance, so I wanted to find an acoustically ideal position to provide even low-end coverage. We also had to eliminate the need for front fills. Finally, we had to be careful to secure maximum gain-before-feedback – the pastor’s podium was moved forward by approximately two meters, but the rigging position remained the same.”
The system includes left-right hangs of 12 per side ELLA6 line array enclosures covering the entire sanctuary, supported by just two S32 subwoofers. The subs are discreetly positioned in the middle of the proscenium where organ loudspeakers were once installed, and their cardioid preset helps minimize rearward lobing. The arrays and subs are driven by two Powersoft T604DSP and one Powersoft T602DSP amplifiers.
“ELLA’s sleek and elegant appearance blends perfectly with the venue’s aesthetic,” says Seokwoo Choi of Star Networks. “It is almost invisible compared with the old bulky PA and the congregation enjoys perfect sightlines to the LED screen. Also, the SPL of the new system is around a third of its predecessor but delivers better intelligibility and coverage.
“The pastor has described it as a huge upgrade, he’s absolutely thrilled, and the church’s musicians say they feel like they are performing in a concert hall. The success of this installation will be a touchstone for the future.”
