Worship AVL September-October 2021

AV LIGHTING SOUND REINFORCEMENT RECORDING STAGE SOUND BROADCAST

September–October 2021

September–October 2021

SPREADING THE MESSAGE Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque

OLD MEETS NEW AT ALÈS CATHEDRAL

TIPS ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMERA

MICA (P) 009/05/2021 PPS 1644/05/2013(022954) Singapore: MICA (P) 009/05/2021 PPS 1644/05/2013(022954)

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Contents Issue 72

September–October 2021

NEWS IMMERSIVE SOUND L-ISA brings sound and stage together at Orchard Hill

4

A NEW VOICE Eisenstadt selects Adamson to improve speech intelligibility 6 ENERGISING WORSHIP LD Systems is the first choice for JNAG Church

8

TECHNICAL UPGRADE JLE Audio renovates Stockholm’s Filadelfiakyrkan

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FURTHER EXPANSION The Barn Church chooses DiGiCo

11

ONLINE WORSHIP Magewell launches livestreaming resource

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LIGHTING REFIT River of Life Church upgrades with ADJ

14

CLOUD-BASED PRODUCTION Ideal Systems keeps Kingdomcity connected

15

FLEXIBLE SOLUTIONS Monte Bros. relies on Audio-Technica

16

PROJECTS LED POWER LynTec lights up Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral

18

FAITH RESTORED Daerim Church unveils new Outline sound system

20

COVER: CHALLENGE ACCEPTED Acoustic treatment at Kuwait Mosque

22

OLD MEETS NEW TOA solutions add a modern touch to Alès Cathedral

24

STREAMING SUCCESS Central Moravian Church turns to PTZOptics

26

SAC FULL OF SOLUTIONS Sovico Pro upgrades AVL systems at Joeun Church

28

ON THE MOVE Christ Fellowship chooses L-Acoustics’ Syva

30

KNOWHOW MIC PLACEMENT DPA’s Eddy B Brixen discusses placement of body-worn mics 32 THE RIGHT CHOICE Casey Hawkins considers how to choose the right camera 34 SPECIAL LIGHTING John Black looks at how to create an impact

36

TECHNOLOGY MIX AND MATCH NEXO’s range of solutions for HOW installations

Editor’s note

Email: kwallace@worshipavl.com

Progress is being made at my local church of St Peter’s in Pembury as we move towards the commissioning and installation of much-needed audio and video equipment. We have invited several integrators to quote for the project, chosen our preferred company, raised sufficient funds following an appeal to the parish and are working on our application to the Diocesan Advisory Committee for the Care of Churches (DAC). The DAC requires a significant amount of information and it can be a lengthy process before we are given permission and the installation can go ahead. While all restrictions have been lifted in the UK, not everyone will feel comfortable coming back into the church, so it’s more important than ever to be able to provide a means for everyone to stay connected. More in a later issue.

Once again, our regular contributors have lent us their technical expertise.

Scary as it sounds, John Black is preparing for the holiday season and the opportunities this provides for creating different lighting effects onstage (p36), while Casey Hawkins attempts to answer the all-important question of knowing which video cameras to buy (p34).

Of course we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but we feature some impressive-looking architecture in this issue – Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral (p18), the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste d’Alès in France (p24) and our cover story, the Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque in Kuwait (p22). Each installation has brought its own set of requirements that have been expertly resolved by their respective integrators.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

IN THIS ISSUE

38

30

MODERN APPROACH Father Robert Ballecer uses new tech at the Jesuit Curia 40 PAR CANS Bob Mentele looks back on the development of the PAR can

42

PRODUCTS Equipment launches and updates

44

THE TECH VIEW Lincoln Berean Church’s Jon Sauer strives for excellence 58

Contacts

20

24

40

GENERAL MANAGER Richard Lawn T: +44 1892 676280

ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Sue Gould T: +44 1892 676280

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Caroline Moss T: +44 1892 676280

SENIOR REPORTER Simon Luckhurst T: +44 1892 676280

SALES ASSOCIATE Carolyn Valliere T: +1 562 746 1790

rlawn@worshipavl.com

sgould@worshipavl.com

cmoss@worshipavl.com

sluckhurst@worshipavl.com

cvalliere@worshipavl.com

PRODUCTION MANAGER Adrian Baker T: +44 1892 676280

DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Nick Smith T: +44 1892 676280

VIDEO EDITOR Chris Yardley T: +44 1892 676280

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR Jessica Ubhi T: +44 1892 676280

GUANGZHOU MANAGER Sue Su T: +86(20)85633602

abaker@worshipavl.com

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cyardley@worshipavl.com

jubhi@worshipavl.com

ssu@worshipavl.com

COVER: Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque PRINTER: Times Printers Singapore LICENCES: Singapore: MICA (P) 009/05/2021 PPS 1644/05/2013(022954) CIRCULATION: circulation@worshipavl.com All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the copyright owners.

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@WorshipAVLMagazine September–October 2021 WORSHIP AVL 3

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NEWS

L-ISA brings the sound and stage together USA Orchard Hill Church, located north of Pittsburgh in Wexford, offers a striking architectural design around its 1,200-seat auditorium. An L-ISA system from L-Acoustics has been integrated as part of a renovation of the main worship centre. Installed with assistance from integrator Key Code Media and L-Acoustics Certified Provider (CPi) Hollowood Sound, the new system consists of five L-Acoustics arrays spread over the stage that comprise the Scene system, with two smaller outside arrays over the stage wings that make up the Extension system.

The three centre-most hangs feature five A15 enclosures each – four Focus over one Wide – flanked by two outer hangs of five A10, also four Focus over one Wide. Behind the centre array are two hangs of three KS28 subs each. And on the far left and right side, three A10 hangs of two Focus over one Wide serve as Extension. Between the Scene and Extension arrays on each side are three A10 Focus used as

A pair of L-ISA Processors with an Avid VENUE S6L mixing console out-fill, bringing the flown array count to 11 hangs. In addition, 14 5XT coaxials are flush-mounted into the face of the stage for front-fill.

The Scene and Extension systems are powered by 12 LA4X amplified controllers, while two LA12X are used to drive the KS28 subs and the out-fill and ancillary speakers, such as the eight X8 used to cover the very

last rows of seating. The immersive system is managed by a pair of L-ISA Processors paired with an Avid VENUE S6L mixing console, and an Auvitran audio toolbox handles the MADI, AVB and Dante format interfaces for the audio system.

“Once you learn how the L-ISA Controller works and you break your mental mode around stereo,

it’s easy and even intuitive,” said Orchard Hill Church technical director, John Cornelius. “And the results are spectacular. It’s a great format for houses of worship because we can so precisely locate the sound. That’s nicely experienced during the 20–30 minutes of music we have at the beginning of services, but it’s especially useful for the time when the pastor is centre stage – L-ISA keeps the focus totally on him, and it really increases engagement.

“One very specific comment I received from someone was that he could really hear the decay of the cymbals on the drum kit,” added Cornelius. “And these comments come from people who don’t have a background in pro audio. L-ISA shows that immersive sound is truly a new kind of reality.” www.hollowood.com www.keycodemedia.com www.l-acoustics.com www.orchardhillchurch.com

Auto de Pascoa gets passionate about grandMA3

Image courtesy of Igreja da Cidade Campus Colina

BRAZIL Brazilian lighting designer Paulinho Lebrao has created a spectacular and vibrant production of Auto de Pascoa (Passion of Christ) in the main auditorium of the Igreja da Cidade Campus Colina church in Brazil.

Choosing a full grandMA3 package – software and hardware – for lighting control, the production was staged in

the church’s main auditorium in Sӑo José dos Campos, Paraiba Valley, about 80km from São Paulo, and streamed worldwide.

“The grandMA3 delivers everything I need,” commented Lebrao, explaining that he had spent 2020 “jumping up” to the grandMA3 after more than a decade of being delighted with the

grandMA2. The main console for Auto de Pascoa was a grandMA3 full size with a grandMA3 light as backup.

Approximately 100 moving lights plus some conventional fixtures were on the lighting rig, 90% of which were LED sources, all delivered to the show by Brazilian rental specialist, LPL. Lebrao had previously lit some smaller shows using the full grandMA3 setup, and the smooth running of these gave him the confidence to specify it for this highprofile event. While Auto de Pascoa wasn’t a complicated show for lighting programming in terms of the music, one grandMA3 feature making life “infinitely easier” was the Selection Grid which facilitates the fast building of Phasers (effects) and individual times.

Lebrao also found himself using Gestures multiple times to quickly navigate and adjust settings. “That was fantastic because most of the functions can be tweaked just by using your fingers on the screen,” he

said. Overall, he thinks the console is “very stable and powerful” and he credits the proactivity of the MA Lighting R&D team for always having their fingers on the pulse and ears to the ground, “keeping one step ahead, looking into the future, and almost designing and implementing functions before we even know we need them”.

Lebrao paid particular attention to gobo work, texturing, subtle movement and layering effects, building some intricate cues for subtleties like water, reflections and fire. One of the most galvanising scenes was lighting a massive, angry storm that surrounded a little boat in the middle of a vast ocean followed immediately by a normal sunny day in the city of Galilee.

A limited live audience – 1,400 per show, down from the usual 8,500 – was allowed into the venue, but the main objective was to reach a broader streamed audience. www.malighting.com

4 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor Introducing a new generation of fast editing by combining the cut page with a custom edit keyboard.

DaVinci Resolve Speed Editor is designed in conjunction with the cut page to make editing dramatically faster. You get physical controls that make the experience faster than software only editing. The machined metal search dial with soft rubber coating allows accurate search and positioning of the timeline. Plus trim keys allow the search dial to be used for live trimming, which is faster and more accurate!

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The sync bin lets you do multi-cam editing by searching through all your media and showing you any matching clips to use as cutaways. It makes multi-cam editing fast! You can select cameras simply by pressing the number on the keyboard. Or you can hold down the camera number while spinning the search dial to paint the cutaway into the timeline directly! It’s so fast!

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Cut page editing functions are intelligent and take advantage of the speed of a keyboard. They use the ‘smart indicator’ in the timeline to work out where to insert, so you don’t always need to place in or out points to do an edit! Each time you edit, the cut page saves time by staying in the source tape. It’s much faster as you can keep browsing, throwing clips into the timeline!

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NEWS

Adamson gives new voice to cathedral

Epic Church International turns to DAS Audio USA Led by senior pastors John and Ilena Wagner, Epic Church International has a mission to change lives for the better. When church officials elected to upgrade the sound reinforcement facilities in their sanctuary, they contacted Advanced Audio of New York which designed and deployed DAS Audio Aero-20A compact line array enclosures plus UX-218A and UX-221A powered subwoofers.

for the left- and right-side balcony area, each consisting of four Aero-20A enclosures. For low-frequency support, the Advanced Audio team flew eight UX-218A subwoofers – four each for the left and right sides – behind the left and right Aero-20A clusters. There are also four UX-221A ultra-low-frequency subwoofers. These are ground-stacked in front of the stage, two enclosures each for the left and right sides.

“The sanctuary at Epic Church is really quite impressive as well as challenging,” explained Burton A Ishmael, Advanced Audio’s owner/ operator and chief systems designer.

“The room is fan-shaped and includes a wrap-around (180°) balcony. The space measures 45m at the maximum spread and the length of the space is 36m, with a ceiling height of 12m. Seating is fixed and cushioned, and the room’s capacity is approximately 2,300 people.

“Services at Epic Church are contemporary in nature and there are both a praise team of vocalists as well as a full instrumental backup band. Because of this, it was crucial for the new sound system to not only have excellent speech intelligibility characteristics, it also needed first-rate music reproduction and the dynamic capability to deliver the full frequency spectrum as well as consistent frequency response with sufficient SPL throughout the space. Furthermore, the ability to control and monitor the loudspeaker system at FOH was a requirement.”

To address these needs, Ishmael and his team deployed three main LCR loudspeaker clusters with each cluster consisting of six Aero-20A enclosures.

Further out into the room, there are also two delay loudspeaker clusters

“The ability to reproduce music naturally with wide dynamic range while still having excellent speech intelligibility were critical considerations on this project,” Ishmael added. “Further, uniform frequency coverage throughout the space and suitable sound pressure levels were equally important. The DAS Aero-20A loudspeakers are not only musical, their horizontal dispersion characteristics do a great job of providing even coverage throughout the space. Equally important, these loudspeakers don’t interfere with lineof-sight considerations, and this was particularly important because there are left, centre and right LED screens mounted above the stage area. DAS Audio’s DASnet audio management software took care of the networking and monitoring of all components in the system.

“Everyone is really pleased with the new system,” he concluded. “I’ve received numerous compliments from church management and members of the congregation have also commented on how clear and natural sounding the new system is. I believe the church will get many years of service from this sound system. It’s been a rewarding experience for everyone involved.”

Point 8s mounted to the wall with PC 5s placed on steel pipes AUSTRIA As historic churches strive to serve their existing congregations and expand their reach using new technology, inevitably they find themselves balancing their needs for quality audio systems with the desire to maintain the aesthetic beauty of the building. One such church is Eisenstadt, Austria’s Dom St Martin, which recently deployed a low-profile, high-fidelity Adamson Systems Engineering PA to improve speech intelligibility and reinforce small, contemporary musical ensembles with clarity and depth.

The Gothic cathedral was completed in 1522 and features a pipe organ created to the specific instructions of Austrian composer, Franz Joseph Haydn. Over time, it’s been damaged by fire, rebuilt and, more recently, in 2003 underwent a painstaking remodelling undertaken by architects Lichtblau-Wagner.

The Dom is also renowned for its presentation of sacred music, including Eisenstadt’s annual Haydn Festival, and required an audio system that delivered class-leading vocal and instrumental reinforcement and pristine reproduction of speech.

“These types of churches were designed to project the voice without any reinforcement because there was no reinforcement,” said Jochen Sommer, Adamson’s Hamburg-based

director of operations. “So, to upgrade and achieve more intelligibility, from a systems design and aesthetic point of view, is challenging.”

That challenge was met by audio consultant and sound designer Martin Laumann, who specified two Adamson Point 8s for mains and six compact, passive, two-way coaxial PC 5 loudspeakers as delay lines, all driven by two Lab Gruppen PLM 5K44 amplified controllers. Commissioning and installation of the system was supported by GH-Beschallung’s Günther Huemer.

“Previously, the church had column speakers installed but the setup lacked intelligibility in the rear of the sanctuary and wasn’t suitable for some of their music performances,” Huemer explained. “We did a simulation and then tested the Adamson setup, and everyone in the whole church could hear everything very clearly. Once the previous system was switched on again afterwards, the decision to go with Adamson was obvious.

“Sometimes, there are two or three musicians playing guitars and/or keyboards and the Point 8 and PC 5 are very small and provide more output and clarity than column speakers,” continued Huemer. The Point 8 cabinets are mounted to the wall on either side of the altar roughly 2.5m high, and the PC 5s are placed on steel pipes 2m high flush against architectural columns in the cathedral’s sanctuary.

The result is even coverage and excellent intelligibility throughout, according to Laumann, whose company, X Audio, installed and aided in the testing of the cathedral’s new system. www.adamsonsystems.com

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6 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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06.07.2021 11:58:32 22/07/2021 15:15

NEWS

LD Systems’ MAUI 44 is first choice INDIA A state-of-the-art, 4,000-seat church incorporating a balcony and huge dome was recently constructed for the Jehovah Nissi Assemblies of God (JNAG) Church in Parassala, Kerala. To energise the new premises, the HOW brought in Tamil Nadu-based Sound Vision Pro for the acoustic treatment and sound installation.

Jacob Alexander from Sound Vision Pro oversaw the entire installation.

“The church was looking for a clean and efficient sound reinforcement solution with premium brand speakers.

After surveying the church, which has a 150-member choir and 16 musicians, we realised it would be a challenge due to the acoustics, so we

suggested they go with the LD Systems MAUI 44,” he explained. “The pastor couldn’t believe that a single speaker could cover such a huge area so we organised a demo in the adjoining church with just a single unit of the MAUI 44 catering to an audience of 3,000+, and they were amazed. The media team was also impressed with the ease of use and neutral sound of the speakers.” The church now has two MAUI 44 units at FOH, four MAUI 28s under and on the balcony and two MAUI 11s onstage for side-fills with LD Systems monitors.

The response to the new system has been overwhelmingly positive. “I have used many premium speakers

Two MAUI 44s at FOH from other brands for my own gigs but I always enjoy mixing with LD Systems in the church,” said sound engineer Santosh Kumar, while an assistant pastor at the church continued: “I had never heard of LD Systems before this and was wondering how a small speaker could cover such a large audience. But when I heard the sound, I was blown away.”

Reverend N Peter, senior pastor of JNAG Church, added: “The MAUI 44 fits amazingly in the church environment and has made life simpler for us owing to its ease of use and reliability and we can focus on the songs and sermons rather than worry about the sound.” www.ld-systems.com

Historic Alabama cathedral finds the right solution with Renkus-Heinz USA The Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Mobile, Alabama, had long struggled with an inadequate sound system due to the cathedral’s high curved ceilings, large stained-glass windows, wooden pews and other acoustically challenging design features. To preserve the beauty and historical nature of the cathedral’s large sanctuary, the ministry leadership decided against acoustic treatment and opted for a high-performance sound system backed by Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers.

The cathedral’s sanctuary was plagued by acoustic shadowing due to the building’s columns, with sound sources out of the sightline of the congregation, which significantly diminished levels and effective coverage. The previous attempt to redesign the sound system over-compensated with pairs of relatively short column arrays on each of the pillars – 18 in total. The large number of loudspeakers resolved the acoustic shadowing issue behind each column. However, each array was too short to effectively control the lower and mid-frequency range. As such, they delivered a significant amount of unwanted energy into the highly reverberant space, resulting

An ICONYX IC32-RN array

in harsh and unintelligible sound for many of the congregants.

When Reverend Monsignor William Skoneki was named Rector of the cathedral, he contacted Joe Fulton, owner of Modern Sound and Communication, to improve the sanctuary’s audio performance.

Richard Hembree, from Griffith Sales Associates, also met with Monsignor Skoneki to discuss the challenges of the space and collaborate on a solution.

“Monsignor Skoneki’s familiarity with the quality of the RenkusHeinz ICONYX line made this a pretty straightforward upgrade,” said Hembree. “We held a live demonstration of our proposed system for the ministry team and

key leaders, and everyone was very impressed.”

A pair of ICONYX IC32-RN beamsteering arrays have been installed for the front of the nave. The arrays are supported by a pair of SA112-RN subwoofers on the far left and right.

The altar area is covered by a pair of Renkus-Heinz DC12/2 steerable arrays that are time aligned with the mains.

“The first thing the team, including lead technician Travis Ashcraft, did was remove all previous system loudspeakers, which made church leadership very happy,” said Doug Brazeal, systems engineer at Modern Sound. “The new speakers have a compact design and their colour is such a perfect match that they virtually disappear – creating an architecturally pleasing installation. With the greatly improved aesthetics and sound coverage, everyone is very happy.”

“We first used the new system for our Archdiocesan Chrism Mass,” said Monsignor Skoneki. “Afterwards, one of our older priests approached me and said it was the first time he had been able to hear and understand the Archbishop at a mass in the cathedral. The spoken word through the new system is much clearer.” www.renkus-heinz.com

8 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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NEWS

JLE Audio completes technical upgrade sound design proposal with the help of L-Acoustics application engineer, Oskar Meijer. The load capacity of the building roof is limited; therefore, the team chose Kara II for the main system due to its light weight and its ability to provide the coverage and punch Rydebjörk was after.

“We had a number of additional criteria, a significant one being that we wanted flown subs,” added Rydebjörk.

“As our stage is built with removable sections, we wanted to be flexible with the stage design and not have to adjust the space for the subs.”

L–R: sound engineers Emil Söderteg and Philip Briland SWEDEN Inaugurated in November 1930, Stockholm’s Filadelfiakyrkan (Philadelphia Church) belongs to the Swedish Pentecostal Movement. With the church’s popularity expanding, a service programme that features small bands and the intention to rent the building out to touring productions, the decision was made to undertake a complete renovation of the building in order to update its technical infrastructure. Official L-Acoustics Certified Provider Rental and Certified Provider Install partner, JLE Audio, was asked to provide a proposal for a new PA system that would address the church’s own needs and ensure that it is a fully rider-friendly venue. Kara II was ultimately chosen for the new setup.

The proposal was for a complete solution to provide full coverage for all seats, handling anything from speech to pop/rock music. A shootout was

organised in a similar venue between five loudspeaker brands. The systems were hung side-by-side, and a jury of professional sound engineers, staff from the church’s music and tech department, and volunteers performed listening tests and comparisons of a wide range of music and speech material.

“We asked everyone to fill in a form for each system in the different scenarios,” recalled Pontus Rydebjörk, head of installation at Filadelfiakyrkan, who works alongside colleague Linus Pansell.

“When we gathered all the answers, JLE’s commitment, the rider compatibility and the price meant that choosing the L-Acoustics system was easy.”

JLE’s Johannes Jonsson, who handled the design, installation, calibration and tuning of the system, then created a

12 L-Acoustics Kara II per side, with eight KS21 flown behind them The installation was completed jointly by JLE and the audio crew from the church and comprises main left/right hangs of 12 Kara II per side, with four KS21 flown behind the Kara II per side. Out-fill is catered for by an A15 Wide per side,

while front-fill is six X8, with a further eight X8 as under-balcony fills. The entire system is driven by LA4X amplified controllers running on AVB from an L-Acoustics P1 processor and measurement platform located at front of house.

“Using the P1 was the natural choice as we wanted a flexible matrix for the whole system where you can connect both the in-house console and guest consoles, with the ability to connect both via AES or analogue.

We also wanted the ability to send separately to subs and have a guest EQ,” continued Jonsson. “In addition to this, we want the best sound transmission to the amplifiers.

Here, AVB/Milan is unbeatable, as everything is 100% time aligned and sent with the highest sound quality. As for redundancy, there is an analogue fallback from the P1.

Another nice feature that the P1 offers is auto-climate integration.”

Jonsson also appreciated the manufacturer’s support and assistance with the Soundvision design and proposals, as well as its help during the demo/shootout.

“It feels very good to have a close relationship and support from the manufacturer,” he said. “It has helped us to make the right decisions and take the project to the next level, with excellent results.”

The church is currently being used as a mass vaccination centre, and the L-Acoustics system is being put to good use, playing lounge music and recorded messages for everyone attending.

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www.jleaudio.se www.l-acoustics.com

Guildford Cathedral goes green UK To mark the recent Surrey Day 2021 event, Philip French and his team from Peachy Productions lit up Guildford Cathedral in resplendent green, using a combination of Robe Pointes and LEDBeam 150 moving lights.

Having lit the cathedral on several occasions last year, the Peachy crew were delighted to be involved again with a goal of ensuring that the cathedral became as visible as possible from as far away as possible. With the 48m-high bell tower being the tallest part, that is

where the Pointes came into play, with two fixtures deployed in four different positions down both the long sides of the building, eight in total, all in pole position to hit the tower.

“We needed the power and punch of the Pointes to do this properly and get the impact we wanted,” explained French. “They were absolutely the right fixtures and did a great job of making the dark red brick of the cathedral – which is not the easiest to light – shimmer in electric green in the night skies.”

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NEWS

The Barn Church chooses a DiGiCo S21 for broadcasting SOUTH AFRICA We first visited The Barn Christian Fellowship Church in Boskruin, Johannesburg, back in the March– April issue of Worship AVL as the church was forced online due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Since then, the HOW has taken ownership of a DiGiCo S21 supplied by DWR Distribution to assist them in delivering a clear message, especially for those watching the broadcast from home.

“While the S21 provides a high-end workflow option as used by professionals, we chose this console due to its ease of use, especially as the broadcast mix will be operated by volunteers,” commented Jonathan Charles, technical director at The Barn.

“The desk is so simple to use due to its intuitive layout. We use the S21 as our dedicated broadcast console to manage all the broadcast audio requirements.”

Charles first discovered the DiGiCo platform when attending a training course on the desk at local supplier, DWR Distribution. “I was originally unfamiliar with the product range and functionality

until attending a workshop at DWR,” he recalled. “There I realised the raw power of DiGiCo consoles, especially in the higher SD and Quantum ranges – simply unrivalled in the audio market.

DiGiCo has since become my first choice. I have always had a passion for audio and the S21 has enabled me to achieve the best outcome in what I’m passionate about.”

Added DWR’s Kyle Robson: “It’s actually so nice to see people like Jonathan, someone who is passionate about his trade, who has really taken the time to be par t of all the training and who is now pushing the boundaries.”

Meanwhile, The Barn continues to forge ahead, sharing messages of hope and being a light in their community. “I would love to thank Kyle Robson and the DWR Distribution team who have made an impact in empowering us at The Barn to do our ministr y,” concluded Charles. “They are simply the easiest to work with, never say no, are always friendly and willing to help in any circumstance, yet are only a call away when we are faced with a problem. Thank you for what you’ve done to make us be as impactful as we can be.” www.digico.biz www.dwrdistribution.co.za

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ne The Barn’s Bryce Kwant and Jonathan Charles with their new DiGiCo S21

The LEDBeam 150s supplemented a projection of the Surrey Day logo onto the front façade of the cathedral.

In addition, a selection of LED PARs, battery-powered uplighters and some battens were used for the installation, which ran for two hours after dusk.

The wired lighting fixtures were powered from a 63A supply located to the left of the building, which was the only source, so cabling had to be run all the way around the enormous Grade II listed building. www.robe.cz

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NEWS

Magewell aids livestreaming with online resource ONLINE Magewell has launched a new online resource for church technical teams and volunteers to learn more about livestreaming, as well as find information on how the company’s products can help to improve their livestreaming capabilities.

“While some churches have been streaming their worship services for many years, the pandemic took streaming to a whole new level of importance,” commented Amy Zhou, sales director at Magewell. “Even as worshippers return to church sanctuaries, streaming will continue to play a crucial role for followers who do not feel comfortable coming back or are unable to attend in person.

Many churches rely almost entirely on

volunteers for their video operations who may have little or no previous

Standalone Ultra Stream and Ultra Encode hardware encoders are

the company’s USB Capture and USB Capture Plus devices bring an HDMI or SDI signal into third-party production software running on a laptop or workstation through a standard USB 3.0 port. For churches using NDI technology to distribute their source signals instead of HDMI or SDI, the Magewell Pro Convert encoders and decoders connect HDMI or SDI cameras into NDI media networks and allow NDI streams to be used for IMAG and video walls.

streaming experience, so we wanted to make it easier for them to find relevant resources on our website.”

The company offers tools for multiple streaming approaches.

designed to make livestreaming easy for non-technical users by taking a video and audio feed directly from a camera or hardware-based switcher.

For software-based streaming,

The new church streaming resources can be accessed at www.magewell. com/campaign/church-streaming-1 www.magewell.com

Martin Audio blends in at Highland Park United Methodist USA Highland Park United Methodist Church (HPUMC), based in Dallas, Texas, presented Martin Audio partner Alford Media with a unique challenge when it decided to hold a large-scale Easter Sunday service at a 32,000-capacity stadium. While Alford Media had supplied audio solutions at the stadium in the past, the arrangement of 600 socially distanced chairs set out for family groups on the field itself created a different set of problems.

Alford Media originally invested in Martin Audio’s MLA Compact back in April 2014. “We auditioned every major manufacturer to decide what would put us in a league like no other, including adjustability and changes in coverage distance, and Martin Audio’s

technology ticked all these boxes,” said Alford’s audio services manager, Ben MacKinney. Today, the company has over 250 front line elements, including the CDD-LIVE series and Wavefront Precision.

On duty Easter weekend were FOH engineer, Eric Faulk, and systems engineer, Ryan Sartell. Their task was to overcome the high reflections off the rear of the stadium and the consequent delay. “The software gave us the ability to hang the PA from towers for on-field coverage and stop the sound reverberating before it hit the back bleachers,” reported the tech team. “There was a pre-conceived notion it wouldn’t work because at other events with alternative brands in similar setups the slapback was One of two hangs of 16 WPC terrible. We proceeded with the flown system, using Hard Avoid to prevent the sound from reflecting off the bleachers.”

Faulk and Sartell worked in tandem, the former creating a set of different show files, offering optimisations for different scenarios, the latter “tuning, polishing and delaying”. Sartell said: “Walking the stadium confirmed in real life what was in the software.”

Faulk explained the wisdom in taking precautions with the different presets, allowing for changes in humidity.

“Onsite you are never quite sure what you are dealing with. It was the first time we had worked with the PA towers in this venue, and it gave us a bit of wiggle room to be able to change the optimal SPL, which is the most wonderful thing.”

Alford Media fielded two hangs of 16 WPC, run in one-box resolution from iKON iK42 amps and hung from PA towers. The content of the service included choir, orchestral elements and spoken word. Although requiring only a minimum of low-end extension, 12 MLX subwoofers were deployed in a cardioid setup. Eight CDD-LIVE 8 and two CDD-LIVE 12 were added for outside front-fills and six further CDD-LIVE 12 were used for choir-fill.

The MLA Compact rig was set up in nine ground stacks of six elements, distributed around the field, with three stacks on each sideline and three stacks in the end zone.

MacKinney concluded: “We entered a challenging environment with the design of the stadium and the staging layout but, with the tools Martin Audio has provided us, we were able to succeed. HPUMC was very happy with the coverage and quality of the sound for their Easter service. The system performed as we expected, and we have another happy customer as a result.” www.martin-audio.com

12 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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MD 445

Closer.

More direct.

More intense.

The MD 445 pushes the potential of dynamic microphones to the limits of what is technically viable. The direct, focused sound gives every voice greater presence and intensity. Its sophisticated transparency and the richness of the low and middle ranges create an unparalleled acoustic closeness. www.sennheiser.com/md-445

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NEWS

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River of Life Church upgrades lighting with ADJ USA As part of a complete technical overhaul, River of Life Church in Crawfordville, Florida, has upgraded its full lighting system for the first time since its building was constructed 18 years ago. The new setup, which uses ADJ fixtures for both house and stage lighting, has not only vastly enhanced the aesthetic of the space but also improved electrical efficiency through

with an all-LED rig will not only reduce the direct electric cost of running the lights, but also have a significant impact on HVAC costs taking out all that excess heat from inside the building.”

Firelight’s technical designer, Marco Guarino, created the plan for the new system using computer design software, which allowed for the inclusion of 3D visualisations

Jangheung Central Church

Strong growth in Korean worship sector for Amate KOREA

the use of LED light sources.

Firelight Media and Integration was the company selected by the church to carry out a complete refit of its audio, lighting and stage power infrastructure.

With a distinctive tent-style design, River of Life Church is a sizeable building with a capacity of approximately 900. Prior to this upgrade, its lighting system was seriously outdated and extremely inefficient. Several companies bid to design and implement the new technical system, but it was the proposal from Firelight’s owner and founder Joshua Branch – including ADJ’s new Encore Profile Pro professional LED-powered ellipsoidal fixtures – that the church’s leadership selected.

“I think it was really the Profile Pros that got us this job,” commented Branch. “We were able to provide what really is a pro-level product at an incredibly good price point, which really gave us the upper hand in the bidding process. The use of LEDs was also a big thing. As it’s a tentstyle building, losing 30-something conventionals and replacing them

as part of the proposal prepared for the church. Marco’s design used both the warm white (3,200K) Encore Profile Pro WW as well as the RGBWAL colour-mixing Encore Profile Pro Color. Eight of the colour units were rigged to a first FOH truss and used to wash the rear wall of the stage and the worship team. Fourteen of the warm white version, fitted with 30° lenses and colour correction filters, were then positioned on a second FOH truss to provide key light. Finally, two pairs of each fixture type were mounted to 45° trusses at either side of the stage to provide side-fill. Two additional trusses, positioned at the rear of the stage, were used to hang five ADJ 7PZ IP fixtures each.

“It was a night and day difference from what they had before,” concluded Branch. “Our clients couldn’t believe the difference getting the lighting right could make, it was like walking into a completely new church.”

Daelim Musical, Amate Audio’s long-time exclusive distribution partner in South Korea, has been installing Amate Audio line array systems extensively in churches throughout the country. Over the previous 14 months, the company has installed Amate Audio systems in more than nine churches.

The largest of these, in the First Presbyterian Church in Wonju city, comprises 16 Nitíd N208 1,500W active, self-powered line array cabinets and two 2,500W N18W subbass cabinets, flown in L-R strings.

The majority of the installations, however, have deployed Amate Audio’s Xcellence series X12CLA ultra-compact constant curvature array. Since March 2020, Daelim has designed five sound systems in churches featuring the X12CLA array together with the X18T active sub, with L-R flown strings comprising an X18T sub and four X12CLA. The systems have been installed at Seo Won Church in the city of Cheongju, Mu Guk Central Holiness Church in Eumseong city, Yumchang Central Church in Seoul, Chuncheon Gwangyum Church in the city of Chuncheon and Jangheung Central Church in the city of Jangheung.

“Four cabinets of X12CLA will provide 110° x 60° with a fully uniform coverage for a hall throughout two floors,” explained Daelim Musical general manager, Sun Uk Ji. While Ji references power and performance in determining his customers’ preference for the X12CLA over products from competing brands, he is also appreciative of the onboard DSP system management in greatly reducing the time required to install, tune and fully commission an installation. “The X12CLA has active power amplifier and digital signal processing. The system control parameters can be set to expectation and then quickly modified by Wi-Fi when the cabinets are flown in position.”

Ji also cites long delays available within the DSP, enabling cabinets – flown or fixed as fills for dead areas – to be rapidly time-aligned with the main system, ensuring equivalent signal coverage throughout almost any auditorium. “The resultant sound is very homogeneous and stable, and will need little or no additional equalisation to achieve exceptional levels of quality.” www.amateaudio.com

www.adj.com www.firelightinc.com

First Presbyterian Church

www.riveroflifefl.com

14 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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NEWS

Cloud-based production for Kingdomcity Church MALAYSIA As a global church with many locations around the world, Kingdomcity needs to simultaneously maintain work, film and communications in real time between its hubs. To achieve this aim, Ideal Systems was called upon to provide Kingdomcity with an NDI infrastructure that connects their main hubs in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

The solution from Ideal enables Kingdomcity to link services live between campuses over public internet. Despite ongoing travel restrictions, messages can be preached live across campuses with high-quality yet low-latency video feeds.

Additionally, the solution has enabled remote production where operators can collaborate from different campuses.

For live events, the Singapore-based director can now direct and switch camera sources live from Australian monitor feeds.

The NDI video transport and cloud processing infrastructure solution includes the Sienna NDI Cloud nodes, processing engines and processing infrastructure modules hosted on

Azure Cloud. These are connected to Kingdomcity’s location hubs in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia.

“We are delighted with the amount of video processing functionality offered by the various cloud glue modules from Sienna,” commented Kingdomcity head of productions, James Chong. “Our ability to spin up a virtual frame sync or a remote multiviewer for a specific live event is amazing and ensures we always have the right video processing capacity we need on tap at any location.”

Kingdomcity uses the cloud NDI connectivity for low-latency audio and video transport from its production studios. This allows the HOW to achieve less than 60ms latency over

THE SOUND SOLUTION

a public internet connection. For load balancing, Ideal has provided Kingdomcity with the Dejero Gateway for connecting and bonding multiple public internet connections. The Dejero gateway offers hitless failover in the result of public internet failures in switching during any live productions, in addition to providing a fixed IP VPN on Microsoft Azure Cloud. In addition to being fully secure, this also provides low-latency connectivity from source to destination.

Maximising flexibility, the Sienna NDI modules promote many different configurations of multiviews and monitoring of feeds in addition to cloud switching and mixing for different types of productions, including live church services, live talkshows and multicamera productions. Kingdomcity also uses a selection of other Sienna NDI cloud video processing infrastructure modules, such as audio shuffling, audio mixing, frame sync, siennalink, siennaweb and multiviewers. www.idealsys.com www.kingdomcity.com

Precise directivity and exceptional fidelity make Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers preferred solution for PRECISE DIRECTIVITY AND EXCEPTIONAL FIDELITYthe MAKES RENKUS-HEINZ LOUDSPEAKERS houses of worship THE PREFERRED SOLUTION OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AUDIO PROFESSIONALS

Santo Eccohomo Cathedral ICONYX Gen5 Series

WAVL Pg4-17 News.indd 15

Learn more at renkus-heinz.com

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NEWS

Monte Brothers Sound Systems relies on Audio-Technica USA No two houses of worship are alike in terms of architecture, acoustics and functionality. But for Monte Brothers Sound Systems, an audio equipment integration company with over 2,000 HOW installations under its belt, a close relationship with Audio-Technica has meant that whatever the challenge, there are flexible wireless microphone solutions that can meet any requirement.

Two recent installations had both been trying to fix problems with intelligibility for some time before contacting Monte Bros. The Miraculous Medal Shrine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and

Miraculous Medal Shrine

the shrine’s congregants about the previous pulpit mic popping, the ES925 MicroLine was the ideal solution.

The church now has three A-T 3000 Series bodypacks plus a handheld microphone, all operating in the UHF band at 500MHz. “Besides the three celebrants that have the wireless bodypacks and headset mics on, any additional people speaking at the altar can be heard through the altar microphone, which is a System 10 PRO ATW-T1006 boundary microphone/ transmitter,” explained Minozzi. The boundary mic is not permanently positioned at the altar, which is why a

St Mary’s Seminary

The sound room at St Mary’s Seminary features 3000 Series wireless products St Mary’s Seminary and University in Baltimore, Maryland, had similar requirements: to accommodate daily mass and other events with just the celebrant and servers at or near the altar, but then reconfigure the microphone system to handle multiple speaking celebrants during ordinations and other large services.

At the Miraculous Medal Shrine, only the microphone at the pulpit, an A-T Engineered Sound ES925/XLR (with MicroLine element), is hardwired. “The ES925 MicroLine capsule was designed

by Audio-Technica with consultation from Monte Bros. back in 1987 for Cardinal O’Connor in 1990,” said Monte Bros.’ Steve Minozzi, and was intended to eliminate the pop of earlier microphone models. “That capsule has accomplished our tasks for all these years, so we stay with that mic.” And since there had been complaints from

wireless solution was necessary. “They don’t necessarily use a mic there all the time. The sanctuary area, where the organ and altar are, is filled with priests when they have ordinations, and during the celebration of the services, multiple priests will speak.”

At St Mary’s Seminary, the majority of the microphones are A-T 3000 Series wireless products. Four bodypacks are paired with two AT899 lavaliers and two BP894 headset mics. There are also four handheld wireless mics available.

System 10 PRO bases are paired with ES925/XLRs with MicroLine elements at the pulpit and the lectern, and a pair of ATW-T1006 boundary microphone/ transmitters, one at each end of the altar. A microphone on the piano transmits through a fifth System 10 PRO base.

Our Lady of La Vang shines with RCF AUSTRALIA The Saints Hoan-Thien Catholic Centre in Keysborough, Victoria, is situated on 4ha of land owned by Melbourne’s Vietnamese Catholic community. Over the years, the Community Centre has been the site of many milestones for the local Catholic populace, such as festivals, congresses and celebrations. Across from the cardinal building lies the Our Lady of La Vang shrine, a newly completed house of worship with a crisp white roof which dominates the architecture.

Supplied by Factory Sound in Melbourne and set up by installer UB Group, two compact RCF line arrays consisting of HDL 6-A modules provide FOH audio coverage for voice reinforcement, music playback and occasional live instrument reinforcement for the venue’s regular church services.

“Based on their audio requirements and budget, the HDL 6-A system was easily the best option,” explained UB Group director, Bang Le. “We needed something with a low visual profile and something that we could count on to deliver great sound throughout regular use. The HDL series is very neat, looks good with the architecture here and has a fantastic size to power ratio.”

Both the left and right arrays at the shrine feature six HDL 6-A modules, each individually capable of 131dB max SPL, as well as two HDL 12-AS active flyable subwoofers. The HDL 12-AS houses a 12-inch woofer and brings the overall frequency response of the system down to 40Hz. “The primary function of the system will be sound reinforcement

Six HDL 6-A with two HDL 12-AS for speech and some live music, especially things like Christmas carols and special events where the space may get filled more than usual – situations where a little more power will be required,” added Bang. “I have been working with RCF equipment for years and I have confidence in the output and reliability of the brand.”

For one of Australia’s largest migrant communities, the Our Lady of La Vang shrine is a project that has been the work of generations of Vietnamese families. The addition of the RCF system has helped to elevate the space to new levels. www.rcf.it

www.audio-technica.com

16 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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PROJECTS

W co fo lig “ [th So ha Yo sh su be or ha F Ly so m pr th Pa Fo Ly Co “ ins Ly so ea pr m Al us pa La

Lighting Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral Mexico’s largest cathedral relies on LynTec to power the LED lighting highlighting the Baroque details of the church’s historical façade THE MAIN SQUARE OF MEXICO City, known as the Zócalo or Plaza de la Constitución, has been the gathering place for people since Aztec times.

Today, it is surrounded by sites and buildings that echo its historic past, including the remains of the Aztec

Templo Mayor, historical government buildings, as well as the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral. One of the largest and oldest cathedrals in Latin America, Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral is built on soil holding a wealth of artefacts dating back to the reign of the Aztecs and the dominance of Spanish Conquistador, Hernán Cortes.

Impressive in both spectacle and history, the cathedral took almost 250 years to build. Each of the façades feature reliefs and statuaries that make the building a popular draw for tourists. Two years ago, the city and the National Institute for Archeology and History (INAH) wanted to spotlight the architecture and art of the building as part of a cityscape lighting project.

The goal was to create a lighting design that would allow everyone to enjoy the heritage of the building, bring a feeling of safety at night and provide colour washes during events and religious feast days and celebrations.

Previously, the cathedral was lit by a combination of sodium vapour and metal halide 400W and 1,000W flood lights that had neither the ability nor the power to truly reveal the monumental architecture.

Aleksandar Lalicki, principal consultant and lighting designer, won the two

separate bids for the projects to light the southern and eastern façades of the building. Finding the best lighting and power control solution, however, meant tackling many obstacles – infrastructure, historical and power – within the design.

First, under the Zócalo and most of Mexico City, lie the remains of Aztec’s capital city, Tenochtitlan, buried less than 1.5–2.5m down. For this reason, nothing can be built deeper than 1.2m, which can hamper construction and electrical projects. Despite this limitation, the installation still hit a snag early on when a grave of one of the first priests to serve the cathedral in the 16th century was discovered in one of the locations. It halted the install for almost six months while the INAH excavated the site. In addition, metro lines and other wiring under the pavement further restricted the areas where wiring and lighting fixtures could run. Furthermore, lighting fixtures couldn’t be mounted on surrounding buildings or the roof of the cathedral.

As a solution, the fixtures have been installed on custom-designed lamp posts around the church. However, since the distance for the light to travel was between 32m and 75m, the number of lamp posts that could be used was limited. Finally,

the city experiences frequent power fluctuations, which meant that the lighting system would need to be supported by a robust power breaker panel with built-in power protection.

“With lighting, we wanted to really open visitors’ eyes to the beauty of the reliefs, statues and all the small details within the architecture,” said Lalicki. “It was very difficult due to the distances, the sheer size of the building and the budget.”

For this reason, Lalicki turned to Griven LED architectural lighting.

Chosen for the quality of light as well as engineering, they feature IP68 connections and seven different optics. The southern façade is lit by 114 fixtures, while the eastern façade has 47. The fixtures are mounted in pairs, two per level, each covering a specific area of the building, which Lalicki and his team defined during the project phase based on computer models. Using a mere 27kW of electrical power, Lalicki managed to illuminate the cathedral with levels around 200 lux for the main details and an average of 100 lux for the overall façades.

Without an automated power control solution, fixtures that are left on will continue to draw standby power, burn up faster and be prone to lock-ups.

18 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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PROJECTS With this in mind, Lalicki knew a power control solution that was engineered for the power control demands of lighting was key.

“I’ve always remembered what [the late lighting designer] Sonny Sonnenfeld told me: ‘Don’t forget you have to shut down the power supplies.

You can shut down with DMX. You can shut down the lights, but the power supply will keep working on idle. It will become warm, and then instead of 30 or 50,000 hours of working time, you’ll have maybe eight or 10.’”

For that reason, Lalicki turned to LynTec’s portfolio of lighting control solutions. He has relied on LynTec for Based on the G3 Powerlink hardware many lighting theatre and cultural centre platform by Square D and engineered projects throughout Mexico, including to simplify audio, video and lighting the José Peón Contreras Theater and buildouts by accelerating the installation Palacio de la Musica, both in Mérida. process, LynTec’s RPC power control For this lighting design, Lalicki specified panels decrease operating costs with LynTec’s 42-circuit RPC341 Remote simple wiring that allows electricians Control Breaker Panel.

“LynTec is the heart of my LED to easily complete installations and installations,” said Lalicki. “We used remove additional steps, costs and LynTec’s RPC panel because it’s a space needed to install a separate solid, well-engineered product that’s relay panel. Available with between 30 easy to install, connect, program and and 84 controllable breakers per panel, protects LED lighting systems with the power control solution provides multiple password-protected levels. additional circuit switching control Also, the control on distance and capabilities in the same enclosure and use of IP for that purpose made RPC grants flexible lighting control across panels ourai162083183711_Our first and only choice,” said multiple control zones and multiple9:03:58 Story_church_theater_WAVL.pdf 1 5/12/2021 Lalicki. control protocols, including HTTP,

Telnet, sACN, DMX, RS-232 or contact closure control systems.

The web-enabled control and current monitoring option provides power and energy data on branch circuits and mains, giving the operator an accurate and intelligent vision of capacity, energy use and reliability. For monitoring and control flexibility, RPC panels are compatible with popular control systems. For the cathedral, Lalicki selected Enttec and Swisson DMX controllers. The RPC also features brown-out protection, automatically shutting down selected circuits during over- and under-voltage situations and powering up as programmed when AM voltage regains stability. For further

voltage stability and protection, a SurgeX in-panel surge elimination was added to the RPC. On the eastern side, the lighting fixtures are hardwired to the nearby concrete electric and control vault that houses the RPC panel and additional electrical and data equipment. For the southern façade, which is around 100m away from the vault, the control system is wired to the first lamp post.

The other six lamp posts are then controlled wirelessly. With the LynTec panel and controllers working hand in hand, the system is able to completely turn off and on the whole system, deliver power supply protection and follow an automated schedule using an astronomical clock, so that the lights are never accidentally left on.

With the new lighting and power control system, visitors and citizens alike are rediscovering the cathedral’s grandeur and beauty. “For too many years, this building was neglected when it comes to its appearance during the nighttime. Now, this monument dominates the Zócalo and has become a beacon for the visitors from all over the world. It’s much easier to appreciate all the details on its façades under the LED lighting than it is under the harsh, filtered mountain sunlight.” www.lyntec.com

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Your Story is Our Story

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USA 1-800-821-1121 In Canada, call 877-753-2876 In Europe, call +33 (0) 78558 3735 In South America, call +57 310799 4564

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PROJECTS

Reverend Dr Deuk-hwan Kang

Faith restored

Only four Vegas 4s were required for the sanctuary

Seoul’s Daerim Church has turned to Outline for a new sound reinforcement system in its main worship room AS PART OF THE KOREAN Methodist Church’s 50th anniversary celebrations, Daerim Church has unveiled a new Outline sound reinforcement system installed by the manufacturer’s long-standing Seoulheadquartered Korean distributor, Hebsiba Multimedia Co Ltd. Daerim Church began with 17 members and Pastor Lee Byeong-seol in Daerim-dong, the former outskirts of Seoul.

The HOW has steadily grown over the past 50 years and the chapel has been rebuilt three times. Growth has been especially noticeable since 1986 – the current chapel was constructed in 2006 and can hold 1,500 parishioners.

The previous point source speakers have been replaced with a line array setup, chosen to improve sound pressure and clarity in the sanctuary’s oval layout, which is 36m long, only 29m wide and 11m high. There were many problems with the previous sound system. There was a lot of echo in the chapel and even more in the mezzanine; overall, the biggest problem was a lack of clean sound.

The main system comprises two hangs of 12 Outline Mantas 28 elements which, despite their relatively small format, are high-performance line array units with a radial angle of 120° and a maximum output of 139dB SPL. A pair of Outline DBS 18-2 subwoofers are flown behind each of the arrays.

“As well as the main system, we also installed Outline’s Vegas 24 enclosures, used as frontfill speakers and underbalcony delays to optimise coverage of the area of the congregation furthest from the altar,” explains SungHwan Oh, Hebsiba Multimedia’s CEO. “In both cases, the Vegas 24 speakers were specified for their wide coverage pattern, ensuring maximum coverage from a small enclosure.”

The latter aspect was of key importance – as well as crystal-clear sound transmission throughout the Great Worship Room, a low visual impact was also a priority right from the drawing board stage, so the setup had to feature medium-sized speakers.

Outline’s new Vegas 4 (single 4-inch) was deployed for choir monitoring – given its compact dimensions of 120mm x 120mm, just four of these

micro-speakers were sufficient to guarantee even coverage for all the choristers. Floor/stage monitoring duties were carried out by four Vegas 12 CXs and two Vegas 15 CXs, positioned according to the ceremonies and events held in the church. Currently, Daerim Church holds various types of events, including meetings and performances.

Worship consists of sermons, classical Christian music combined with orchestra and soloists, and modern Christian music combined with electronic instruments and 10 vocalists.

As well as four of Outline’s multifunctional iP24 DSP loudspeaker management systems, the church features 13 of the manufacturer’s power amplifiers: eight T-Five, two M5000-4, two M2800-4 and an X4.

The Hebsiba team used Outline’s OpenArray 3D simulation software. Oh

adds: “We mainly used Direct SPL, as it is very efficient for previewing and modifying in advance variables that may occur in real life. Direct sound pressure distribution indicates the direct sound energy emitted by the speaker set in the simulation without going through reflections of walls or ceilings. This information is the basis for composite sound and clarity analysis, of fundamental importance when designing sound systems for venues such as Daerim Church.”

The church’s pastor, Reverend Dr Deuk-hwan Kang, enthused: “First of all, I would like to thank Hebsiba Multimedia’s CEO and staff for suggesting the top-class products from Outline and working hard to ensure the best sound. During a worship service, it is particularly important that the preacher’s voice reaches the congregation in a clear manner and, after the Outline main and delay speakers were installed, I was very pleased that the message was delivered well to each congregation and everyone was satisfied with their performance. We invited a world-famous saxophone player to play a concert in our church and were overwhelmed with the speakers’ magnificent sound.” www.daerimchurch.com www.hebsiba.kr www.outline.it

20 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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ACT-5800 Series Digital Wireless Systems

New Transmitters. More Possibilities.

MIPRO ACT-5800 Series digital wireless systems operate in the ISM 5.8 GHz band that effec�vely avoids interference from UHF and 2.4 GHz products. They deliver crystal clear 24-bit/48 kHz digital audio, excep�onally low latency, excellent dynamic range and ultra-wide frequency response.

The new handheld, bodypack transmi�ers accept either two AA ba�eries or one 18500 Li-ion ba�ery, charging via USB-C.

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The latest TA-58 digital plug-on transmi�er can fit MIPRO’s new recording microphones for a wide range of professional audio applica�ons. It is powered by one 18500 Li-ion ba�ery which can be recharged via USB-C.

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ACT-580T

TA-58

MM-100

MM-300

MM-500

100% Made in Taiwan

22/07/2021 15:22

PROJECTS

TechNet spreads the spoken word (evenly)

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The aurally challenging interior of the Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque heeded the request of its worshippers

The Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque is characterised by its classical Ottoman architecture LOCATED WITHIN THE AL-FAIHA district of Kuwait City, Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque was named after the prominent Imam (AD 780–855).

Considered to be one of the Orthodox founders of the Hanbali school of Sunni jurisprudence, the Imam was a highly influential and active scholar during his lifetime. Most recently, the mosque has been significantly enhanced with the addition of a steerable speaker system.

Just as Ibn Hanbal went on to become one of the most venerated intellectual figures in Islamic history, Kuwait TechNet Company (TechNet) is seeking to project Fohhn Audio AG as the sound reinforcement brand of choice within Middle Eastern Masjids.

Founded in 2001, TechNet has been called upon to enhance the audio quality and intelligibility in over 300 Kuwaiti mosques alone.

Renowned business entrepreneur and philanthropist, Adnan Aljraiwy, generously donated towards the construction of the Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque. The landmark including the minarets is characterised by a classical Ottoman architectural design. Visually appealing, the aurally challenging interior required acoustic treatment for its worshippers. As such, the Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic

The speakers blend into their surroundings

The 1,500-capacity Haram Hall affairs was called upon to supervise the acoustic and electrical engineering works within the 1,500-capacity building, including the main Haram prayer hall in addition to smaller Musalla halls located on the ground (men) and first-floor (women) levels.

Using EASE modelling and a Beta version of Fohhn Audio Soft software, the Fohhn–TechNet engineers focused their attention on reducing the

reverberation time within the critical 500Hz – 1kHz frequency band from 6.3s to 1.9–2.2s. Fohhn LFI-350 and LFI220 steerable Linea Focus column speakers are wall-mounted in an L–R configuration in the main Haram. “A further modification was made by adding an absorbing layer under the carpet which helped us to attain that optimum level,” explains TechNet managing director, Adel Behzadi.

“Ultimately, we recorded a Speech Transmission Index of 0.60.”

For the Fohhn–TechNet team, this marked the second project to adopt Linea Focus beam-steering technology following the successful implementation in the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ali Mosque. “The sophisticated building architecture, lack of acoustic absorbers and reverberation time would normally make a project like

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PROJECTS this very challenging,” comments Ministry of Awqaf & Islamic Affairs head of engineering, Salah Al-Shalahi.

“Following guidance from the Fohhn– TechNet engineers, we have now set a new intelligibility standard. By adopting Fohhn solutions, we can enhance and deploy intelligible audio systems that are capable of yielding high SPLs and providing smooth, even coverage across the listening plain for all our future mosque projects.”

The architectural engineer emphasised the need to minimise speaker placement inside the Haram. Built to be discreet, the 130mm x 120mm (WxD) dimensions of the Fohhn Linea Focus cabinets were specified to provide a “less is more” speaker solution. In addition, the 3.49m-high LFI-350 and 2.25m-high LFI-220 speakers would need to perfectly blend in with the interior design of the Mihrab, which is a semicircular recess in the wall indicating the qibla and where the Imam hosts the service. Constructed from a special timber, the Mihrab is adorned with an Islamic Arabesque art together with fine marble. Having matched the RAL colour, the Fohhn specialists carefully finished the aluminium Linea Focus enclosures in a unique dye-coat paint to ensure that the columns blend naturally into their architectural surroundings.

Integrating 24 and 16 4-inch neodymium speakers respectively, the LFI-350 and LFI-220 columns each comprise the same number of Class-D amplifiers and DSP processors.

Using Fohhn’s software, electronic adjustments can be performed in precise 0.1° increments between –40° and 40° vertically and between 0° and 90° horizontally. Referred to as Two Beam Technology, this allows the speakers to generate two separate beams in their vertical dispersion range, providing simultaneous and focused coverage of different audience areas. Side Lobe Free Technology integrates a special algorithm to suppress undesirable side lobes that will occur within the beam.

The two Linea Focus enclosures combine to provide 95db SPL between 50–80m distance from their outputs.

Providing improved directional audio and speech intelligibility, the combined 5.74m lengths enhance acoustic efficiency and low-frequency control.

Fixed to the walls by specially painted mounting brackets, the resultant 40kg columns are networked together and monitored from a laptop.

“Beam-steering line source is a relatively new technology, but Kuwait was the first country to adopt Fohhn within the mosques,” confirms Behzadi. “Although the project was

CS-760B & CS-760W

The smaller Musalla halls are served by Fohhn LX-100 columns a great challenge, the Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal Mosque wasn’t our first installation and we received excellent assistance from the German headquarters. Ultimately, we had to design an acoustical system that would combine a high SPL with excellent speech intelligibility in a harsh acoustic environment.”

Elsewhere within the mosque, a passive system comprising six TOA 630 horn speakers and Fohhn LX-100 columns are powered and networked

by Fohhn D-2.750 rack-mounted digital amplifiers. Analogue mixing is performed on an Allen & Heath WZ3

MixWizard console and the Imams address worshippers with Sennheiser G4 e965 handheld microphones. The progressive mosque is attracting the attention of other Kuwaiti mosques seeking to enhance audio intelligibility in similarly acoustically harsh rooms.

Having adopted its Fohhn toolbox to suit the bespoke nature of this Haram, TechNet has demonstrated an ability to disguise electroacoustic technology from the eyes of a worshipper, while drawing aural attention. www.fohhn.com www.ktctech.net

2-Way Weatherproof Loudspeakers

These TOA 2-Way Weatherproof Loudspeakers not only featured an aesthetically pleasing design it is also packed with excellent functional features. Being IP66 certified, it brings you high sound quality under all weather conditions. It is definitely the speaker that fits all your need for excellent speech and background music clarity right in the open. Available in black and white.

We supply sound, not equipment. www.toa.com.sg

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PROJECTS

When old meets new TOA solutions have added a modern touch to an iconic French cathedral steeped in history

TOA SR-H2S column speakers are fixed either side of the nave ALÈS CATHEDRAL, ALSO KNOWN as the Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste d’Alès, is a Roman Catholic church located in the southeast of France in the town of Alès. Registered in the list of French historical monuments in 1914, the cathedral’s construction dates all the way back to the reign of Louis XIII in the late 17th century.

The cathedral was built on the foundations of a Romanesque priory, which itself was erected in place of a Carolingian church and an ancient temple. Aesthetically, the building features elements of 12th- and 15thcentury French architecture, such as its giant square bell tower and ribbedvault nave. However, over the course of several hundred years, the building has sat in various states of disrepair.

With the last maintenance work carried out in 1981, the City of Alès launched a campaign to fully

renovate the Saint-Jean-Baptiste cathedral in 2000. From 2005, attention focused on the exterior dome, the lead cover of which has been completely replaced. Then from 2011, exterior masonry work to consolidate the façades began and, later, the roofs were renovated.

Following the restoration of the bell tower and the Romanesque bays at the main entrance in 2014 and 2016 and re-waterproofing of the building, attention turned to the interior. This work forced the cathedral’s closure for another two years and presented the perfect opportunity to introduce some modern technology into the historic site.

Various institutions (DRAC, Occitanie Region, Gard Department and Alès Agglomeration) came together to create a budget of €3.1m for the exterior renovation and €3.4m for the 1,000-capacity interior. Inside, the work included the design and installation of a professional sound system with numerous microphones and pickup points that would be easy to understand and operate for the church’s nontechnical personnel.

With a project specification seeking the use of column speakers with controlled directivity, as well as digital matrixing and amplification, French engineering firm ADRET worked with TOA to design a sound system to match the cathedral’s challenging sound environment and maximise speech intelligibility. The

TOA SR-H2S column speakers are flanked by BS-1030 in-wall speakers installation work was subsequently executed by systems integrator SPIE Industrie & Tertiaire.

The chosen design draws on a variety of TOA models. Distributed SR-H2S (Controlled Directional Columns) have been affixed to the columns on either side of the nave for audio reinforcement.

These are flanked by BS-1030 two-way in-wall speakers, angled outwards to cover the wide pews, as well as additional BS-1030 cabinets to cover the upstairs galleries. Everything draws power from a pair of TOA DA-250FH 4x250W digital amplifiers installed in the nearby rack room. TOA WM-5270 handheld HF transmitter microphones, together with EM-700 surface and EM-800 electret microphones, cover the necessary pickup points.

The risk of microphone feedback was minimised with the internal feedback suppressor of the D-900 matrix, while several other products were called upon to meet the project’s requirements, including TOA’s MP-032B local listening panel, D-901 digital matrix, WT-5800 two-channel HF diversity receiver and WD-5800 HF antenna distributor with YW-4500 remote antennas.

Following installation and commissioning, the teams measured STI (Speech Transition Index) ratings of between 0.46 and 0.57, meeting the design’s initial expectations.

“The TOA brand is renowned and the equipment is known to be efficient, reliable and of high quality. The TOA team was able to master the complexity of the site and the difficult acoustics by accompanying the engineering firm and the installer in the preliminary design studies but also during the entire construction phase and with the operators for commissioning, fine-tuning and training in the use of the system,” explains Philippe Obara from SPIE Industrie & Tertiaire.

“The advantages of this solution are based on the digital technology of the central system, the choice of directional columns, the high-quality HF microphones and a team that listened to our needs and comments throughout the project.” www.toa.eu

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11 Ubi Road 1, Meiban Industrial Building #06-01, Singapore 408723

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PROJECTS

Streaming success Central Moravian Church has turned to PTZOptics to produce engaging livestreams in a challenging space

IN HISTORIC DOWNTOWN Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Central Moravian Church is an inclusive community which assembles for worship, education and fellowship as members of the worldwide Moravian Church. Founded in 1742, Central Moravian Church is Bethlehem’s first congregation and the oldest Moravian Church in North America. The church’s main worship space can host approximately 1,200 worshippers for its traditional services.

Central Moravian Church wanted to update the AV technologies in its large, historical building while creating systems that would remain relevant for years to come. Previously, the church used just a few webcams with a laptop to stream its services, but quickly realised the laptop was not equipped to handle the three video input sources it needed. “We wanted to be able to capture more of what was going on during the service in order to help the people who were watching on Facebook and YouTube be more engaged with the service,” said Will Schwab, media director at Central Moravian Church. “During the pandemic, we had a soloist and an organist, and most weeks someone playing a trombone accompanying the organ. The laptop was never designed to process that many video streams.

It routinely maxed out its processing power and this led to dropped frames and lag on occasion. Additionally, our production team had to set up and take down the systems before and after each service.”

The church’s architecture required cameras with a significant optical zoom in order to capture close-up views from

long distances. Everyone involved in the project worked to preserve the inside beauty of the space while maximising efficiencies for a multiplecamera operation. “The church was constructed from 1803–1806 and we have worked hard to try and preserve

incorporate the organist and the soloist in the back of the church and the two pulpits and baptismal font at the front of the sanctuary.

Schwab’s team uses Telestream Wirecast software to set up shots, along with an X-keys controller and

The PTZOptics IP Joystick G3 the architectural integrity and aesthetic look of the sanctuary,” explained Schwab. “Between the age of the structure and wanting to make the streaming system as inconspicuous as possible, it was necessary to be creative with the wiring and placement of the equipment.”

The team at Philadelphia-based integrator Haverford Systems installed two white PTZOptics PT-30X-NDl cameras in the front of the church and another two PT-30X-NDl cameras in the back of the church, powered by Power over Ethernet (PoE) for cabling efficiency.

These cameras are able to capture head-and-shoulder views of people from up to 23m away. This allows Schwab and his team to create scenes that

a PTZOptics joystick for on-the-fly adjustments. The church also regularly uses the equipment for special events such as weddings and baptisms that require PTZ camera operation.

“Each week we have a service on Sunday morning, but the space is used for a wide variety of events,” said Schwab. “We also use the space for chamber music concerts, hymns, weddings and memorial services. In addition, several other organisations regularly use the space. Moravian Academy – a K-12 college preparatory school – uses it for its chapel services and in December for its Vesper programme. Moravian College holds its Baccalaureate service and Vesper programme in our building,

and several times a year the Bach Choir of Bethlehem holds the ‘Bach at Noon’ concert series at Central. The space is also used by Musikfest for its Chamber Music series of concerts during the music festival.”

The results of Central Moravian Church’s streaming upgrades have attracted followers from around the globe and helped the church expand its reach.

“While acknowledging the painful horror of a global pandemic, the accelerated advancement in technology presents a silver lining,” comments Rt Rev Hopeton Clennon, senior pastor at Central Moravian Church. “Teleconferencing and livestreaming have truly moved mainstream. Central Moravian Church is grateful for an opportunity to adapt to new technology and engage the world through a new medium. Our weekly congregation is now global and in real time. Our daily mission and ministry activities are now available to be accessed around the world at the convenience and in the preferred timeframe of the recipient.”

“We have been monitoring our YouTube statistics, which include viewers from as far away as South Korea and Nepal,” added Schwab.

“During a special Easter service, we were able to use Wirecast to bring a remote caller into our production using a cell phone. Using the PTZOptics cameras with Wirecast and the X-keys controller, our team continues to find new ways to spread the message of God and share the mission of the Central Moravian Church.” www.ptzoptics.com

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HDL 26-A SYSTEM

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PROJECTS

A SAC full of audio solutions

Finished in white, the SAC PLA-8 arrays blend into the main Chapel Hall’s decor

Sovico Pro has upgraded the AVL systems at the extensive Joeun Church in Korea CONSECRATED IN 1995, JOEUN Church is located in the South Korean city of Yeoju in Gyeonggi-do province.

Covering an area of 4,900m², reconstruction on all five levels of this prominent house of worship commenced in May 2020 and was not completed until May 2021. Following an invitation to tender for the extensive project, leading AV distributor and professional audio manufacturer Sovico Pro won the bid to upgrade the audio, video, lighting and entire AV infrastructure including the electronic displays. Working closely with Ezer Architects, the extensive upgrade works included a full AV design, commissioning, tuning and after-sales support.

Suffering from a gradual degradation of audio quality, the church led by senior pastor Nam Sung Hyun tasked Sovico Pro to provide higher SPL audio solutions with uniform dispersion in both the main Chapel Hall and multipurpose room. Sunday services focus on the spoken word backed by six musicians including a pianist and a choir providing amplified hymns and songs. For hosting joint services and catering for overspill audiences, both venues required the installation of a tieline for promoting bidirectional digital AV transmissions. Providing enhanced visuals, large electronic displays with sufficient brightness lighting and visibility were stipulated.

Joeun Church is located in Gyeonggi-do province Founded in 1973, Sovico Pro is the largest professional audio supplier in South Korea today. Its portfolio of imported brands and products has decreased in recent years as it successfully engineered its own SAC brand. Incorporating premium parts and components such as B&C transducers, Eighteen Sound horns and Pascal amplifier modules, Sovico Pro has successfully modelled a mature portfolio of professional audio products. Manufactured and assembled at its factory in Yang-ju, the current SAC line-up includes line array systems, point source speakers and Class-D digital amplifiers for the touring and installation sectors.

Following extensive simulations and plotting for the main Chapel Hall

using EASE software, the Sovico Pro installation team confirmed that an L-R compact line array loudspeaker design would provide optimal results for the hall’s main seating areas. Each ceilingsuspended array consists of four PLA-8 cabinets augmented by dual PLA-18S subwoofers from the SAC catalogue.

Comprising dual 8-inch woofers and an HF compression driver attached to a waveguide, phase and crossover parameters of each PLA-8 module are further optimised and specifically tuned by adopting the SRDB (SAC Referenceparameter DB).

Sharing the same compact footprint as the PLA-8 cabinets, dual PLA-118S 18-inch subwoofers are flown in each array to extend the low frequencies down to 35Hz (±3dB) when required.

During installation, the adoption of the SAC SQi (Simple Quick integrated) rigging system allowed the Sovico Pro team onsite to adjust the enclosures to the desired splay angle confirmed

by EASE up to 14° (in 1° increments).

Finished in white, the FOH line array solution perfectly blends in with the chapel’s newly decorated interior design.

The balcony and under-balcony seating areas could not be adequately covered by the PLA-8 arrays. To ensure even dispersion and enhanced clarity, EASE modelling promoted the addition of SAC DNL 12- and 5-inch speakers to be installed both above and below the second-level balcony respectively as delays. The two-way speakers incorporate a 90° x 60° waveguide attached to a rotatable horn that ensures a flat frequency response from 45Hz and 63Hz – 20kHz. A single DNL-5 cabinet has been installed as a monitor under the lower ceiling area offstage where the choir takes position during Sunday services.

Rounding off the new inventory of speaker outputs, a pair of low-profile SAC DH-312s serve as wedge monitors for the pastor and church leaders on either side of the lectern. A choice or combination of six DNL-12C trapezoidal cabinets and five Allen & Heath ME-500 personal monitors can be adopted by the choir and musicians onstage. The entire system is powered

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PROJECTS by four SAC S24.0 six-channel Class-D amplifiers. The S-Series amplifiers incorporate DSP functionality, with each S24.0 2U model supplying 7,200W @ 4Ω. Remote network monitoring system software (NMS) provides a snapshot of individual amplifier parameters, including temperature, voltage, clip, protect/mute and peak via Ethernet connection.

With the exception of four Shure MX202 goosenecks, the entire microphone inventory was supplied by Sennheiser. Ten UHF wireless channels can be transmitted from e 865 handhelds to ew 300 G4 receivers via the Vocal Lux antenna splitter system.

The shielded drum kit is equipped with an e 600 drum kit set and the piano is catered for by an ME 36 supercardioid shotgun. Further microphone inputs can be added locally from three floor boxes and two wall panels. The addition of three SAC PS-108 power sequencers provides ease of system powering on and off for the volunteers, in addition to electrical protection from spikes and surges.

Stored presets within the SQ-6 offer the volunteers a gentle introduction into the world of digital audio mixing.

Wireless microphone inputs together with a Numark CD player are fed directly into an Allen & Heath SQ-6 mixing console, while local audio

inputs including the drum mics connect to an Allen & Heath AR2412 portable AudioRack. The ME-500 monitors are routed to the AR2412 AudioRack via wall panels, while a Cat6 dSNAKE connects the SQ-6 to the AR2412. Two racked DS-48 loudspeaker management processors provide tuned DSP settings for the room. Following installation, the PLA-8 speaker system was fine-tuned by inserting and matching EASE data to a reference DSP preset provided by SAC. Dual PLA-118S subwoofers extend the LFs down to 35Hz

The multipurpose room is equipped with DH-6L arrays finished in black Sovico Pro also integrated a new visual system as part of the upgrade in the 250-seat capacity Chapel Hall. The main inputs include Sony PTZ 310 and 330 fixed cameras that are controlled by an Aver CL-01. The inputs including

lyrics and PC-generated images are fed into a 12-channel Bon BVS-300 video switcher. The resultant HD transmissions are output to a network of 43-inch LD LED displays that were deemed to provide sufficient brightness and definition.

The multipurpose room in the basement is used for both sports activities and church events, including the Sunday youth worship service.

With a digital AV tieline connecting the main Chapel Hall with this room, the Sovico Pro engineers paid particular attention to tuning the broadcasted video services. Following simulations, the smaller room required a lower SPL system. This has been provided by an L-R DH-6L line array system

with each hang incorporating four dual 6-inch enclosures augmented by a DH-115SL single 15-inch accompanying subwoofer. A single SAC S24.0 amplifier and a smaller DS-26 processor provide sufficient headroom and DSP functionality, respectively.

Owing to the multipurpose nature of the wooden floored room, the setup is more portable with a Behringer X32 digital console connecting to an S16 16-input I/O stagerack. In addition to local floor boxes and a Numark CD player, four channels of Sovico Pro AH-100 mics and a Shure MX418 gooseneck attached to the lectern constitute the main inputs. A pair of SAC DH-312 wedges provide monitoring on the portable stage.

Having represented the biggest global pro audio brands over the past five decades, Sovico Pro has evolved sufficiently to adopt a direct-to-market business model that no longer relies on overseas manufacturing or development. Just as Nam Sung Hyun can confidently deliver powerful, intelligible sermons to his congregants every Sunday throughout Jeong Church, SAC has sufficiently grown in stature to distribute its solutions to permanent fixtures well beyond the South Korean peninsula. www.sovico.co.kr

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PROJECTS

On the move Christ Fellowship’s “portable” church chooses L-Acoustics’ Syva for its big sound in a compact package CHRIST FELLOWSHIP HAS BEEN on the move since it was founded in 1984 as a small Bible study group of 40 people in Dr Tom and Donna Mullins’ Palm Beach Gardens living room in South Florida. Since then, it has grown to become one of the largest churches in America with more than 28,000 in attendance each week at what are now 12 locations throughout the region, plus an online campus.

In Riviera Beach, the Syva system comprises two Syva main colinear source enclosures, two Syva Low bass-reflex modules and four KS21 subwoofers, split between the left and right sides of the stage and mounted on KS21-Chariot carts. These are powered by two LA4X amplified controllers, split between the left and right sides of the system, which also power two pole-mounted X12 coaxial delay speakers set up 3.5m high in the

L–R: Christ Fellowship audio director Connor Newcomb and production director Danny Dagher

Most recently, Christ Fellowship added a new temporary “portable” church that meets on Sundays in the 800-seat auditorium of the Suncoast Community High School in Riviera Beach. The new location features an L-Acoustics Syva sound system that not only meets the church’s need for a powerful PA system that can be deployed quickly, but also provides it with a tool for eventually helping future temporary locations transition into permanent ones.

“The Syva system is the perfect solution for a portable church location like this because it meets the power concerns of the location and it can be deployed quickly and easily, and stored efficiently, all of which are important for a temporary location like this,” explains Christ Fellowship audio director, Connor Newcomb, adding that it also leaves more rehearsal time for musicians and vocalists. “And, as importantly, it offers the same sonic quality as the L-Acoustics systems that we use in our other locations, so we have a consistent sonic ‘fingerprint’ everywhere that helps the music appeal to the entire range of our attendance.”

back of the room to compensate for the higher elevation of the last several rows of seating.

“The KS21 subs were added because the church wanted a higher low-end output for their worship music; plus, they interfaced well in the amplifier scheme alongside the Syva,” says Nick Geiger, account executive, houses of worship for Diversified, the project’s AV systems integrator. “It also reflects the fact that they wanted consistency in the sound between all of their locations, most of which also have L-Acoustics speakers. It can be set up and taken down quickly and easily, and without the need for specialised infrastructure, because it can run on wall power.

Those were very important criteria for the church. Also, it sounds great, which they expected because Christ Fellowship uses a lot of L-Acoustics systems, from the smallest to the largest, in their other locations.” The church has a K2 rig in its 1,900-seat worship space in Port St Lucie and Kara, Kiva II, ARCS WiFo and ARCS II systems in various other locations, plus another portable “pop-up” church system featuring eight A15 enclosures,

eight KS21s, four X8 frontfills and LA4X power.

Danny Dagher, Christ Fellowship’s production director, describes the church’s worship-music style as modern, and says that the L-Acoustics systems allow the church to achieve a remarkable degree of consistency from location to location, despite differences in room sizes and types. “From box to box, whether it’s Syva or Kara or K2, for us as end users, we like that we can depend on the fact that we’ll get a consistent audio experience in every location,” he says. “But that’s been especially true of Syva, which gives us that same experience with just a bit less SPL than the larger PA systems we have.

It’s delivering a concert-like experience here at 95dBA and we still have 6dB of headroom, so the punch is there, but so are the clarity and intelligibility.”

Beyond Syva’s clear sonic benefits, the system also offers churches like

Christ Fellowship some strategic possibilities. “How well Syva has performed at this new location provides a potential pathway for how the church can open future locations, because Syva offers a way to set up temporary locations that can eventually turn into permanent ones,” Geiger adds.

Dagher agrees that the level of performance that Syva offers is great for everything from nascent church plants in transitory spaces all the way up to much larger fixed installs as attendance grows. “Syva is a great capital investment because it can carry a church through from a portable site to the next level,” he says. “It’s a solid foundation for the future as well as the perfect solution for this moment.” www.christfellowship.church www.diversifiedus.com www.l-acoustics.com

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PROFESSIONAL

COSMO THE INTEGRATIVE LINE ARRAY HK Audio’s new COSMO line array system combines state-of-the-art audio quality with ingeniously simple handling, utmost utility and remarkable economy to provide an extremely flexible, easily configurable PA for professionals.

COSMO raises the performance bar for line arrays, setting a whole new standard for productivity and efficiency. Integrative and versatile by design, it delivers measurably higher effective SPL in the HF range than comparable systems.

With horizontal directivities of 100°, 80° and 60°, this formidable family of ultra flexible systems provides the bandwidth needed to cover the most diverse live scenarios.

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KnowHOW

T an or to di be aw bo

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DPA’s 6066 CORE subminiature headset

Proper placement for body-worn microphones Eddy B Brixen, audio specialist at DPA Microphones, discusses FOR THOSE LISTENING TO AN amplification or a recording of a person speaking, the ability to understand what is being said – or sung – depends on several factors.

This includes the quality of the recording, including the microphones, the playback system, the acoustics of the room and background noise, among other things.

When the voice is amplified or recorded and then later played back, there is a risk that some essential information in the audio is lost along the way. With microphones,

The d:fine 4066 CORE in beige, brown and black

it’s not just the “what type” that needs to be considered, but also the placement of the equipment.

The voice is most commonly picked up from in front of the person speaking. In “normal” conversation, this would require a placement distance of no more than 1m from the speaker. The sound of the voice varies a lot depending on the position of the listener or the microphone used to pick up the sound of the voice. Moving below or behind the speaker changes the sound and compromises intelligibility. The same is true of microphones used to amplify the spoken word.

While it should be clear to everyone that positioning behind the person talking is not ideal, even positions below the mouth – such as on the chest – will introduce some intelligibility challenges. This is because the frequency range between 2–4kHz – where the important consonants are predominant – is suppressed in that position on the chest. As a result, the sound is often perceived as if it was generated from the chest, but that is actually not the case. This phenomenon, known

as “chest sound”, is due to body absorption and head shape. The sound is generated from the vocal cords and is louder than the sound generated by the (small) vibrations in the chest.

With so many factors to consider with increasing speech intelligibility, proper microphone positioning is an easy one to address without the need for purchasing new equipment. Of course, mic placement will also depend on the benefits and consequences of each different miniature, body-worn microphone.

To evaluate ideal positioning, we first began by placing a single reference microphone 1m in front of the test subject. This enabled us to collect a reference source: the normal vocal and tonal aspects of their voice. We then positioned several identical miniature omnidirectional pressure microphones around the person speaking and analysed the differences between those recordings and the reference microphone recordings. We did this with the mic positioned on the forehead, over the ear, on the neck and on the chest, etc.

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KnowHOW This experiment was caried out in an anechoic chamber with no reverb or reflections from the surrounding, to focus on the placement differences. The tonal difference between the reference mic (1m away) and the microphone on the body was recorded.

Forehead Used most commonly in theatre applications, forehead placement is generally not found in houses of worships. However, there is something to be said for using this style. In our experiment, we found that the recording with an omnidirectional microphone from the forehead placement was similar to the reference recording. This means that the sonic character of the voice captured with a forehead microphone is almost identical to the voice that we normally hear from the speaker. There was a small peak around 800Hz and a small valley right after around 1.5kHz but, overall, there was a similar frequency response and the consonants were preserved. For churches that have omnidirectional lavalier microphones, it might be worthwhile to use them in a hairline application, especially for vocal performances.

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the mouth. The biggest challenge for this omnidirectional microphone is that the range between 2–4kHz is practically removed from the sound spectrum, which results in poor speech intelligibility. In a similar fashion to the ear and headset mics, selecting a directional or cardioid lavalier would be better suited for these applications.

As mentioned above, churches that already have omnidirectional lavaliers could choose to affix the microphone to the hairline to improve intelligibility.

Speaking patterns

Sennheiser’s MKE 1 miniature clip-on lavalier microphone

Ear While not a common mic position, we also compared over-the-ear omnidirectional microphones during our experiment. We found that this placement, which positions the microphone behind the mouth, degrades the higher frequencies of the person speaking. We still saw the peak around 800Hz but the range from 1kHz and up is lost, which means most of the important consonants are lost. Generally speaking, it might be best to avoid this placement in HOW applications. If over-the-ear is the speaker’s preferred way to wear a microphone, it would be worthwhile to invest in a directional/ cardioid solution, which will provide tonal improvements to the voice.

frequencies. It is not as good as the forehead position.

To avoid this and still ensure the singer or speaker’s voice sounds great, opt instead for a directional headset mic. Compared to an omnidirectional mic, the cardioid design of a directional mic will pick up only half the amount of

Another factor to consider when mic’ing a pastor is the pattern of their speech.

When we raise our voices, we add energy and level to the entire word.

While we are not able to add much level or energy to the consonants, we can easily add energy to the vowels.

By raising our voices to increase intelligibility, the level differences between the weaker consonants and the louder vowels increases and eventually ruins speech intelligibility.

The consonants become masked or drowned behind the vowels. When we whisper, the opposite happens –

Headset The ATM75 cardioid condenser headworn microphone from Audio-Technica Headset microphones are perhaps the most popular solution for HOWs these days, and for good reason.

Placed at the corner of a person’s smile, headset microphones are excellent for decluttering a stage and encouraging mobility of the pastor. Plus, the intelligibility of omnidirectional headset mics is an improvement to the over-the-ear position. In our experiment, we found better preservation of the 1–2kHz range, which allows consonants to sound more natural and improves speech intelligibility.

With most headset microphones, placement still ends up a bit behind the sound source and DPA’s omnidirectional lavaliers can be hidden therefore loses some in the hairline of the extremely high

the background sound. Furthermore, the low-frequency sounds from loudspeakers, drums or organ will be reduced to 1⁄10 or less. For venues that prefer using an omnidirectional microphone – perhaps to help reduce the need to mic other areas of the stage – we recommend selecting a design with an adjustable boom height and length.

Chest and neck Omnidirectional mics placed in the neckline area, such as on a tie clip or along a shirt collar, are the most challenging for speech intelligibility because the microphone is placed below and behind the sound source.

This means that all the higher frequencies are almost gone. The worst position is below the chin, on the neck, because it is the furthest behind

the vowels drown. To maximise intelligibility, keep your voice at a consistent speaking level whenever possible.

Microphone type and position are the most important factors to consider in any spoken word setting. With most applications, the microphone will be placed below or behind the mouth. In these cases, you must compensate for the placement with an EQ, otherwise speech intelligibility will be compromised. No matter the microphone selected or currently in place, the best solution for capturing or amplifying a voice in as natural a way as possible is to use a naturalsounding microphone. Additionally, one positioned on the forehead would need the least amount of live EQ or postproduction work. www.dpamicrophones.com

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What camera should you get?

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Casey Hawkins runs through some of his recent experiences to help HOWs answer this all-important question FOR MANY, THE FIRST QUESTION they ask me is: “What kind of camera should we get for our church services/ livestream?” My answer is almost always something like: “The best you can afford that accomplishes all of your current and foreseeable needs.” In this issue, I am going to provide you with my honest response to that question and I am going to explain in detail why I feel that way. While you may disagree with

CrossWalk Conference Center, which is where we also have a secondary simultaneous “contemporary” service on Sundays. We have eight cameras in that room that have been added over time. That room was built in 2009 and had just one camera. A few years ago, we managed to acquire a second of the same camera model as the original main camera. That means, only two of them are the same make and model

The main camera in the CrossWalk Conference Center

A Sony HDC1700 with Fuji box lens in the Worship Center my response, I hope that you will be able to appreciate the way that I have reached my conclusions.

“What kind of cameras should we get?” I don’t know. What kind of cameras do you need? I hate this question because the response is so lengthy and detailed. In fact, I think I am going to send a link to this article every time someone asks me that moving forward. Anyway, I am going to share my most recent two experiences, within just the past week even, to help answer this question and hopefully get you started on a thorough and revealing research period.

I will start with last week’s VBS (Vacation Bible School). Each day starts off with an hour of short worship segments and some creative skits and contests along with some Bible lessons. We have this event in our

camera. I would always recommend not to do that. I would always recommend matching all your cameras if possible.

The same brand, at least, if you must have multiple kinds of cameras (for example main camera and a small lipstick camera but both should be the same brand and not one a Sony and the other a Panasonic). I was not in charge of that venue until about eight months ago, so I inherited the entire design. It has been a process learning how that was put together and it has not always been fun, but I have no choice in the matter. So let me tell you what happened, why it happened, how to avoid it and how I plan to fix it.

On Sundays, which is 90% of what our systems were designed for, we have a band and a preacher. Historically, the “preacher” is a virtual preacher piped over fibre from our main Worship

Center using two side screens and a middle screen (see the picture below).

The number of cameras and their placement is mostly designed for a worship service with a band. There is a fixed shot of the drums, a robotic up high on side stage to get some musician shots, a static on the other side stage for more guitar shots, a static lipstick on a tripod for keyboards … you get the picture. Enter something like VBS where there are two main hosts, three-person drama skits, kids competitions onstage where there are 8–10 people at a time scattered all over speaking randomly, prize winner announcements, key people out in the audience seating area, etc. Totally

not what a Sunday service looks like.

Now, remove a camera volunteer or two (we do not ask people to come in for just an hour each morning all week since almost all of our volunteers have jobs, so our staff has to man cameras as available) and consider that five of the eight cameras are robotic or fixed and the other three are not the same brand of camera. Now you have an entirely different production that very well might expose all the flaws in your normally sufficient design.

I had to use robotic and lipstick cameras normally used for static shots of musicians in a dark room with moving colour lights and haze on Sundays, for actual talking people

GABC’s Resonate Service in the CrossWalk Conference Center

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KnowHOW walking around on a well-lit stage.

When you mix those shots in with the main action camera that is a higher-quality, studio-configured camera, then you visually notice a difference between the shots when you take them. One of our executive pastors, who is new to the church, approached me and asked me why the cameras look so “fuzzy”. He thought it looked much worse than on a Sunday morning. Of course, they don’t look worse; you are just noticing it now because of how they are being used (they still look bad on Sundays you just cannot tell as much). I had to explain and of course they wonder why the design is like that. See, the problems are hidden on Sundays when people are normally watching the “Sunday” product but enter a totally different event and production level and the entire system is broken.

Folks, do yourself a favour and really think about and examine the needs of your church/venue to avoid this problem. Do not just design for a Sunday service if you plan to have 50 events of different kinds in there each week that vary in style and needs from the Sunday services. Do not mix cheap lipstick cameras in with nicer main cameras if you intend

for them all to match when used together in any fashion. The results will be negative.

What am I going to do about this mess? Well, thankfully our church

on the router and switcher for better manned cameras out on the floor facing the stage. I plan to get rid of all the existing cameras and purchase Blackmagic studio cameras, mainly

One of three lipstick cameras in the CrossWalk Conference Center is in a transitional period and the “contemporary” service that we have hosted in CrossWalk for 12 years will finally merge into the main Worship Center services this autumn. Now, CrossWalk will be only for internal and external events and not church services. So, I can get rid of those lipstick cameras and stationary shots and use my available camera inputs

because they will work very well with our existing ATEM switcher, especially if I can get fibre runs to the cameras.

Then I can engineer them from the switcher. This will give me two or more consistent, quality cameras that are designed for what the room will be hosting. I will also add a new stagefacing robotic camera that is of equal or similar image quality and not just a little

lipstick toy. I need to have something I can manage on my own should I have limited camera staff for an event.

My second story is from last Sunday.

Over in the Worship Center where I am the IMAG director, we had one of several planned “combined” worship services that we had this summer prior to permanently joining the two services into one this autumn. We have eight cameras in the Worship Center. We upgraded the cameras in 2018 and they are all Sony cameras. The five studio-configured manned cameras are the HDC-1700 and the three robotic cameras are the Sony HXC-P70 with Ross Cambot control. They all match very well, and they look great. However, I needed to get a guitar solo shot and, even with eight camera angles, I could not get one decent shot of that guitar because of other musicians or singers blocking the shot. The lesson here is work with your worship ministry and others necessary to make sure you have clear shots of what you will want to include in your productions. If you can’t see it, then it doesn’t matter what kind of cameras you have.

In conclusion, plan for what you need.

Figure out what you can afford and buy the best-matching system you can find for that money and that is the kind of camera you should buy.

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KnowHOW

Special lighting without breaking the bank

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John Black takes a look at some of the special lighting products that can be used to create impactful services during the holiday season IT SEEMS HARD TO BELIEVE, BUT the holiday season will soon be upon us again. Depending on the scale of holiday services produced in your worship centre, planning for holiday services may have even begun.

Regardless of scale, however, the holidays often provide opportunities to do something different to light and decorate the stage, auditorium and facility in special and unique ways.

This year due to the global pandemic, houses of worship have had to learn to adapt to decreases in in-person gatherings, increases in livestream or broadcast services, and possibly even decreases in giving. This holiday season may look similar to, or very different from, pre-pandemic holiday services held in the past. Only time will tell. But regardless of the restrictions or whether services are held in-person or virtually, most houses of worship will still be looking to create a special service experience for the holidays.

As a lighting designer and technician, I believe that lighting is perhaps the most impactful medium of production technologies and that it doesn’t require the latest and most expensive fixtures to create meaning, mood and atmosphere. A lot can be achieved through the intentional placement and use of inexpensive, commonly found light sources and accessories. Let’s take a look at some of the products that I keep on hand and how they can be used to create special looks in your lighting designs.

String (fairy) lights When thinking of the holidays, string (or fairy) lights probably come to mind immediately. Not only are they easy to find, but they are inexpensive, come in a variety of colours, bulb shapes and sizes, lengths and more. Though most often found wrapped around Christmas trees, garlands or other greenery or facility fixtures, the applications for string lights are nearly endless. The following are some ways that I have used string lights to create special lighting looks.

light from being exposed and cluttering the design. This creates a marqueestyle effect that can take on a number of different looks depending on the bulb size and colour of the string lights.

Drapes/swags. Another popular technique is to drape or swag string lights across your stage or, to draw the congregation in and create a more intimate space, swag the lights from the stage out over the auditorium.

This helps to break down the barrier that sometimes exists between the auditorium and the stage and helps the congregation feel that they are participants in the service rather than simply observers.

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LED strips String lighting makes an effective backdrop Light curtains. An effective use of string lights can be to create curtains of light by hanging series of string lights straight down. Either exposed or behind a piece of transparent material, light curtains can dress up any stage. Strands can be spaced any distance apart and can create full curtains of light depending on the look you are trying to achieve.

On video, these can create some fantastic silhouette looks of the talent onstage, as well as bokeh effects depending on your camera’s depth of field settings.

Star backdrop. Similar to a light curtain, string lights can be used much more sparingly to create the effect of a stary sky. This effect would most often be achieved using fibre optics but can also be created using inexpensive string lights. Using black material, individual string light bulbs can be poked through the material in a random formation which, from a distance, will look like a stary night sky. If you produce a dramatic holiday production, this can be particularly effective for night scenes. A star backdrop can also create the appearance of an endless stage, providing an increased sense

of depth, even if the physical space is quite shallow.

Outline/marquees. String lights can also be used for outlining set pieces or to write words or messages so that they “pop” out of the rest of the stage design similar to a marquee. As with creating a star backdrop, the individual string light bulbs can be pushed through the construction material of the piece, preventing the cable of the string

Rolls of LEDs are another light source that are easy to obtain inexpensively.

Like string lights, they can come in a variety of colours, though they don’t have the varied bulb sizes that string lights have as the LEDs are fixed on the strip itself. Additionally, the LED diodes themselves are typically spaced much closer together than string light bulbs and therefore can provide a more even wash of light, whereas string lights create distanced “bright spots” along the string. As with string lights, the

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LED tape at Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina

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KnowHOW applications for LED strips are nearly endless. Here are some of the ways that I like to use them.

Ambient glow. One of my favourite uses of LED strips is for adding a “glow” effect under or around a set piece, instrument or other object onstage. This creates an additional sense of depth and, when using coloured LEDs, can reinforce any colour decisions in a lighting design to reinforce a specific mood or atmosphere. As LED strips are flat, they can be fixed on the underside of almost anything that isn’t touching the ground or on the back to provide a glow on a wall behind an object.

As they are flexible, they can also be wrapped around curved surfaces. Their flexibility and small size give you a lot of possibilities for where to place them.

Linear/geometric backdrops. The backdrop to your stage can be created using LED strips in interesting linear or geometric patterns and shapes. This can serve as a scenic element to the stage design. When using coloured LED strips, the light colours can be selected to further support the overall mood or atmosphere of the stage as a whole as well. In the interest of stewardship

and reusability, I like to work with standard, pre-assembled lengths of black-painted wood with the LED strip already attached and ready to go once the power/control cable is attached.

This speeds up installation time and allows me to use the same resources over and over in different configurations (same concept as stock scenery).

Outlining. As LED strips are flat and flexible, they are also great for creating outlines of any stage or scenery elements. They can be used to outline the edges of platforms, risers, signs and more. Flat surfaces are not necessary as the strips are flexible and can follow the curvature of the piece you are trying to outline. I have even wrapped a drum-kit for a special event.

Standard light bulb sockets I also keep on hand single, standard light bulb sockets similar to what you can purchase from IKEA. These allow me the flexibility to place a standard light bulb anywhere that I want and cable it into my lighting system for control. I also keep on hand a quantity of pre-determined electrical cables with connectors installed that can be quickly attached to the sockets wherever I put

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The Crossing Church in Columbia, Missouri

Rochester Christian Church in Illinois uses retro light bulbs them. The following are some of my favourite ways to use these standard light bulbs for events.

Random, free-hanging bulbs. I quite like the look of random light bulbs hung over a stage at varying heights. This is easily achieved with these supplies.

Depending on the model of socket that you have, it may also be possible to attach lamp shades or accessories to the sockets to create the appearance of free-hanging lamps. I prefer to expose the bulb, which adds a warmth to the stage with the right bulb.

Custom fixtures. Another advantage to having a stock of sockets and cable is the ability to create unique, custom light fixtures for design or aesthetic purposes out of objects you may already have rather than purchase new fixtures. For example, a fairly common look that I have seen around is having round floodlight-type fixtures placed around a stage facing the audience.

Instead of purchasing specific fixtures, I was able to create a similar look by utilising some large buckets that I

had in my scene shop and mounting a socket inside of each bucket. This created a warm, circular light source on the stage that provided a similar effect to other designs I have seen.

Conclusion All of the materials listed are inexpensive, easy to source or may even already have been in your equipment inventory. I certainly have not covered all of the possible design options for using these materials but have rather just highlighted some of the ways that I like to use them. As you approach special lighting for the holiday season – or any special event that you’re looking to do something a little different for – I encourage you to look through the resources that you already have available and think about new and unique ways that you can use them to create special lighting looks that are effective and perhaps no one else would have considered. Experiment, play around and you may surprise yourself with some interesting lighting looks that don’t break the bank.

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TECHNOLOGY

Sponsored by

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With one of the key applications for NEXO’s new ID84 column loudspeaker being houses of worship, chief engineer at Alpha Sound, Devin Sheets, looks at the possibilities that this new solution will offer GLOBALLY, THE WORSHIP MARKET encompasses buildings that range from extremely ancient to the ultra-modern, architectural styles that span from classical and gothic, to the purposebuilt auditorium with all manner of conversions in between, from old cinemas and bingo halls to office buildings. Yet despite these dramatic differences in structure and acoustics, there are common characteristics that help the integrator to define the “worship market”.

space, which uses a stage and concert sound and lighting to create a highimpact, concert-energy environment.

Type A and B are two very different realms.”

The main challenge in traditional Type A buildings is to stop sound waves bouncing around and reflecting off the hard surfaces. “We don’t want to change the aesthetics of the space, for example by putting up acoustic tiles or drapes. We want the space to be what it is acoustically, but we want to

Valley Life Centre in Dallas, Oregon, with its NEXO GEO M6 compact line array Based in Oregon, Alpha Sound has gained a reputation for its systems installation work in houses of worship in the Pacific Northwest. Devin Sheets discusses the main types of worship environments that Alpha Sound would typically encounter, together with the challenges that each one presents, and how technological innovations and the latest products are helping to address them.

“In the worship environment, we see two dominant building types. Type A we could describe as the ‘cathedraltype’ of architecture typically found in Europe, but it’s not common for new, purpose-built venues to go for this structure. In this classical style, there are very high ceiling spaces, hard surfaces of tile and stone, tall and narrow congregation areas and highly reverberant interiors. Type B, which is very prevalent in the USA and increasingly throughout Asia, is the purpose-designed contemporary house of worship. Typically, these buildings are designed in the modern evangelical expression as a performance hall, a dry and acoustically dead ‘studio’

achieve clarity,” notes Sheets. “So, where can we put the loudspeakers? A lot of people want them to disappear, which is one reason why distributed systems remain popular, in spite of their shortcomings. We see installations where line sources have been put way up high, or even hidden in a false ceiling. That might be good for the visual profile, but speakers are like people, they need space to breathe. Putting them inside what is effectively another cabinet is going to lead to a loss of control.”

Distributed speaker solutions, of course, are the obvious answer, but perhaps not the right one. “Our number one challenge is to put the

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TECHNOLOGY

Sponsored by sound where the people are and keep it away from where they aren’t,” furthers Sheets. “It’s a simple concept but there are a lot of different philosophies as to how you achieve that. Some installers distribute speakers all around the venue, populating the space with many little boxes, each putting out a little bit of sound. It looks pretty when you print out the SPL coverage plot from a computer prediction software programme, but there is a discrepancy between the way that humans experience sound and the way computer software thinks about it. In practice, we’ve noticed that older distributed system philosophies tend to spread bad sound very evenly around the room – including all the places you don’t want it to go. Using little point source systems that function as omnidirectional dispersion sources spreading sound everywhere without control produces a result that is a bit chaotic and muddy.

The real way to solve this is to move toward line array technology with one or two centralised sources of the sound.

“For these reasons, we look for speaker modules that are extremely low profile, as tiny as possible. NEXO’s GEO M6 compact system is the smallest legitimate line array design that we know of on the market that is truly a line array, rather than a bunch of point source cabinets clipped together in a J shape. Each M6 module is the size of a shoebox, which is a real selling point for us as integrators.”

Alpha Sound has been a committed fan of NEXO loudspeaker technology for over 20 years, and Sheets regards the NEXO GEO M6 line array system as his go-to solution for a mid-sized sanctuary.

Bethlehem Church in Gothenburg, Sweden, has a NEXO GEO M6 compact line array “In the low frequencies, NEXO cabinets use another patented technological innovation – the Directivity Phase Device (DPD) – a feature that sets NEXO’s line array systems apart from the rest,” says Sheets. “We’ve watched for decades as other brands try to copy this technology, and they either don’t do it right or they get shut down for patent infringement anyway.”

Whether one talks about churches, mosques, temples or synagogues, nearly all houses of worship seem to require a reverberant environment.

A NEXO STM M28 system at Bayside Church www.nexo-sa.com

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NEXO speakers at the Church of the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, Poland This is partly the religious tradition, but it is also at the heart of how a building functions as a worship space, encouraging sound (speech, choral singing, congregational participation, music) to be uplifting and soaring. The voice of the worship leader and the singing of praise do best in a space that holds sound, and allows it to move around in ways that are sometimes imposing, sometimes inclusive. “It can be described as an immersive experience, and reverberation helps create it,” says Sheets. “Ironically we are now seeing quite costly immersive technologies being installed into modern churches to try and recreate what comes quite naturally in the classical Type A buildings.”

But a lot of smaller churches, the contemporary Type B houses, also want to appeal to a younger demographic by revamping their worship styles and bringing in music talent, and they don’t have the budget

to afford Yamaha RIVAGE or NEXO STM Series. “I am able to offer them some really good mid-market options in the NEXO range, such as the GEO M10, which fits within the tighter budget,” continues Sheets. “It’s amazing how huge the NEXO product can sound when you consider how small the package is, for example the P+ Series point source, and the new ID84 column speaker, which has a peak SPL of 136dB, will be ideal for environments which can’t architecturally accommodate a line array solution.”

As NEXO’s new ID84 starts to ship, Sheets is starting to specify it for his clients, anticipating tight angular control of the sound and a clear midrange for vocals. “In addition to its extremely tiny footprint and low profile, I know that this column design will accomplish many of the elements of sonic performance that distinguish the GEO M Series in church applications.”

Sheets also highlights the capability delivered by the whole of NEXO’s ID Series, including the compact ID24 and the super-compact cube that is the ID14. “It’s very convenient for the installer not to have to switch gears and use different products with different processors, different aesthetics, even down to different logos on the front of cabinets. Varied options in the ID Series still allow me to keep consistent sound, voicing and tuning and the way it operates over its entire dynamic range. I can mix and match NEXO products without worry.” www.nexo-sa.com

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TECHNOLOGY

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Jesuit priests are able to share their message online

The livestreaming setup in the studio

Shifting perceptions

Father Robert Ballecer SJ shares how the Jesuit Curia has embraced video technology and shed doubts over moving to a more modern way of spreading its message THE JESUIT CURIA HAS ALWAYS had a core mission to share a message of reconciliation: for women and men to be reconciled with God, with themselves and with God’s creation. However, when I arrived at the organisation’s headquarters in Rome, and started a position as assistant for new evangelisation in 2018, it was clear there was a challenge ahead.

There was an evident longing from the movement to modernise their methods of communication. However, there was undoubtedly an element of scepticism and concern. How could they overhaul and innovate through technology without changing the core identity and values within their message? Would it alienate or cause doubt in the community?

It can be an overwhelming prospect to consider for many religious organisations, certainly when, to date, the main platforms for communication have been analogue: newsletters and magazines; and a minimal internet presence. It not only requires a change in delivery, but it also requires a shift in perception.

Having grown up in Silicon Valley and majored in computer engineering, tech has always been a huge part of my life and has become increasingly

Father Robert Ballecer intertwined with my ministry work. It becomes an avenue for discussion, a door that opens up serious conversations with people who may not otherwise engage with me around the topic of faith.

Hosting This Week in Enterprise Tech, contributing to podcasts and tech sites, and spending time at tradeshows have allowed me to be immersed in not only the latest pieces of kit, but also gives me a wider perspective on how tech can be applied to the work I do in my ministry.

Finding that balance between tech and application is key. Otherwise, it can quickly be overwhelming.

Start small, and play to your strengths Our initial challenge was a desire for a high-capability studio and super high-quality digital content, but there was no budget to build something that could meet those expectations.

I started with only the tools and resources that I brought with me from the US to Rome, so it was imperative that these initial stages produce results and lay to rest any doubts, while building a foundation that I could scale.

I understood that before selecting any new technology, that our most

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significant assets are our people – their expertise, their insights and the fact that they are really adaptable.

So, we started getting Jesuit embedded into our traditionally secular networks, and developing an initial, consumer-level digital setup that would amplify this approach.

It goes without saying that the pandemic also played a part in accelerating the development of our digital channels, as, like many others, the movement was immediately restricted in how it could engage. Our first technology purchase was the ATEM Mini Pro switcher. I saw this as a way to simplify our broadcast workflow while simultaneously upping the quality of our video production. It was a gamechanger.

From there, growth was rapid.

Departments across the Jesuit Curia started to see the potential and asked for more access to the studio to produce content. Over the next 18 months, we would work on more than 500 pieces of content, including webinars, interviews, live events, as well as more cinematic productions that tell the narrative of the ministry itself to a digital audience. We’ve even expanded to produce non-religious content

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TECHNOLOGY such as tech podcasts and video production classes.

Content is disseminated via a range of platforms – not only social channels such as Twitch and Telegram but also traditional media such as the BBC and MPR. Getting buy-in from our senior team has also been critical. Arturo Sosa, the Superior General of the Curia Society of Jesus, has shown a unique approach to media. He intuitively understood all the advantages of having our own in-house studio capabilities.

Now his daily schedule can include live broadcasts and messages, interactive sessions and the creation

of pre-recorded messages to keep the content pipeline filled.

Multiple studios for multiple messages Our awareness of our own capabilities grew so much that now the question is not how we produce content, but rather how to prioritise, as our schedule was stretching the facilities we have.

We looked at the types of content that were most requested, and expanded into three different studios, each with a specific purpose: one for voice-over production, a podcasting hub and a greenscreen studio.

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The ATEM Mini Pro was one of the first purchases

We’ve specced with kit that is portable and flexible: three Panasonic PTZ 4K cameras, mobile lighting sets and LED panels, as well as a variety of microphones that can be matched to each type of content we’re delivering.

We can stream live, mix live, integrate Zoom or Skype to create one-to-one with the Superior General or one of his representatives, all through a streamlined and efficient workflow.

We can stream in 1080p to multiple outlets simultaneously while any prerecorded video is produced in 4K at 100mbs or 150mbs, or 200mbs for special occasions.

Sharing skills for the future Now that the studios are set up and our people feel comfortable with the approach, the next step has been to share the technical learning throughout our community.

A critical purchasing decision was for all our hardware to be user-friendly, without the need for hours of training.

Now, if we want to cover a live event, such as mass or ordinations, I can hand the equipment to a team of scholastics (Jesuits in training) – they set up, switch on and we’re on the air. I can monitor all the events from the Jesuit Curia, access the YouTube

channel and give feedback during the streaming. The fact that we can attain such a high level of quality with prosumer level knowledge is astounding and empowering.

I doubt we will ever go back to the Jesuit Curia’s old ways of communications, now our community has had a taste of what we can do.

Even when the content requirements dictated by Covid-19 decelerate, I firmly believe that our studios will still be full. Indeed, we are already planning to expand our departments. People now have realised what is possible, and they love that.

The temptation is to view digital social networks as just another means of communication, but they are not. The church has a unique perspective on what it means to form a relationship, both with one another and with God, and this is something that is sorely lacking in the digital generation.

Applying this as your first principle is the key to finding and building the right technology stack that will support a wider message, enabling engaging and inclusive communication with audiences all across the globe.

The real base learning for me is that, even in communities that are reluctant of technology, it can be a game-changer in the spreading of our message to the world. And this is invaluable.

Midra™ 4K Series Presentation Switchers

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Ideally tailored to medium-sized fixed installations

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Captivate your congregation with powerful presentation experiences using Analog Way’s high-performance presentation switchers.

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info@analogway.com

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TECHNOLOGY

Not your Grandpa’s PAR can Elation’s Bob Mentele talks through the development of the PAR can from the 1960s up until today THE HISTORY BEHIND THE development and proliferation of the PAR can fixture is one of mystery and myth. Numerous theories exist regarding the fixture’s adaptation into the entertainment lighting industry and the path to its existence has multiple coinciding adaptations that all seem to meld together during the 1960s. Like many early lighting fixtures, it was borrowed from another industry and used for something other than its intended purpose. The Parabolic Aluminised Reflector (PAR) lamp was developed as a sealed reflector, filament and lens assembly.

This allowed for its use in multiple applications. The parabolic-shaped reflector creates a high intensity, narrow beam of soft-edged light that is oval in shape. To use it how we wanted in the entertainment industry, a body or “can” was eventually developed to enable the use of colour filters and other fixture accessories. The PAR can primarily found its home in concert lighting rigs where they would number in the 100s. They could also be found in film studios, but the theatre typically preferred another type of wash fixture: the Fresnel.

PAR lamps come in multiple sizes, intensities and beam angles. The size of a PAR is designated by its diameter in eighths of an inch, i.e. a PAR 64 lamp is 64 eighths inches in diameter (or 8 inches). They can also be found in multiple wattages – 500W and 1,000W are most typical.

Finally, it is available with various beam angles: Very Narrow Spot/ VNSP (12°), Narrow Spot/NSP (14°), Medium Flood/MFL (24°) and Wide Flood/WFL (70°). To change the beam angle of a fixture, a new lamp had to be installed, so a production company had to have multiple lamps on hand for each PAR fixture to allow for various uses.

The PAR fixture has been a mainstay in lighting design for generations as it is easily maintained and deployed. Because

MEET THE AUTHOR Bob Mentele, worship market manager at Elation Professional

The KL PAR FC from Elation

of the simplistic design, the fixtures are also relatively inexpensive. The possible uses for the fixture are almost endless and so the design of the fixture remained fairly constant throughout its existence. There were companies that designed their own versions, taking advantage of other lamp types, but the basic PAR remained the most popular. That is, until another technology revolution pushed its way into the lighting industry: the LED. The first LED fixtures developed were similar in design to PAR fixtures. They contained numerous independent through-hole mounted LED diodes attached near the front of the fixture and produced a soft-edged, round beam of light. These fixtures usually contained Red, Green and Blue coloured LEDs which, when mixed, could create various colours. While this was a good use of technology available at the

time, the quality of light that the fixture provided was not great.

These types of fixtures are still available but are typically relegated to entry-level applications, because the technology and materials to produce them are inexpensive.

Eventually, it was discovered that if you took the LED out of the independent lens assembly and placed it directly onto the circuit board, designers could then place a separate lens over the top of the emitter. These designs are referred to as single chip/single lens fixtures.

This change in design improved the quality and consistency of the

light produced. It also allowed for an improved lens design that would provide different beam angles for the fixtures. Designers also began to incorporate more LED colours into the fixtures to allow for more possibilities when mixing colours.

While these fixtures performed much better than the previous designs, they relied on the separate beams of light cast by each independent LED to be mixed in the air as they travel to the object the fixture is pointed at.

If that distance is short, the colour may not completely mix. This design can also cast multicoloured shadows on objects as well. An additional

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TECHNOLOGY issue is the aesthetic look of the lens when the fixture is on. Because of the multiple separate LED colour lenses, the fixture can give a “LiteBrite” appearance, which can be distracting to an audience when the fixture’s lenses are in view.

To alleviate the multiple shortcomings of the single chip/ single lens LED design, a new method of LED placement was engineered. This new development is referred to as a multi-chip LED. Instead of placing only one coloured LED under each lens, the different coloured LED diodes in the fixture are all located on one chip and under one single lens.

With this design, all of the colour is being premixed within the fixture before it exits. This allows for a better blended, or homogenised beam of light. It also removes the issues of multi-coloured shadows that single chip/single lens fixtures can create.

The multi-chip design was first developed and released by Elation Lighting in 2007 in a three-colour/ RGB variation. In 2009, a white LED was added to the mix to create the first quad-colour multi-chip design.

Because of the improved colourmixing capabilities of the design and the increased output of LED diodes now available, there has

Elation’s SEVEN PAR 19IP view of an audience, multiple lenses can be seen. In some applications, that takes a person out of the environment that is being created.

As for technical shortcomings, the use of multiple lenses and chips within a fixture can create multiple shadows when a subject that is being lit is located near a wall or other surface. Multi-chip fixtures also do not allow for easy beam manipulation or control through methods common in singlesourced incandescent devices. This can make them difficult to

COB LED array allows for up to 8½ times more LEDs to be placed in a 10mm x 10mm square array than with existing SMD LEDs. This tighter spacing also allows for better light beam uniformity.

So, with these options available, why should one technology be used over the other? Multi-chip LED fixtures are the most prevalent and they come in numerous colour array options, from one colour to seven colours. Also, because the placement of the LED lenses is what dictates the fixture’s beam angle shape, these types of fixtures can be designed for different applications.

They can be placed in a circular array to allow for a circular beam, like in a PAR, or they can also be arranged in a linear array to provide a linear asymmetrical beam, like in a batten fixture.

COB LED fixtures are becoming more popular in the house of worship and theatrical markets because of the single source element that they provide. They tend to be less of a visual distraction to the audience, so they have become very attractive to customers that value a more pleasant viewing experience if the lighting fixtures are in view of the audience. They are

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ETC’s Desire 40 been continued development of larger colour array options. There are now even up to seven colour array chips available. These fixtures increase the colour spectrum a designer is able to use and improve the CRI and TM-30 ratings of the light output by using a Red, Green, Blue, Amber, White, Lime and UV colour array.

While multi-chip LED fixtures are the most popular style of fixtures available and in use today, they still have some downfalls. One is again purely aesthetic – when placed in

use in theatrical, architectural or other applications that may require very precise beam control.

LED designs are constantly improving and manufacturers eventually came up with the Chipon-Board or COB LED to improve on the multi-chip LED design. In a COB LED array, instead of mounting each LED directly to a circuit board, the bare LED chip is put in direct contact with a conductive substrate. This allows for the diodes to be packed in a higher density and creates a brighter array in a smaller area. A

In our application, a COB LED creates a fully premixed, homogenised beam of light that exits the fixture through a single lens. This technology allows for the light to look reminiscent of the incandescent fixtures we are used to seeing. The aesthetics of the fixture are improved, but so is the way that the beam of light can be controlled. The single source of light allows for the use of a larger lens and reflector assembly and can create a wider beam angle than multi-chip LED designs. The beam can also be controlled very similarly to incandescent fixtures through the use of barn doors and other modifiers. Issues of multiple shadows are also eliminated.

also great in venues that require the ability to manage the light bleed on displays or projection sur faces. They also tend to provide a softer light source, so they look better when lighting for camera applications as well.

Because of the growing popularity for these types of LED fixtures, more development has been done with them recently, and full spectrum engines are now becoming available, making them a great choice when a high quality of light is needed.

Whichever style of LED PAR you prefer, we certainly have come a long way from the lamps in a coffee can that our predecessors used and per fected.

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NEWPRODUCTS

PRODUCTS

AV • LIGHTING • LIVE SOUND • INSTALLATION • BROADCAST • RECORDING

A–ZCONTENTS

NEXO debuts its first column speaker NEXO has unveiled a new big brother to the iD24, and its first column speaker design, in the form of the ID84

THE NEW cabinet comprises eight 4-inch long-excursion neodymium low-frequency drivers paired with an array of eight 1-inch dome tweeters configured in a patented arrangement to maximise ef ficiency. It boasts a peak SPL output of 135dB and a frequency response of 90Hz – 20kHz, with the French manufacturer stating that it is equally competent for speech and music reinforcement, and able to per form as a front-of-house reinforcement system in its own right.

The slim, 1m-long column is joined by two companion products, a low-frequency extension module (ID84L) and par tner sub-bass (IDS312), which can be configured to provide a scalable solution for acoustically challenging architectures.

Weighing 15kg, the ID84 measures 990mm x 150mm and is constructed from rigid, lightweight aluminium, with a steel spine to host the rigging system and facilitate the hanging of multiple cabinets. Magnelis side covers and front grille complete its aesthetic, while the enclosure is available as standard in black or white, with custom RAL colour options to match any installation environment.

The ID84 of fers switchable dispersion, with a choice of two ver tical directivities selectable by a switch on the back plate – +0/–10° in Narrow Mode or +0/–25° in Wide Mode. Dedicated presets are available for each directivity. Sonically, the ID84 shares the same phase response as other NEXO

loudspeakers, making it possible to pair with dif ferent models without the risk of comb filtering or the need for complex electronic adjustment.

For long-throw applications, the ID84L low-frequency extension cabinet has almost exactly the same footprint as the ID84 and contains eight 4-inch LF components.

By doubling the line length, the ver tical directivity of the assembly is increased in the low frequencies while repor tedly leaving the horizontal directivity unchanged. By coupling four units (two ID84s with

Adamson

IS-Series 48

AJA

PAK Dock Pro

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Allen & Heath

Avantis V1.1

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Ashly Audio

AquaControl update

51 57

Astera

AX2 PixelBar

Audio-Technica

Wireless Manager version 1.2.0 52

Audix

A127 48

Avolites

Titan v15

Axiom

CXL12A 50

Bose

AMM108 47

Chauvet Professional Rêve E-3 Clear-Com

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57

Station-IC 53

DirectOut

EXBOX.RAV update

52

Dynacord

MXE5 update

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Elation

KL PAR FC

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ETC

Network Station Power Supply

55

Green Hippo

Hippotizer v4.6

54

HK Audio

S210 V/S210 P

46

K-array

KGEAR 46

LD Systems

Zone X 1208/Zone X 1208 D

Lectrosonics

DBSM/DBSMD 49

LYNX Technik

greenMachine Callisto+

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Martin Professional

VDO Atomic Bold

56

MIPRO

MI-58 Series

50

NEXO

ID84/ID84L/IDS312 44

Prolights

Astra Wash7Pix and Wash19Pix 57

RCF

P Series

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Robe

T2 Profile/iPointe65

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Ross Video

Ultrix Carbonite

54

Sennheiser

Evolution Wireless Digital

48

Sommer Cable

HI-HOIC

51

TOA

MX-9200 50

Yamaha

AFC Enhance/AFC Image

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two ID84Ls), the HF arrangements can be paired at two mid-points to produce cardioid radiation down to 90Hz. The ID84 can stand alone on a specially designed base plate or stacked on the dedicated IDS312 sub. The sub itself weighs 31kg and measures 1,160mm x 380mm x 350mm. Frequency response is 40–120Hz and the peak SPL output is 138dB. The enclosure houses three high-excursion neodymium drivers in a bass-reflex enclosure design. The crossover between the IDS312 and ID84 has been designed to extend both the frequency response of the main speaker and the directivity by acting like a homogenous 2m-high sound source.

The ID84, ID84L and IDS312 are available in Installation, Touring and TIS versions.

Connectivity is made through cable gland and captive two-core cables, and the Installation version is IP54-rated.

ID84

ISD312

www.nexo-sa.com

44 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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Email us today at HoW_design@elationlighting.com for a Free Consultation.

www.ElationLighting.com

WAVL Single Full page.indd 12

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PRODUCTS

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Yamaha furthers AFC technology DESIGNED TO turn an acoustically dead environment into a reverberant space at the touch of a button, Yamaha has upgraded its Active Field Control (AFC) technology. Delivering 96kHz processing capability, AFC has now been expanded to included AFC Enhance for ambience control and AFC Image for acoustic image control.

The dimensional reverberation control capabilities of AFC Enhance can be used to create acoustic spaces in which acoustic images are positioned and moved around

by AFC Image adopting a GUI. The reverberation of a space is controlled while making use of the natural acoustic properties of the existing structure, but without adding artificial

reverb to the source sound to create a different impression. Instead, AFC Enhance controls sound propagation within the actual space so that reverberation and volume can be altered while the natural sounds of musical instruments and voices are maintained.

The perceived positions of acoustic images within a space are controlled

by AFC Image. With a conventional stereo configuration, the acoustic image will vary according to the listener’s position. Immersive systems, however, allow acoustic images to be placed and moved wherever they are

needed to produce the desired effect, with the position remaining absolute regardless of listener location. Unique features include a speaker zoning function that assigns object sounds to only the desired speakers within the system and binaural output for immersive sound in headphones.

Systems can be flexibly customised to integrate DAWs, mixers and tracking systems in addition to third-party hardware and software. The space conversion feature can reproduce 5.1 channel content using a DAW via a live sound system to matching playback to the venue and live sound system speaker layout.

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www.yamaha.com/2/proaudio

HK Audio expands SI Series

AM HK AUDIO has added to its “System Integrator” Series with the S210 V (protection class IP44) and S210 P (protection class IP66). The S210 V subwoofer is equipped with two 10-inch woofers and a large bassreflex port, which reduces unwanted flow noise due to its exponential contour. The cabinet has been optimised for installation purposes and kept as flat as possible. There are several mounting points as standard, where the optional U-Bracket can be attached. This means it can be installed on walls and ceilings, or even flown. The IP44 rating means that the S210 V can be installed in protected outdoor areas.

The S210 P is equipped with two 10-inch woofers on the front and

Instead, carefully tuned resonators with additional weight are used.

This technology is said to deliver significantly increased low-frequency output compared to a simple, closed cabinet. www.hkaudio.com

S210 P front two 10-inch passive radiators on the rear. This is the first time HK Audio has used passive radiators in an installation subwoofer. These are specially designed transducers that, unlike conventional speakers, have no magnets and no voice coil.

S210 V back

K-array targets new markets with KGEAR ITALIAN SPEAKER manufacturer K-array has unveiled a new line of audio solutions with the aim of introducing state-of-the-art technologies to its products targeting budget-sensitive yet highly demanding applications. Named KGEAR, the new brand’s portfolio has been divided into two segments – High Performance and Installed Sound. The range includes column systems, line arrays, ceiling and wall-mount speakers, subwoofers and amplifiers.

“Two of the most interesting products we are launching are our GF22 and GF82 columns,” explained KGEAR

global sales and marketing manager, Lorenzo De Poi. “Featuring the same tiny column format, these two speakers are substantially different.”

The GF22 is a 2x2-inch full-range point source speaker, while the GF82 is an 8x2-inch mini line array that benefits from K-array’s Pure Array Technology.

They have been designed for low eye impact indoor and outdoor distributed sound applications where either coverage or extreme directivity are required.

The GP8A is a PA column system with an 8-inch active subwoofer unit and a 4x2.5-inch line array column module.

GF82 The compact system is described as easy to set up and features Bluetooth connectivity which also allows users to pair two units together in True Wireless Stereo mode. It also has a built-in

mixer with two mic inputs and reverb, a USB/SD player and separate controls for the subwoofer unit level. www.kgear.it

46 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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PRODUCTS

Bose’s aim is clear with AMM

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FORMING THE first instalment of the new AMM multipurpose loudspeaker series, Bose Professional has created two full-range loudspeakers and a companion subwoofer. Featuring a coaxial two-way design, the AMM108 and AMM112 loudspeakers can be used as mains, monitors, fills or delays for a specific role in a system or in multiple roles within the same system. Consistent voicing with the existing AM array module and AMU utility loudspeaker lines means that

and provides a recessed single-point suspension system, enabling hardware and Euroblock connectors to be kept out of sight. The existing portfolio of DesignMax in-ceiling and surface-mount form factors together with companion subwoofers are voice matched to the new IP55 outdoor-rated coaxial pendants.

Ensuring a consistent listening experience by matching the coverage of the woofer to the pattern of the tweeter, the DM3P, DM5P

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models from all three lines can be mixed and matched. Designed to deliver consistent frequency response, clarity and symmetrical projection across the listening area, both the AMM108 and AMM112 designs incorporate a Bose Beamwidth Matching Waveguide.

Located just behind the grille, the waveguide seals the acoustic volume of the woofer and features a unique vent pattern that controls LF dispersion for aligning the low- and high-frequency beamwidths at crossover.

Weighing 13kg, the passive AMM108 incorporates a 1.7-inch compression driver and 8-inch woofer to deliver 110° x 60° coverage with 128dB peak output. Delivering 110° x 60° coverage with 131dB peak output, the AMM112 is equipped with a 3-inch compression driver and 12-inch woofer.

Providing low-frequency extension down to 35Hz and 130dB peak output, the companion AMS115 subwoofer features a 15-inch neodymium transducer. The 28kg enclosure includes 12 M10 threaded inserts for suspension in permanent installations and an integrated M20 threaded pole mount for hosting the AMM108 or the AMM112 loudspeaker for FOH or fill applications. Alternatively, the AMM112 can be paired with the ShowMatch SMS118 subwoofer for higher-output, extended-bandwidth systems.

Designed for both background and foreground audio applications, Bose has expanded the DesignMax loudspeaker series with a range of pendant models. Ideal for open-ceiling installations, each plenum-rated back can is designed with sleek aesthetics

New DM pendant speakers and DM6PE pendant loudspeakers feature the Bose Dispersion Alignment system. Incorporating a 3.25-inch woofer and 0.75-inch tweeter mounted within the Dispersion Alignment system, the 30W-rated DesignMax DM3P model is the smallest family member.

Operating within a frequency range of 65Hz – 20kHz, the 60W-rated DM5P is equipped with a 5.25-inch woofer and 1-inch tweeter and the DM6PE marries a 6.5-inch woofer and 1.25-inch tweeter for BGM and foreground applications.

Low-frequency enhancement down to 40Hz is catered for by the 300W DesignMax DM10P-SUB 10-inch pendant subwoofer that incorporates a 10-inch woofer. Available in black or white, the DesignMax pendants can also be paired with various Bose DSPs and amplifiers to enable Bose loudspeaker EQ and SmartBass processing.

P 5228-L

Weatherproof sound solutions RCF HAS unveiled its P Series speakers that have been designed to “deliver excellent music and speech intelligibility in a compact, lightweight and weatherproof enclosure”. The IP55/UV-protected cabinet integrates into any outdoor and indoor environments. Rigging is described as fast and easy with the pre-mounted bracket or the multiple brass suspension points.

The P 4228 and P 3108 are full-range, two-way speakers. The high-frequency section includes two constant directivity CMD horns, each loaded respectively with a 1.4-inch and 1-inch RCF Precision neodymium compression driver with a 2.5-inch and 1.5-inch diaphragm assembly. The low-frequency section in both models combines two 8-inch woofers with a 2.5-inch voice coil.

The P 1108T and P 5228-L are full-range, two-way line array speaker modules. Respectively, the high-frequency section includes one and two constant directivity CMD horn-loaded enclosures with a 1-inch RCF Precision neodymium compression driver and a 1.5-inch and 1.75-inch diaphragm assembly.

The low-frequency section features one and two 8-inch woofers with a 1.5-inch and 2.5-inch voice coil. The P 1108T also features a selectable line transformer for 70V/100V applications.

The P 2110T, P 3115T and P 6215 are full-range, wide-dispersion, coaxial two-way loudspeaker systems.

The low-frequency transducer of the P 2110T is a 10-inch woofer with a 2.5-inch voice coil; for the P 3115T it’s a 15-inch woofer with a 3-inch voice coil. The low-frequency transducer for the P 6215 is a 15-inch neodymium woofer, while the high-frequency section combines a 1.3-inch neodymium RCF Precision compression driver with a 2.5-inch diaphragm assembly centrally mounted in the throat of the LF driver and loaded on a constant directivity CMD horn.

The P 8015S is a bass-reflex subwoofer equipped with a 15-inch low-frequency neodymium transducer and a 4-inch voice coil.

It has been specifically designed to reinforce the low-frequency range in P Series speakers. Its singlepiece, roto-moulded cabinet is fully UV protected and meets IP55 standards. The sub is equipped with 12 M10 brass inserts and a durable and corrosion-resistant stainlesssteel U-Bracket and two spacers for 90° mounting. The aluminium grille cover is powder coated with a waterrepellent fabric backing.

P 6215 In brief, RCF has released firmware V.170 for its M 20X digital mixer. The update offers improved system robustness and stability; an extended digital trim level to –30dB to +30dB for stream/SD card/drive input sources; a new Solo Clear function; a new main out After Fader Level (AFL) source option for output routing; and the ability to fix initial EQ settings after a factory reset.

The Italian manufacturer has also introduced firmware V.1.60 for its Evox JMix8. The update offers improved Bluetooth communication for compatibility with the latest iOS and Android versions and fixes to brightness, unwanted display flickering in specific contexts and unwanted EQ settings loss. www.rcf.it

pro.bose.com

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PRODUCTS

Adamson prepares for the great outdoors ADDRESSING THE fixed installation market, Adamson Systems Engineering has created a range of new products, including an extension to the IS-Series of installation loudspeakers and a suite of updated design tools. Ideal for outdoor venues, open-air performance

integrate a stainless alloy. The new models also feature an interior and exterior coating with a distinctive smooth finish to create a waterresistant seal for easy cleaning and removal of dirt, salt water or sand.

dynamic range of 133dB and an ultra-low self-noise of 7dBA, the A127’s capsule design features a precision-tuned, three-micron metal diaphragm, while the circuit has been coupled to the capsule by a series of driven shields to protect the microphone from external interference and capacitive coupling. www.audixusa.com

Available for immediate download from the Adamson website, the Canadian manufacturer has updated its suite of design tools for integrators. These include the Autodesk Revit and SketchUp libraries for the IS-Series, together with updated EASE and CAD files for the complete Adamson loudspeaker line. www.adamsonsystems.com

Dynacord’s MXE5 adds to its appeal

FOLLOWING THE introduction of the MXE5 in 2020, the German brand has added new functionality for IP-based media and building control systems. As the first member of the MXE matrix mix engine series with 24x24 crosspoints, the MXE5 also serves as a communications hub for IP-based peripherals with control and monitoring functions. The network infrastructure, including Dante audio transport and AES70compliant control, is included.

Ideally suited for fixed installations such as modern churches, the MXE5 can also be integrated with media control systems from Crestron and Q-Sys using plugins.

MICROPHONE MANUFACTURER Audix has launched its A127 omnidirectional metal film condenser microphone for critical recording applications. It is described as the culmination of years of research and development in condenser technology and is designed to capture acoustic instruments with “transparency, accuracy and purity”. Incorporating a reference-grade, ½-inch Type 1 metal film capsule, the A127 can be used to capture audio for broadcasting and livestreaming.

With a frequency response of 10Hz – 20kHz, a wide

Sennheiser simplifies Wireless

IS-Series spaces and other permanent outdoor installations, the IS-Series Weatherised models achieve an IP55 rating without sacrificing performance or aesthetics.

Corrosion resistance and environmental sealing features are integral to the new design. Offering 100% corrosion resistance, all structural steel elements of the IS-Series Weatherised cabinets

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Critical recording

Offering e-control and intuitive operation, the MXE5’s DSP configuration is performed using Sonicue software. In addition, the MXE5 features an HTTP or HTTPS server application programming interface (API) for integration with IP-based media and building control systems. The MXE5 also works as an OCA (AES70) controller for integrating other OCA-based devices, serving as an interface from the audio system to all other controls within an installation. The plugins and Sonicue software can be downloaded from the Dynacord website. www.dynacord.com

WITH THE development of Evolution Wireless Digital (EW-D), Sennheiser has created a simplified wireless UHF and 1G8 microphone setup that adopts an app-based workflow.

The app provides all the planning to guide the user through the setup and tutorial videos presented by Benny Franke provide an ideal start. “We talked with dozens of bands prior to the development of Evolution Wireless Digital,” explained Evolution Wireless Digital product manager, Oliver Schmitz. “Many band members are in fact multitasking and do not want to become experts at RF. They just want something that works right away, so all they have to do is switch on and go.”

The Smart Assist intelligent setup automatically creates reliable wireless connections and allows users to name the channels. Bluetooth Low Energy allows for remote access to the system to ensure convenient syncing with the receiver. EW-D transmitters have an input dynamic range of 134dB, eliminating the need for a sensitivity setting to be added.

The receiver has been set to a gain

value covering most applications, which can be easily changed.

Addressing crowded RF environments, the EW-D app scans the environment to find open frequencies, making more room in a given frequency window. With a bandwidth of 56MHz and up to 90 channels per band, the app can set the wireless links at 600kHz intervals without any frequency calculation.

EW-D has a low latency of 1.9ms and a transmitter battery life of up to 12 hours with the BA 70 rechargeable battery pack.

As a digital system, EW-D does not use a compander, but can be expanded to accommodate larger multichannel setups with a range of pro accessories, including antennas, antenna splitters, boosters and charging sets. EW-D handheld transmitters couple with any Sennheiser or Neumann wireless capsule, including the Neumann KK 205, KK 204, Sennheiser MM 435, MM 445 and Digital 9000 capsules. EW-D is available with a choice of handheld, instrument, lavalier, headmic, combo and base sets. www.sennheiser.com

48 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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PRODUCTS

Lectrosonics packs more features into miniature transmitters WITH THE unveiling of the DBSM single battery and DBSMD dual-battery bodypack transmitters, Lectrosonics has extended its digital wireless microphone system family. The new units are fully compatible with the existing DSQD digital receiver, DCHR digital portable receiver and DCR822 compact dual-channel digital receiver, and feature a tuning range covering both the A1 and B1 bands from 470MHz to 614MHz. The transmitters include high-efficiency circuitry that extends AA battery operating times and offers RF power selections at 10mW, 25mW and 50mW. In addition, a selectable high-density transmission mode (HDM) provides tighter channel spacing, resulting in a doubling of operating frequencies per available spectrum. To ensure that the new highdensity mode can be implemented, firmware updates for the DSQD, DCHR and DCR822 receivers in addition to Mac/PC versions of the Wireless Designer software can be downloaded.

Both the DBSM and DBSMD operate within a frequency response of 20Hz – 20kHz in standard transmission mode, providing a dynamic range of 112dB

and a flat in-band phase response.

Both transmitters can be configured as recorders with files stored on a microSD card memory as a WAV (BWF) format at a 24-bit/48kHz sample rate. The TA5M mic/line connector

also serves as a timecode input for jam sync with master clocks on set, making audio file alignment quick and easy in postproduction. The internal clock provides accuracy of less than 1ppm for all-day operation.

Furthermore, the microSD memory card can be used to update the units’ firmware in the field. The DBSM and DBSMD respond to remote dweedle tone commands that are available via third-party apps, including New Endian’s LectroRM and PDR Remote, which can manage the frequency, audio level, lock/unlock and recording settings.

Housed in the same aluminium chassis as the previous generation SMWB and SMDWB units, standard accessories such as belt clips, battery eliminators and pouches remain compatible. The input wiring also remains the same as previous generations of SM series transmitters, promoting the use of existing lavalier and headset microphones wired for either servo-bias or universal inputs, together with adapter cables for line inputs and dynamic mics. The two-way IR port has been added for quick setup and data sharing between units, including frequency tuning groups and encryption keys when in shared key management mode. www.lectrosonics.com

AS YOU WISH !

PRODIGY Series modular and scalable signal processing analog, digital, network audio

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TOA provides phantom power TOA HAS released the MX-9200 mixer preamplifier equipped with up to nine inputs and two channel outputs. Four of the nine inputs have the option of phantom power.

The MX-9200 has a frequency response of 30Hz – 20kHz and comes with various parameter settings, such as volume, bass, middle, treble and mute.

L user the convenience of making parameter adjustments instantly within the room, even when they are not near the equipment. The MX-9200 has been designed for various settings, including small-scale house of worship applications.

MX-9200 These can all be controlled and adjusted remotely via an Android

touchscreen device with a Bluetooth connection, giving the

www.toa.com.sg

Axiom unveils high-output stage monitor

THE CXL12A is a coaxial stage monitor designed specifically for live sound, although the compact, low-profile enclosure also makes it suitable for HOW applications.

The monitor combines a highperformance coaxial transducer, a carefully designed cabinet and “powerful electronics” to provide

very high SPL before feedback.

The transducer’s coaxial design is said to offer a stable acoustical pattern in both the horizontal and vertical axes.

The compact, single magnet neodymium motor reduces the delay between the two sources to help eliminate time and phase problems, and reportedly promotes high performance with a consistent weight reduction.

The high-frequency range is reproduced by a low-distortion compression driver equipped with a 1.7-inch aluminium voice coil and polyimide diaphragm. The custom-designed horn provides a

controlled dispersion of 50° x 70° (HxV), allowing consistent off-axis coverage.

The 12-inch woofer employed in the reproduction of the lowfrequency range is equipped with a 2.5-inch voice coil. Thanks to a special treatment process that makes the cone water repellent, the CXL12A is able to perform in adverse weather conditions and is therefore suitable for outdoor use.

The reduced size of the Baltic birch cabinet and the reduced weight are said to make the cabinet easy to transport and position onstage. A convenient dual-angle pole holder allows the CXL12A to be mounted on a standard speaker stand for it to be used as a multipurpose FOH loudspeaker. The cabinet can be positioned with two different angles to the floor (35° and 50°) so it can

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be placed at differing distances from the musicians according to the size of the stage and the kind of monitoring needed.

System processing is based on the Core LT DSP platform designed

by Proel’s R&D laboratories, featuring high-performance signal processing and high-definition 24-bit converters. The Core LT DSP makes it possible to set an optimal time alignment for the crossover filter resulting in a linear phase response. The correct acoustic filtering has been achieved using the Constant Power Crossover technique that, thanks to a particular phase relation, is said to result in a very smooth transition between LF and HF and an even dispersion in the crossover region.

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MIPRO unveils digital stereo IEM system MIPRO HAS released its MI-58 digital stereo IEM system operating in the ISM 5.8GHz spectrum. Due to the wider bandwidth property, the system features a wide 20Hz – 23kHz frequency response, improved S/N ratio and extremely low audio latency.

The MI-58 introduces clear and 24-bit digital audio which is reportedly superior to the UHF system. However, the MI-58 has a more affordable price and has been designed as a costeffective personal monitor system.

According to the manufacturer, the newly added engineer mode and networking interfaces will be a benefit to monitor engineers. The Dante interface is supplied for the MI-58TD transmitter, which has been specifically designed for professional usage.

The MI-58 Series consists of the MI-58R stereo bodypack receiver, the MI-58T stereo half-rack transmitter, the MI-58TD stereo half-rack

transmitter and two optional stereo earphones, featuring balanced full-range sound reproduction and isolation from ambient noise.

Created for entry-level and professional audio users, the system comes equipped with an easy-to-read volume indicator, so the input volume status can be identified by red (peak), green (ok) and yellow (low) colour LEDs and then adjusted.

Additionally, the MI-58R has the stereo/mono/mixed output modes and four EQ settings to further customise the sound, while a 3.5mm TRS jack provides L-R 100mW @ 16Ω output for earphones. For extended battery life and elimination of disposable batteries, the MI-58R is compatible with the ICR 18500 lithium-

ion rechargeable battery.

The front panel of the MI58T transmitter is equipped with a graphic OLED screen with menu-based navigation, a rotary knob, an ACT sync button and an audio input set button.

One 3.5mm and one 6.3mm earphone monitoring connectors and individual volume controls are both provided for any earphone. The rear panel is equipped with two XLR and 6.3mm input combo jacks and two 6.3mm phone jack loop outputs, as well as the ACT-BUS networking interface, optional

Dante interface, TNC RF output connectors and 12V DC power supply.

The MI-58T delivers <25mW output power (the maximum value depends on the telecom regulations of different countries) with an on/off switch, presets several interference-free channels and can ACT sync to the receiver. Thanks to the stereo input combo jack featuring a high dynamic range characteristic, it can sustain the maximum output from any mixer. www.mipro.com.tw

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LD Systems is in the Zone

Zone X 1208 D DESIGNED FOR a wide range of audio applications from simple switching of microphones to complex multiroom installations, LD Systems is now shipping the Zone X 1208 and Zone X 1208 D hybrid architecture

DSP matrix processors. The hybrid architecture promotes remote control options and the loading of DSP templates into the 19-inch processors without reconfiguration or rewiring.

Templates are selected and operated via the universal Xilica Designer control software. In combination with the integrated event scheduler (planner), calendar-specific workflows can be created to automatically change presets.

Ashly adds ducking features to AquaControl NEW SOFTWARE capabilities have been added to Ashly Audio’s AquaControl, including an upgrade to the ducking feature on the mXa-1502 integrated mixer amp.

The original ducker in AquaControl software offered 12 levels of priority, user-adjustable threshold,

begin after that hold period has concluded. This eliminates slow ramp times and gates to mask the fact that the ducked program is slowly returning in the background as soon as the ducking trigger is removed. Independently adding or removing input channels from the

attack and release, duck depth and could be triggered automatically by the incoming priority signal or by electronic contact closure triggers found on the rear panel of the mXa-1502. These features remain but Ashly has assigned ducking parameters to the source rather than the ducked program, allowing different trigger sources to control the ducked program in more varied ways.

A new Hold parameter is adjustable in 1s intervals, up to 60s. This holds the ducked program at the assigned ducking depth after the trigger source is removed and allows the adjustable ramped return to

ducking hierarchy has also been enabled. This is said to make it easier to interpret the relevant settings by eliminating unnecessary data.

The original ducker had the return ramp level jump from mute to –30dB in a single step and then began the adjustable return time in 1dB steps from –30dB up to 0dB. Ashly has improved this by allowing the ducking ramp to use a dynamic range of 100dB in 1dB increments. This reportedly provides for smoother, less abrupt transitions from muted levels.

Integrating 12 balanced mic/line analogue inputs with preamps and eight analogue outputs, the models also include eight GPI and eight GPO logic ports. In addition to the Zone X 1208’s offering, which features analogue inputs and outputs and an Ethernet control interface, the Zone X 1208 D provides 64x64 Dante channels for the integration of audio-over-IP. The inclusion of a remote bus also ensures integration of LD Systems’ wall panels and paging microphones. Dedicated remote control applications for iOS and Android are also available for customising the software’s user interface.

The German brand has also announced additional EASE files for its installation loudspeaker series.

Following the release of the DDQ series of active touring loudspeakers as GLL files for the 3D acoustic simulation software, LD Systems has invested in licensing additional loudspeaker series. The EASE files are now available for a wide range of installation loudspeakers for EASE, EASE Focus 3 and EASE Address applications. The complete list of licensed LD Systems products include selected models from the Contractor, CURV500, MAUI, SAT, Stinger and DDQ series. www.ld-systems.com

Long-distance cabling WITH LONG-DISTANCE video and audio signal transmission with a performance of 18Gbit/s, Sommer Cable’s HI-HOIC is said to provide fail-safe and easy HDMI installation via fibre-optic technology. The cable uses a high-performance fibre-optic construction in a high-flex jacket and is equipped with robust all-metal connectors from the manufacturer’s own brand HICON together with a high-quality chipset made in Germany. Due to its compact diameter of only 4mm, the cable can be laid almost anywhere in a convenient and space-saving way. The optical transmission of the high-speed data is said to work reliably and is also suitable for use in RFexposed environments.

Convenient (uni-directional) pulling through empty pipes and cable ducts is reportedly guaranteed by the compact micro HDMI D-type connector on the sink side (monitor, beamer, TV). The

supplied clip-on pulling device (13.7mm x 10.14mm) gives extra protection to the connector and allows a safe and easy installation. Afterwards, the micro HDMI can be converted to the type-A HDMI standard by means of an interlocking precision adapter attachment with a dovetail guide.

According to the manufacturer, the connection cable provides an error- and loss-free signal transmission with smooth, crystal clear pictures and outstanding sound. It is downwards compatible and supports all previous HDMI formats and standards. Included is an optional USB voltage feed-in adapter but, due to the low current drain of the chipset, it is unlikely to be needed. www.sommercable.com

www.ashly.com

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PRODUCTS

New features added to Wireless Manager

Avantis V1.1

Avantis receives its first major firmware upgrade ALLEN & HEATH has launched a major firmware update for Avantis consoles. The V1.1 firmware includes Avantis Director software and new dPack processors, as well as enhancements and workflow improvements for engineers operating in all environments, from houses of worship to livestreaming.

The highlight of the update is the Director software which provides the ability to perform offline editing and online control. Offline mode can be used for the creation and editing of show files and system configuration, as well as serving as a training tool for new users. Online mode delivers full remote control of the mixer, freeing the engineer from the mix position to make changes from any location in the venue.

Additionally, more processors from the dLive line have been added to the dPack add-on bundle,

including OptTronik, Hypabass and the frequently requested Transient Controller. Further features include the introduction of LCR+ mode for enhanced LCR mixing, Solo-In-Place functionality and a variety of new routing and patching options for advanced processing and monitoring applications.

In addition to the new firmware, the British manufacturer has also announced the release of the DT Preamp Control app which enables its Dante I/O expanders to be used with any Dante audio network.

The free Windows- and macOScompatible application enables control of multiple DT168 and DT164-W expanders connected to Dante-equipped, third-party digital mixers and sound management systems. www.allen-heath.com

VERSION 1.2.0 of Audio-Technica’s Wireless Manager includes a new multi-point receiver function, improved interface and functionality enhancements, increased compatibility and minor bug fixes. The software is compatible with Microsoft Windows 8.1 and 10, and macOS High Sierra (Version 10.13), macOS Mojave (Version 10.14) and macOS Catalina (Version 10.15).

The multi-point receiver function allows a single transmitter to switch between multiple compatible A-T network-enabled receivers that are set apart from one another. The user of the transmitter can pass from one receiver zone to the next and benefit from audio muting and unmuting for wide coverage without the need for a distributed antenna system.

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A single transmitter can switch between 10 receivers on a single group. Up to eight multi-point groups can be configured within a single Wireless Manager session.

Applications can include houses of worship and other venues where installing long RF cable runs with antennas and necessary antenna management could become cumbersome and expensive.

A-T Wireless Manager software is compatible with all wireless devices operating in the UHF spectrum. When used with Audio-Technica 5000 Series (3rd Gen) and 3000 Series (4th Gen) with network control and monitoring, the software can coordinate and control all connected systems. The software can also interface with and monitor the latest 3000 Series networked chargers. www.audio-technica.com

DirectOut adds NMOS to EXBOX.RAV interface DIRECTOUT TECHNOLOGIES has fur ther expanded the capabilities of its Ravenna/ MADI conver ter EXBOX.RAV by adding NMOS IS-04 and IS-05 suppor t. NMOS (Networked Media Open Specifications) is a suite of specifications for stream discover y and connection management developed and maintained by the AMWA, filling a gap left open by the AES67 and SMPTE ST 2110 standards. IS-04 handles device discover y and registration to suppor t automation in setting up networked systems, while IS-05 covers the connection management between devices to allow creation and removal of flows between senders and receivers on the network.

“We are seeing a lot of AES67 and ST 2110 projects coming up with requests and requirements for NMOS,” commented Claudio Becker-Foss, CTO and CEO of

DirectOut. “NMOS is a public specification, which fits well with the open approach of Ravenna. Based on modern network protocols, it eases the

device integration into network management and orchestration software. Being NMOS-ready makes EXBOX.RAV even more attractive as a compact and cost-effective interface for IP infrastructures.”

Other features include FastSRC for sample rate conversion when dealing with different clock domains and EARS (Enhanced Automatic Redundancy Switching) designed by DirectOut to improve reliability of digital multichannel audio systems. Network redundancy is also granted by compliance with ST 2022-7.

NMOS has also been added to the Ravenna modules offered for the PRODIGY Series and to DirectOut’s OEM board RAV2. www.directout.eu

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Agent-IC adds licensing options WITH THE development of the Station-IC Virtual Desktop Client, Clear-Com has added a Mac- and Windows-based software application that connects to the Eclipse Digital intercom matrix as well as the upcoming LQ Series of IP interface devices. Station-IC users connect natively to a central intercom system that hosts essential services, including audio and control systems, panels, beltpacks and twoway radios or endpoints from other intercom manufacturers. By adding more licensing options and a flexible application window, Agent-IC’s UI can now be configured from a desktop by local and remote users with very low latency. The configuration process has been designed to be straightforward with minimal network configuration for promoting communication in minutes.

The application features an adaptable UI that can be dynamically adjusted to a desktop, effectively consolidating it into a workstation.

Normal and full-screen mode provides the user access to large buttons.

Compact mode floats over other active applications providing direct access to favourite and reply keys without interrupting normal workflows.

Station-IC is available as both Event and Subscription licences.

In addition, the US manufacturer’s Eclipse HX Digital Matrix Intercom’s

capabilities. Additionally, EHX 12.1 features a new 5GHz radio band scanner to assist FreeSpeak Edge users with channel selection. The E-IPA

Station-IC software has been updated.

Version 12.1 extends the feature set of both the IP-based and legacy wireless FreeSpeak intercom solutions by increasing the density of IP ports and supporting additional Layer 3

card’s capabilities are expanded with support for E1 ports, allowing users to host up to 50 FreeSpeak II beltpacks and up to 10 legacy transceivers from an Eclipse frame. Eclipse Omega frames can now support up to five

E-IPA cards. With the deployment of FreeSpeak Edge transceivers, a 5GHz radio band can now be scanned to view and select the channels with the most availability. A coloured graph displays channel traffic and a chart provides RF scoring, usage and available SSIDs. In addition, the HelixNet 4.2 firmware release has added visual communication, two-way radio capability and a suite of new capabilities for intercom system administrators looking to tailor intercom stations to specific user workflows. LQ IP interfaces have the unique ability to connect to any type and brand of intercom or audio device over IP, and the new 4.2 update now adds the ability to Save & Restore LQ unit configuration.

Finally, LQ users can now save their configuration settings in a file on the computer they use to manage their audio network. A pre-saved configuration can be reloaded onto the LQ device at any time, so if the device is being used for multiple shows or system configurations, each respective configuration can be saved and preloaded. www.clearcom.com

INNOVATION AND IMMERSION THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES Setting the tone for excellence Intuitive and fast control interface Immersive Personal mixing with tactile control Dante connectivity/power over ethernet Easy installation/integration

#SETTINGTHETONE Scan to hear more

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Design, prepare, deliver GREEN HIPPO has released a major upgrade to its Hippotizer software which introduces a design, pre-programming and content delivery workflow.

Version 4.6 includes design features such as Projector Planning, giving full visibility of the projection environment and requirements, and improved integration with third-party 3D tools (C4D, DAE and OBJ) and textures in Cinema 4D. The Hippotizer development team says this takes the guesswork out of projector placement, providing information on coverage, brightness and pixel manipulation, even before getting to site.

Other features to enhance project preparation include the enhanced TimelinePlus, with access to hundreds of programmable playback parameters and an upgraded SHAPE Visualizer, a full resolution, full frame-rate 3D pre-visualisation tool. TimelinePlus is a non-linear editor with keyframe interface that has a familiar design and editing space with the manufacturer’s built-in 3D Visualiser, with properties panels

and editor all on a single window but with extra functionality. This is said to enable fast programming using keyframe, preset pallets, blind edit or with Hippotizer’s unique properties panel, with familiarity for both lighting and video programmers.

According to Green Hippo, some of the most exciting new built-in features in Hippotizer’s MultiController allow programmers to automate content and media playback to react to triggers.

V4.6’s automated projector alignment MPCDI (Multiple Projection Common Data Interchange) is a VESA standard for exchanging information between systems needed to blend, colour correct and warp a projector. Hippotizer uses MPCDI data to interface with camerabased automatic alignment systems such as VIOSO and DomeProjection, meaning Hippotizer can now use cameras to warp, blend and colour correct common, simple projection surfaces, such as domes or flat walls. www.green-hippo.com

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LYNX Technik unveils latest greenMachine MODULAR SIGNAL processing manufacturer LYNX Technik has released its latest greenMachine general-purpose hardware device,

fibre interfaces for 3G HD-SDI and Gigabit Ethernet LAN control are available with optional SFPs. The hardware also offers an integrated

Callisto+. Callisto+ is 2x 3G capable and complements the existing greenMachine Titan hardware (4K capable) with the same feature set and performance.

According to the German manufacturer, Callisto+ provides users with a more cost-effective and entry-level signal processing solution when 4K is not necessary or required. greenMachine Callisto+ hardware (model: GM 6825) includes input/ output cross-point switching and distribution, an audio cross-bar for embedding/de-embedding SDI audio to and from sources and destinations, with support for analogue, discreet or embedded AES and MADI audio. A Dolby E decoder and a full metadata management tool are also included.

HDMI in/outputs are provided and

colour display and control panel for live image monitoring, audio meters and status indicators. Full remote control is also available using the greenGUI software.

The first signal processing configuration available for Callisto+ is GMC-2CUPXD, a broadcast-quality, two-channel 3G SDI up/down/ cross-converter, which can convert between SD, HD and 3G video formats. In addition to its conversion capabilities, the GMC-2CUPXD is considered fully featured in that it also includes a frame synchroniser, 3G scaler, de-interlacer with motion adaptive filtering, embedded metadata management, colour correction for gain, lift and gamma adjustment, as well as various video adjustment features.

The solution has been designed for mid-sized facilities faced with the challenges of mixed or changing signal formats or connectivity schemes. Any of the three available Ultrix I/O boards (SDI, IP or SFP) can be installed in available slots and mixed as needed to provide flexibility and convenience both now and in the future.

Each SDPE can be installed in either an Ultrix FR2 or FR5 frame and provides up to two Carbonite M/E banks and versatile MiniMEs. That means a 2U

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chassis and 1U redundant power supply frame can provide a complete, multi-M/E production switcher and routing platform that can operate in either HD or 4K UHD. It’s said to eliminate the need for audio processing, framesync and MultiViewer hardware, as well as the inter-rack cabling typically required in traditional designs.

The SDPE hardware blade that powers both Ultrix Carbonite and Ultrix Acuity reportedly provides significant advantages over traditional switchers. New features and functionality can be added without the need for hardware replacement so that the system can grow as customer needs and demands change.

Multiple SDPE blades, configured as Carbonite switchers, can also be installed in a single FR5 frame, providing the opportunity to produce in HD and 4K UHD formats simultaneously. www.rossvideo.com

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Ross launches Ultrix Carbonite FOLLOWING IN the footsteps of Ultrix Acuity, Ross Video has announced the next evolution of its Software-Defined Production Engine (SDPE). Ultrix Carbonite is an integrated solution that combines the routing and AV processing capabilities of Ultrix with the creative capabilities of Carbonite. According to the manufacturer, this compact, single-chassis solution consumes less power, takes up less space and requires less cooling compared with the equivalent racks of equipment it can replace. Combining the routing platform with the production switcher shrinks the number of inter-rack failure points and reduces maintenance requirements. In addition, significant CapEx and OpEx savings can be achieved over the life of Ultrix Carbonite.

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AJA unveils PAK Dock Pro WITH NO external power supply required, AJA Video Systems’ PAK Dock Pro media reader is a compact, plug-and-play device which streamlines the transfer of Apple ProRes and Avid DNx files from AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G digital video recorders to desktop and laptop computers on macOS and Windows operating systems. PAK Dock Pro supports the latest USB 3.2 Gen 1 standard via the USB-C connection, reportedly ensuring broad compatibility and fast transfer speeds.

Designed to simplify media transfers in broadcast, production, post and pro AV environments, PAK Dock Pro allows professionals to quickly and easily ingest files recorded to AJA PAK solid state drives to a desktop or laptop

computer. Users remove the PAK media drive from the Ki Pro Ultra 12G, insert it into the PAK Dock Pro and plug the media reader into their computer via USB-C for near-instant editing, highlights creation, archiving and more. PAK Dock Pro is compatible with all AJA PAK drives including the PAK 2000, PAK 1000, PAK 512 and PAK 256, and PAK drives used in legacy Ki Pro Ultra and Ki Pro Quad products.

The manufacturer has also released Mini-Config v2.26.2, a free software update that adds new features for select AJA 12G-SDI, 4K/ UltraHD and other Mini-Converter models, including Region of Interest scan converters. Mini-Config v2.26.2 introduces Extended Display Identification Data emulation for all HA5-12G models, HA5-4K,

PAK Dock Pro HA5-Plus, ROI-DP, ROI-DVI and ROI-HDMI, enabling the connected source to continuously output the desired video format. The update extends pass-through support and compatibility with Dolby Digital Plus JOC for HA5-4K and all HA5-12G models. Mini-Config v2.26.2 also delivers p60 to p59.94 and p59.94 to p60 simple frame rate conversion for 12GM, HA5-12G, HA5-4K and HA5-Plus; loss of input management capabilities for the UDC and FS-Mini; and PsF support for 12GM, HA5-12G and Hi5-12G models.

Finally, AJA has introduced FS-HDR v4.1 for its real-time HDR/WCG

converter and frame synchroniser.

FS-HDR v4.1 features increased frame buffer depth from 6–20 frames, updated v1.5 BBC HLG LUTs, new NBCU LUTs, expanded Closed Captioning support and a new ability to pass-through or translate critical ancillary data, even while performing a conversion. In addition, FS-HDR v4.1 increases the device’s frame buffer depth to support configurable delays of up to 20 frames. This free update is available to all FS-HDR users and does not require a hardware change. www.aja.com

ETC extends power supply ETC HAS designed its Network Station Power Supply (NSPS) to make it easier for users to add the stations and sensors necessary to satisfy design briefs and energy codes for today’s architectural control systems. Part of the manufacturer’s Unison Paradigm lighting control system, the NSPS expands the reach of each Paradigm

processor by connecting to a Paradigm processor over a network

connection. This allows Paradigm systems to take advantage of network infrastructure for long data runs, and then power system inputs like user stations and sensors with shorter two-wire cabling.

The compact, DIN railmounted NSPS is described by ETC as easy to install wherever

it’s needed. It supports up to 63 devices, giving users the power and connectivity for today’s sensor-hungry systems. A compact LCD screen on the unit and tactile button inter face reportedly makes it easy to configure the NSPS and bind replacement stations without needing separate configuration software or to physically be at the Paradigm processor. www.etcconnect.com

Avolites upgrades Titan AVOLITES HAS announced the release of the latest version of its lighting software, Titan v15, with a new Timeline feature set. Timeline allows timecoded shows to be programmed and edited using visually led tools, increasing the speed with which users can set up the full range of Avolites lighting and video effects for a project.

Timelines allow users to create a precisely timed sequence which can either be run from the console’s internal timer or synchronised to an external timecode source. Using Titan v15, individual actions, called “triggers”, can be either captured manually via the Titan UI or live record can be used to capture an entire per formance. The software

then plays back all the trigger actions – including Set Level, Go to cue, Flash, Timed Flash, Timed Flash and Go, Swop, Preload and Wait for go – in sync with the per formance.

The upgrade also includes editing features to finesse a per formance.

Users can merge multiple live records to build up complex effects, triggers can be conver ted into linear fades and a “smooth” feature allows for selected triggers to be grouped together into a continuous fade. Timecode Offset allows for either the entire programme to be shifted to a new base time without changing the trigger times or smaller offsets of a few frames to be deployed to line up video, audio and fixtures.

An overview bar is designed to give users a view of the whole timeline from start to finish, allowing for speedy navigation as well as the ability to quickly zoom in and out of different sequences.

Other useful features like Markers can be created or imported from external editors to mark points in the per formance. www.avolites.com

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Martin adds to VDO Atomic family THE MARTIN by HARMAN VDO Atomic Bold creative LED lighting fixture provides a high lumen output, true tungsten emulation, smart interlocking mechanics and a compact footprint.

Combining an audience blinder, strobe light, creative LED pixel/surface (beam and aura) and stage wash, the VDO Atomic Bold is said to equip lighting designers with an large palette of application possibilities.

The fixture retains the same interlocking mechanics, same universal cabling and a similar look

as its sibling, the VDO Atomic Dot, but is much larger with a higher, full-colour LED lumen output. Its octagonal-shaped design offers single light or large array configuration options. The unit features control via Martin’s proprietary P3 software and Art-Net, sACN and DMX protocols, allowing fixtures to be driven from a console, a video source or a mix of both.

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Robe expands its catalogue THE T2 Profile luminaire from Robe produces over 17,500 lumens via its 850W Multi-Spectral LED (MSL) source. The fixture’s quietness is described as ideal for settings where silence is crucial. It can also be used as a long-throw partner used in conjunction with Robe’s smaller T1 series fixtures, as both feature

and wash fixture. The IP65-rated model comes with NFC (Near-Field Communication) technology which enables access setup, diagnostics and other performance-related features directly from a mobile device using the Robe Com app.

The light source is a 310W lamp with a lifetime of up to 4,000 hours that has been specially

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Modern meets classic TAKING MODERN technology and pairing it with a classic design, Elation has created its KL PAR FC, a full-colour LED PAR light forming part of the manufacturer’s KL “Key Light” Series. It houses a 280W RGBMA LED engine with CCT adjustments possible from 2,400–8,500K for precise colour temperature control.

The full-spectrum LED engine emits diffused

and a virtual gel library. Capable of matching the white balance for camera, users can shift the colour temperature without the use of ±green gels and filters. Additionally, the LED refresh rate can adjust so there is no flickering when used with high-speed cameras.

Features include a 7.5-inch colour frame and multiple

saturates and soft-field pastels, including tunable white light. The unit boasts high CRI (92) and TLCI (95) values, meaning that, according to Elation, the colour re-creation is extremely accurate both to the eye and to the camera.

Output is up to 11,000 field lumens, equivalent to existing 750W tungsten PAR fixtures.

The KL PAR FC can adjust for light that shifts away from pure white towards green or magenta through a green–magenta shift adjustment

included lens choices (11°, 22°, 30° and 52°) that are easy to replace in the field. Optional items include 7.5-inch barndoors, an extra-wide 90° lens and a 23° ovaliser lens. DMX controllable (six DMX modes, 1–17 channels) with full RDM support, the PAR offers intuitive manual control for standalone operation when desired for instant control of intensity, colour temperature, green shift and other important settings.

T2 Profile

iSpiider

MSL LED engines and produce an developed for Robe by Osram. identical multi-spectral, colourProviding 12,000 lumens – mixing consistency. The T2 Profile measured at the front lens – the incorporates adjustable CCT from source produces a razor-edged 2,700–8,000K, together with beam which is adjustable from DataSwatch for the quick selection a tight 1.8° column to a wide of 237 authentic pre-programmed 42° spot. Both static and rotating glass gobos offer in-air effects and colours and tones, including the projected images with a sharp, highmost frequently used whites. contrast, flat field, while a dynamic Other features include a high CRI effects engine has 12 varying beam of 95+, Robe’s L3TM – Low Light and “flower” effects.

Linearity – and 18-bit dimming.

Modelled on Robe’s EMSTM stabilisation Spiider LED wash keeps the fixture beam, the IP65-rated steady whatever iSpiider is a bright, is happening high-performance around it, and the luminaire, retaining Cpulse flicker-free all the features management can of the indoor be used when version. As with the working with iPointe65, onboard cameras and NFC technology vision systems. enables remote Robe Colour access for diagnostic Calibration allows and performance self-calibration of features from a the LED engine mobile device or without using any iPointe65 smartphone via the external tools, and Robe Com app. The iSpiider uses AirLOC (Less Optical Cleaning) the same 18x 40W and 1x 60W LED reduces the levels of airborne sources as the original fixture, and particles across the optical the identical 12.5:1 zoom optical elements. system is said to give the flexibility The iPointe65 is a bright, highto go from a tight collimated 4° performance, multifunctional beam to a wide 50° wash. luminaire modelled on Robe’s MegaPointe which works equally www.robe.cz well as a beam, spot, effects

www.elationlighting.com

56 WORSHIP AVL September–October 2021

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PRODUCTS

New moving wash lights from Prolights ITALIAN LIGHTING manufacturer Prolights has released two LED moving wash lights: the Astra Wash7Pix and Wash19Pix. Despite its small size, the Astra Wash7Pix comes with an extensive feature set which can typically only be found on bigger luminaires.

With seven 40W RGBW Osram Ostar LEDs, the unit features an extremely high-efficient optical system capable of zooming from 4–59°, making it suitable as a beam or wash light. The Astra Wash19Pix is also based on a 40W Osram RGBW LED light source, plus it comes with an exterior pixel ring.

It has 19 40W RGBW Osram Ostar LEDS and a 4–54° zoom.

Both units are single pixel controllable, with multiple onboard FX, and allow access to a precise and advanced white and colour control, all through DMX, W-DMX, Art-Net, sACN and RDM. They come with several pre-built pixel macros with adjustable speed, a virtual colour wheel with macros and white presets ranging from 2,800–10,000K. Additional features include RGBW/FC colour mixing, CCT control, ±green correction and tungsten emulation.

Astra Wash7Pix

Astera adds to AX series CREATED AS an extension of the AX range, Astera has released its AX2 PixelBar in two versions: a 1m fixture with 16 10W LEDs and a 50cm fixture with eight 10W LEDs. The units have been developed to meet demand for wall, backdrop or surface washing luminaires and are compatible with the AX and Titan ranges.

Utilising the manufacturer’s Titan LED light engine, the AX2 features a high CRI and TCLI and is said to produce a refined range of perfect colour temperatures from 1,750–20,000K. The digital calibration allows it to reproduce any colour or gel filter. The quick connect system for attaching two or more units is designed to maintain a consistent pixel pitch between conjoined fixtures, and the feet can be loosened to assist in angling a row of AX2s uniformly along its entire length.

With the press of a button on one AX2, all the fixtures in a string of connected

units will auto DMX address via their integrated IR modules. They communicate with each other and each fixture knows its position in a “flow set”. They can be controlled via the AsteraApp and inbuilt Lumen Radio wireless CRMX, in addition to a physical 5-pin XLR socket and powerCON in/out connectors for running a wired option, making it straightforward to daisy-chain several AX2s.

The AX2s can be rigged in flown trusses and used for individual pixel effects. They can be used onstage to light up bands/artists from a footlights or side position, or for light curtains, and are versatile flicker-free light sources for livestream setups and other recording and camera environments.

Accessories include barn doors

which can focus and control the light source as needed and act as a “glare shield” so users don’t see the LEDs – only the effect – on the wall.

SuperClamps and a TrackHangar enable the attachment of safety bonds, while the FlyBar suspends up to 4m lengths of connected AX2 PixelBars.

Astra Wash19Pix

www.prolights.it

Dreaming in colour THE OVATION Rêve E-3 from Chauvet Professional is described as a next-generation ellipsoidal that serves as a variable white and a colour rendering unit. When creating whites with a 95+ CRI and high TM-30 RF, it reportedly delivers a level of brightness equal to that of a 750–1,000W incandescent fixture. It also features a linear CCT adjustment with ±green to match other light sources in a rig, and colour temperature presets from 2,800–8,000K with high CRI and CQS. Brightness levels are described as even greater when the Rêve E-3 is creating realistic colours, ranging from soft pastels to bold primaries, with its RGBAM LED engine. According to the manufacturer, its “mint” colour LED has been shown to be more efficient at producing a much brighter output as well as higherquality whites and colours.

Whether it’s used to create variable whites or colours, the Rêve E-3 has the output to reportedly ensure even coverage from any hang point in installations of all sizes. Thanks to its precision optics, the fixture is said to deliver near flawless edge-to-edge focus to minimise any shift in focus between colours. It is virtually silent, making it suitable for applications

where ultra-quiet operation is valued. Selectable fan speeds make it possible to eliminate even the faintest sounds completely, while the fixture’s adjustable PWM ensures flicker operation on-camera.

The yoke of the Rêve E-3 can be shortened without being removed to provide a convenient solution for hanging from a low ceiling. The fixture’s integrated handle is said to make focusing faster and easier, and, as an added time saver, its Focus Mode can be accessed from a dedicated button. The Rêve E-3 works with all lens tubes used on existing Ovation features as well as lenses from some other manufacturers. www.chauvetprofessional.com

www.astera-led.com

September–October 2021 WORSHIP AVL 57

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THE TECH VIEW

Striving for excellence Jon Sauer is director of worship arts and managing director of corporate gatherings at Lincoln Berean Church in Lincoln, Nebraska

Jon Sauer

What is your job title and role at the church?

What is your typical technical setup?

Lincoln Berean Church is an evangelical church that is nearly 60 years old. We are a multigenerational church with contemporary services on the weekends. I oversee everything related to our weekend worship services in our main auditorium and I manage a worship

We generally have a fairly large band each weekend, including drums, bass, acoustic guitar, lead electric guitar, rhythm electric guitar, synth, piano, violin and sometimes a horn, along with anywhere from 3–5 singers. We have a Meyer Sound PA and separate monitor and FOH

we used. We didn’t use the main PA for months, but we relied heavily on plugins and we were mixing down in more of a studio environment. We multitracked off of our main consoles with the same mics and IEMs that we use onstage. We were back in person with special requirements by June 2020. At that time, we knew a lot of people would still be joining from home so we invested in an Allen & Heath Avantis broadcast console, which we didn’t have before.

Do you rely on volunteer help during services?

staff of about 10 people, both on the musical side and the production side. These roles are fairly recent for me; previously, I was a technical director who focused mainly on audio.

consoles, along with a broadcast console; we use Allen & Heath dLive S7000 surfaces for FOH and monitors and an Avantis for broadcast. We use Waves plugins at FOH and for broadcast.

How big of a role does AV technology play in your services?

Have the events of 2020 changed the way you hold services?

It plays a huge role. We really strive for excellence every weekend, and to create a distractionfree environment. Our services are contemporary, and we love executing unique creative elements.

AV plays a large role in their success.

Yes, for a good while we were recording all of the music and sermons with much more of a studio feel, even though everything was still onstage. We brought in some studio lighting and multitracked everything every week and mixed it down. This dramatically changed the equipment

Are you looking to carry out any future upgrades?

Most of our next upgrades will be lighting, and then most likely video.

We are super pleased with our audio infrastructure after upgrading in the past couple years. Now we would like to improve our video infrastructure. It would be awesome to go from 1080p to 4K in the near feature, which would involve a new switcher and cameras.

What is the biggest technical challenge you’ve faced at your church?

We use a lot of volunteers for our weekend services. Our weekend bands and worship teams are staff-led but are comprised mainly of volunteers. Nearly everyone in our broadcast video and lighting teams are volunteers and only two members of the audio team are on staff; the rest are volunteers. We are blessed with super devoted and passionate people who really enjoy serving, which makes all the difference. Our teams pick up on training very well.

I believe the hardest technical challenge for me in the audio world has been creating mixes that the majority of the congregation finds pleasing for worship.

We are multigenerational and we do not have a separate traditional service.

All of our services are the same each weekend. Creating big, full, punchy mixes that are also smooth in the high mids and high end has been a great growth area for me.

Have you upgraded any of your AVL equipment in the past 12 months?

We see a lot of churches seeking to invest in LED walls. Lots of churches have introduced more theatrical stage designs and I see that moving towards leaning heavily upon LED walls.

Because our Meyer Sound PA system is so compact and powerful, we get a really big sound with fewer speakers, which better supports the demands of an LED wall or other large-scale visuals, should we go in that direction. Nearly everyone is on digital consoles now, which was kind of the last big jump for churches in our region. We see more and more churches wanting to incorporate Waves audio plugins for live use, which is great.

We upgraded our main PA, which is now a Meyer Sound Leopard rig (L-R) with 1100-LFC low-frequency control elements and ULTRA-X42 and ULTRA-X22 loudspeakers. We really love this rig and it is exactly what you expect from Meyer Sound.

It is a real joy to mix on and has greatly improved the experience for the listeners. I feel like I can focus on mixing more naturally now, which inspires me since I’m not frustrated with things getting lost and buried.

Things sit right where they should in the mix now.

What are the current AV trends in your area?

www.lincolnberean.org

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