Setting The Standards For Church Sound System Designs


By Claudine Hodges


Each church has unique audio needs based on its structural design, regular activities and particular expectations. Regardless of these differences, certain constant standards apply in all cases. They are regarded as universal standards for church sound system designs. These standards are useful to engineers and chapel committees when developing or negotiating a quotation.

An ideal system will help you utilize all corners of your chapel. It is the secret to capturing the attention of everyone inside the building. It feels comfortable to sit and follow proceedings from any corner. Congregants will easily follow proceedings from all corners beyond guaranteeing active participation in sermons and other activities.

The standards are developed by experts after a thorough study of needs in different cases. Audio specialists have also studied how different churches are using their systems and found a working formula. The standards are aimed at enhancing the integration between the system and the room to ensure that the ultimate purpose is realized.

The design affects all other aspects of audio production and quality within the chapel. Advanced technology will not produce better results if the design is flawed. There are different and befitting options regardless of the budget a church is operating on. Audio specialists ensure that you get maximum value for your budget.

Standardization comes from basic facts that can be witnessed across different churches. Human beings have a natural tendency to look at what they hear. It means that the audio quality will encourage individuals to look at the minister, altar, stage or the direction of the performer. It is therefore a distraction to have the sermon coming from behind.

A high threshold is set on intelligibility regardless of the advancement in technology being used. There is a comfortable distance that is established between the microphone and its user. The microphones must have the capacity to pick sound from the distance and broadcast it to all corners. The proposed distance is 18 to 24 inches on average.

The nature of activities in churches means that several microphones are simultaneously open. With a good audio design, there should be no feedback. This limits movement of microphones as focus shifts from one corner of the chapel to another. There are no lengthy time lapses between one activity and the other. A centralized control base is established through synchronization of speakers, microphones and other audio equipment.

The technicians who setup the audio network do not remain behind during normal services. This means that the system must be easy to control by a layman. A speaker who is loud and one who is soft should use the same equipment without the need for adjustment.

Consideration should be made for congregants with hearing loss issues and those using hearing aids. There are others who require the speaker to raise his voice for them to understand. Regardless of their number within the congregation, they must be accommodated.

To test if the system is right, you should close your eyes and listen to the sound from the speakers. With your eyes closed, face the direction of the sound. When the eyes are open, you should be facing the center of action. A good system will increase participation and concentration in the church.




About the Author: