Do You Hear What I Hear ?

“Blessed is the soundman when no one comments on the sound for surely when the sound stinketh, they will let you know.” from 4th Bubba, Chapter 414 of the Not Quite Ready For the Bible edition.

Okay, so maybe that is slightly irreverent, but it is certainly a fact of life for all soundmen. How often does someone come to you and tell you how they could not hear the (insert your instrument of choice) where they were sitting? If you say never, you are truly a great soundman and we all bow to you, or you are lying. I have had people come to me and complain about the sound when they were in a balcony that was clearly marked as a no-seating area, and thus no speakers were even focused in that area, and my favorite was the gentleman that complained that he was in the Lobby and the flute was not loud enough. Two points to consider here: 1. there were no speakers in the Lobby, 2. The Lobby doors were closed during the sound check and 3. There was no flute playing… anywhere…at all…maybe in his head? Alright you caught me, that was 3 points. Just checking to see who is awake.

These are extreme and humorous examples of what we all go through as practitioners of the Art of Sound Reproduction. But along with the absurd goes the truth, people will hear differently in different places in the room. Sometimes we can control this and sometimes we can’t.

So there is the potential problem. Is there a solution? Actually there are a number of solutions. The next few articles I post will give different approaches to solving this problem of perception. Here and now I give you the most important. WALK THE ROOM! Some of you know what I mean and to others, this may be a new concept. How can you understand what your congregation is hearing if you have only ever listened from the mix position? The truth is, unless your worship room has been expertly designed for sound reproduction, there is a great chance that different parts of the room sound different from others. This in fact is the norm. You are lucky and in the minority if your room has been optimized for sound. More typically it has been optimized for sight lines and aesthetics and usually by a committee! So WALK THE ROOM and become acquainted with how sound differs throughout the room. You will probably find that where the mix position is situated is either the best sound in the room (unlikely) or the worst (most likely) and that in making your mix decisions you may adversely affect the other sections of the room even though it improves at the mix position!

Now what do you do? Well, armed with this new information that you have gleaned from WALKING THE ROOM, we can explore different paths to fixing the problem areas. In the next few articles we will identify typical room problems and possible solutions for them. Hopefully if you fall into the category of Room By Committee, we will hit on your specific problem and give you some possibilities for correcting them. Happy walking!

Until next time, as we say in the music industry

Audio!

Dan Yeaney

7/15/2008

Selecting Loudspeaker Systems

When purchasing new loudspeakers, it is important to understand the total cost of ownership of the loudspeakers. Perhaps another way to look at this is to consider the total value the loudspeakers have to the congregation (the owners) and the users (the A/V ministry team) based upon the church’s requirements. The total value may include the loudspeaker’s performance abilities, aesthetic considerations as it relates to the sanctuary’s architecture, maintenance considerations, and their ability to integrate with future upgrades to the audio system. Selecting professional loudspeakers for your house of worship requires that a number of critical factors be considered in order to make an informed decision. After all, a professional loudspeaker system for your congregation is a capital investment, and, like any other capital expenditure, it should be carefully scrutinized before signing the check. Listeners will immediately point to the loudspeaker system when things do not sound “right.” After all, it is the most recognizable part of the audio system.

Why Professional Loudspeakers?

Because of the high demands placed upon them, professional loudspeakers are designed to offer greater performance and flexibility than loudspeakers designed for the consumer market. Professional loudspeakers often provide higher sound output; they can often handle more power than similar-sized consumer loudspeakers; and they are typically designed for semi-specific applications with specific performance characteristics. One of the main performance characteristic differences between professional and consumer loudspeakers is that professional loudspeakers are designed for more consistent sound throughout the coverage area.

Above all, reliability is often the biggest consideration for choosing professional loudspeakers. After all, the demands placed on them will likely far exceed the demands placed on loudspeakers designed for the consumer market. While many consumer loudspeakers will play loudly and for extended periods, they may not have the robust components or designs to handle the rigors of weekly services.

What Is the Selection Process?

The first step in your loudspeaker system purchase should be shopping for a qualified professional sound contractor and/or sound consultant. In addition to selling, installing and servicing your new loudspeaker system, the greater value that the sound contactor has at this point in your search is that they can help determine (sometimes with the assistance of a consultant) the best possible solution(s) for your congregation.

More often than not, the best way to find a reliable sound contracting professional is usually via word of mouth. Most religious congregations tend to be part of larger organizations (whether liturgical or social), and it is very likely that one of these groups will have had experience in hiring the services of a sound contractor in the past. It is also possible that a church member will have hired a sound contracting professional in the course of their own business endeavors. Also, there are those occasions where a member of the congregation itself may be an audio professional or knowledgeable in the field. A word-of-mouth referral will likely provide the piece of mind and credibility that the contractor you ultimately hire is capable of providing the needed services. A sound contractor and/or consultant can assess your building and loudspeaker system needs based upon your worship style and system performance goals. Remember that the sound contractor/consultant’s job is to ensure that you get the right product, equipment training, and/or acoustical treatments to achieve better sound in your facility. Loudspeakers are a long-term investment, so do not be afraid to ask any and every question you have before, during, and after the purchase and installation process.

What Are the Different Types of Loudspeaker Systems?

Every worship facility and service has its own unique characteristics that are determined in part by the worship style, as well as the physical environment of the worship setting. A sermon-based service will have different needs than a service that features a high-impact praise band. A service that is set in a large auditorium has different needs than a gathering in the fellowship hall. It is important to understand the different types of loudspeaker systems that could be used in your house of worship.

1. Point-and-Shoot System

The most common type of loudspeakers is often referred to as a point-and-shoot system and has the most recognizable form factor design. As the name suggests, these loudspeakers, when installed, are simply aimed toward the intended audience.

Depending on the desired coverage pattern (the area where the sound needs to be directed), point-and-shoot loudspeakers can be used individually or as part of a larger loudspeaker cluster. They are relatively easy to install, as many point-and-shoot loudspeakers include load-rated rigging or suspension points built into the loudspeaker cabinet. Depending on the components within the system, these loudspeakers can be used for simple speech reinforcement or with a high-impact praise band.

2. Line Arrays

For very large sanctuaries, line arrays have become a popular solution because of their clean appearance, excellent coverage patterns (by simply adding or removing cabinets or changing the box-to-box angling, line arrays can achieve varying degrees of vertical coverage), and their ability to provide consistent sound levels at a distance without volume levels dropping off. Most often recognized by their use in tour sound applications, line arrays are also available in smaller form factor designs for smaller or shallower sized rooms.

Some of the challenges, however, of using line arrays include height limitations, since vertical pattern coverage is dependent on being able to stack multiple cabinets on top of one another. In addition, a good line array can be expensive; thus, from a fiscal standpoint, it may not be the practical way to go.

Finally, if you choose a line array be sure that is what you get. Some products look like line arrays but do not necessarily have the loudspeaker drivers in the cabinets arranged to perform as a part of a line array system.

3. Column Loudspeakers

For highly reverberant rooms where speech intelligibility is a challenge, column loudspeakers are a great solution. Like line arrays, they are designed to focus their energy and minimized sound reflections in the space. They are easily recognizable by their narrow profiles, and their clean, simple form factor design makes them easy to integrate into most any décor.

4. Commercial Sound Loudspeakers

For ancillary areas (vestibule, cry rooms, fellowship hall, outdoor areas etc.), commercial sound loudspeakers are an excellent option. Designed to be discreet in appearance, commercial loudspeakers are available in a variety of sizes and performance configurations and can be flush mounted (installed into a ceiling or wall structure with only the grille exposed) or surface mounted (mounted to a wall or other surface) via a bracket. Many commercial loudspeakers also include transformers in their designs that allow them to be incorporated into 70-volt/100-volt audio distribution systems.

Running 70-volt/100-volt loudspeakers in your ancillary areas has several advantages.

First, fewer power amplifiers are required to drive multiple loudspeakers. Second, each loudspeaker’s volume level can be adjusted individually using the loudspeaker’s tap switch. These loudspeakers are easy to configure into systems that require specific volume or program material control over a certain area. Perhaps most importantly, using 70-volt/100-volt loudspeakers is a very efficient and cost-effective way of installing an audio system over a wide area.

5. Portable Loudspeakers

For temporary events or locations that do not typically require a permanent sound reinforcement solution, portable loudspeakers allow users to quickly set up an interim sound system. Available in a variety of sizes and performance capabilities, portable loudspeakers typically include such features as handles, pole mounts for “flying” the loudspeakers above the crowd. Many portable loudspeakers also include built-in power amplifiers for added ease of use.

In the end, one of the most important ideas to keep in mind when selecting a loudspeaker system is to remember that selecting a loudspeaker system is not the same as designing a sound system. While loudspeakers are the most recognizable pieces of your audio system, they are only a part of the entire sound system.

By Phil Sanchez

Phil Sanchez is a product manager with JBL Professional’s Commercial Sound group.

Our Thanks to JBL for their permission to use this article. If you have any questions regarding JBL loudpseakers please fell free to call us and let us help you with your needs. Thanks from Dan and Wes at Sound and Pixel.