The hall's architecture features a high-peaked ceiling and ample windows which give a feeling of natural light and open space. This design also introduces reverberation for choirs in traditional worship services, though these same acoustical conditions introduce problems for both spoken word and amplified contemporary praise bands. To find the best solution, the church went to Danny Kinchang of Selangor, Malaysia-based First Live Sound Sdn. Bhd.
"The church's range of worship styles coupled with its reverberant hall meant that good directional control was crucial in the loudspeakers," says Kinchang. "That's one reason I chose the MINA arrays. Their compact design was a perfect fit for the room, and I knew they would deliver controlled clarity throughout the congregation seating areas."
Covering the main hall are two main arrays with five Mina loudspeakers each. Two 500-HP subwoofers provide low end, while two UPM-1P loudspeakers offer front fill. A connected low-ceilinged rear entry hall is also covered by a self-powered system comprising two each UP-4XP 48 V loudspeakers and MM-4XP self-powered loudspeakers, plus two MM-10 subwoofers. A Galileo loudspeaker management system featuring one Galileo 408 processor supplies system drive, delay and equalization.
The Meyer Sound system is mixed on a Yamaha IM8-32 analogue console, with wireless microphone systems from Shure and JTS.
"We very much wanted a system with clarity and good musical quality, not simply 'musical noise,'" says Pastor Gan. "I trusted Danny, and he did not disappoint us."
(Jim Evans)
