Church sound system.

be prepared that teh boys scouts golden rule - be prepared

and if you meet a girl scout who is similarly inclined - be prepared

Tom Lehrer

Reply to
charles
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In message , charles writes

So do I. I went into a new build exhibition unit last year and found that the loop system that they had fitted, and signage put up for, had never been connected. None of the people looking after it had ever thought to have it tested!

In answer to Dave's original question, the company I work for has an audio/PA side and they have kited out a number of churches and believe in the idea of lots of low power 100V line speakers. Zone it and have variable volume for each zone, makes it easier to use if an area away from the pulpit, normal mic positions, is being used for another activity. Also easy to wire up.

Reply to
Bill

In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes

But an absolute pain when used with PA

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Reply to
Bill

Yes and no. The fact that it's omni means less variations as you move about. And we're not talking pop music levels - just enough to be comfortable for those with fairly normal hearing.

Of course getting any mic closer to the mouth would help enormously - but that simply isn't going to happen. I suggested ages ago with the existing system that a head worn mic used with the existing radio link would improve things considerably, but this was vetoed. My main concern now is to stop the same people voting to spend lots of money on this 'pretty' central speaker system if it's not going to work well enough.

The sad thing is they don't appear to have anyone in the congregation with even the most basic knowledge of this sort of thing - or if there is they're keeping their heads down. As with many such things it all gets left to the same few.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Apart from the car we pinched and the village hall we destroyed we were not a bad bunch- oh and there was that sheep we killed.

Reply to
ARW

"The gymnasium was insured; the sports pavilion was not." (Millicent Fritton)

Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

there was a fire at a nearby village hall recently. In the words of the Parish Clerk "unfortunately, the fire brigade got there too soon,"

Reply to
charles

Around my way ALL the up and coming non-traditional religions seem to have found (largish) buildings to convert or have rebuilt their places of worship for a more modern usage. It only the CoE and the Child Fiddler traditional religions that have stuck to inappropriate buildings for the size of the congregations.

Reply to
alan

I have no personal experience of them, but Keith Monks is a long established name in Public Address and they do church systems

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Owain

Reply to
spuorgelgoog

Come to this thread a little late but since I have been involved in sound systems at a couple of churches some thoughts.

Firstly, do you want to replace the voice or re-inforce it? There is quite a difference in the amount of amplification you need and the arrangement of speakers. The second is the traditional church route but more and more are going for the former which can give rise to feedback problems and long reverb times.

Secondly, is the congregation always in the same place or do you have to cater for variety - traditionally the minister/vicar was at the front and the congregation at the back, speakers could face one way and not cause feedback. If the congregation moves around then you may need to have a range of speakers pointing in different directions with the ability to switch between or adjust the volume of them. Since amplifiers are relatively cheap then having two amplifiers for two sets of speakers is not too bad.

Thirdly, is the system a "switch on and leave" or will there be an operator? If the former then either the minister/vicar will need to turn on and off microphones or you will struggle to do more than sound reinforcement due to feedback problems. If there is an operator then they can adjust for feedback, different projection levels of the people talking, manage recordings, etc.

Reply to
John

I'd add another one: talk to the other users of the building. A setup which is good for the parish council meeting might not do for the ceilidh band.

Theo

Reply to
Theo Markettos

I'd say a band which needed a sound system would likely bring their own?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

In article , Dave Plowman (News) writes

Agree but different uses have different requirements. We have an electronic hymnal which we play through a separate speaker system since the amplification is not loud enough to get a good sound (and also because it allows us to make the sound come from the old pipe organ!).

You might also like to think about whether you are just going to have a few microphones or need to have facilities for instruments (DI boxes, etc.)

Reply to
John

The pipe organ still works - was overhauled at vast cost quite recently.

Think they're more concerned about getting a system which does the basic job well.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

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