Shepherd of the Hills is a Lutheran church in San Antonio, Texas with architecture that is highly reverberant. Acoustics have always been a challenge for voice intelligibility. The current sound system needed an upgrade, and church leaders sought a solution that was ideal for both spoken word in traditional services, as well as music reinforcement in contemporary services. Pro audio and commercial video systems integrator AV Calibrations was hired to design and install a new sound system with these goals in mind. The team at AV Calibrations reviewed the room requirements, deciding that DSP, equalization, and time alignment were needed to achieve the optimal results and chose Biamp’s Community loudspeakers.
The church’s new main sound system features a pair of Community E Series high performance column line arrays, each including an ENT-FR three-way, full-range column for natural sounding voice and music reinforcement with an ENT-LF low frequency extension column.
"Designed for use in difficult acoustic environments, ENT-FR delivers high intelligibility with wide horizontal and extremely narrow vertical dispersion," according to the announcement. "Installers can use multiple full-range and low frequency columns to create vertical coverage with an extremely narrow focus."
A pair of ENT206 compact column point-source provides additional coverage and fill, while a pair of dual 15-inch V2-215S subwoofers add bass and warmth during musical performances. Two Community ALC-3202D and one ALC-404D Amplified Loudspeaker Controllers from Biamp provide power, processing, and system management for the venue.
"The array’s dispersion was perfect in placing the sound to the seats and not the walls or ceiling. The presence of the loudspeakers on the columns is clean," remarks Sarah Becher, the design engineer with AV Calibrations.
AV Calibrations was able to balance all the source signal inputs and mix to attain a consistent 75dB room amplitude, allowing even older congregants with hearing deficiencies to have a positive experience during worship services. Moreover, musical performances are now enhanced by the improved sound quality, while the slim profile of the Community E Series columns blends with the church’s interior architecture.
"The client was very pleased with the final result and remarked on how the excellent sound system and integrated technology is invaluable to the sound quality of their live streaming services, pastoral messages, and video recordings of baptisms and funerals," the announcement concludes.
