Let There Be Sound

In the beginning there was a great void in worship services. A place where the readings and sermons could not be heard and the message lost to the flock. However, a booming voice could be heard, "Let there be sound!" And there was sound, and the flock saw that it was good, and they said that it was good and it was good.

While I am paraphrasing scripture to make a point, I have great reverence for spiritual services and for the word of God. My experience with services has varied from small communities of worship to large congregations, bursting at the seams on Easter or Christmas Masses. The one thing that I found in all was a message of hope and of brotherly love. The problem was I couldn't always hear that message well. This was not due to a lack of vocal ability by the pastors or lectors; it was simply the effect of a large venue and the aggregate noise of many people together. Adding in curious and bored children and it can often be very difficult to focus in on the Word, as it is shared. That is why many congregations have cried out "Let there be Sound!"

The solution to this problem is simple, and no longer prohibitively expensive; a professional sound system. One company which produces many different products to meet the needs of this market is Anchor Audio. Other sources of professional sound equipment include Bogen, CSI-Speco and Amplivox. From large PA systems, to voice and music systems, many options exist. A church has considerations which many other venues do not, which makes it wise to seek out a professional audio dealer for advice on how to best meet those needs. Certainly, a good voice system, which provides comprehensive sound coverage throughout the church, is required. This system should offer high quality sound, with low distortion to ensure that the message is heard clearly. Multiple audio inputs are likely necessary, to accommodate the lectors, musical leaders, choir, and pastor or priest. Some of these inputs are well suited to wired technology, but others are better suited to wireless options. The fixed positions, like a podium for the lecture and/or musical director are well suited for wired microphones, as they do not require mobility. The choir can also use wired, dynamic microphones, to provide coverage of the entire choir without the need for a complex network of microphones. The pastor or priest is usually best suited to a wireless microphone with a belt-pack transmitter, as this allows free movement in delivering a sermon and in preparation of offerings or the Eucharist. All of these options can be integrated into appropriate sound systems. The Anchor audio products are largely modular, offering flexible designs, which can accommodate these various input and speaker configurations without being overly expensive or complex.

Speaker options are important to consider as well. Depending on the size, layout and acoustic qualities of the church, different speaker types and configurations may be best. Once again, a trained sound system expert from a full line dealer would be able to assist in the development of speaker system plans. In new buildings, built in sound systems are often the way to go, as they can be seamlessly designed into the structure. Ceiling speakers, tile speakers, horn loudspeakers, baffle speakers, foreground and background speakers, column speakers and self amplified speakers are all available to meet various needs. Knowing what each type can accomplish, as well as the significance of frequencies and decibel ranges and distortion values are all important when designing the complete speaker layout. Understanding coverage areas and dispersion of sound from the various speakers is also crucial to prevent sound dead zones or, just as bad, echoes or overlaps. Lastly, it is important to know where the microphones and speakers will be placed to avoid feedback problems from close proximity. For those who are not familiar, feedback is the cause of the loud screeching noise when a microphone is placed to close to a speaker.

By properly designing a church sound system, the message can be heard and enjoyed by all in attendance. For churches with multiple services, it also reduces the strain on the voices of the readers, speakers and choir members. Speak with a full line audio dealer to see about the sound system to meet your needs and varied pricing options, and "Let there be sound!"