For Bayside Baptist Church, located in the small city of Superior, Wisc., just across a bridge from Duluth, Minn., there was no way to anticipate how rapidly their congregation would grow and change. In fact, with attendance exceeding the sanctuary's 250-person capacity, they started a second service. Meanwhile, worship was evolving to include multimedia and live performances with full rock instrumentation, placing even greater demands on their aging backline system. Church leaders realized it was time to invest in a professional audio solution. The church reached out to Caleb Dick of Excel AV Group, who overhauled the sound system with Powersoft amplification.
A Versatile Solution
“They had first contacted us just about upgrading their projectors and screens,” says Dick, “but they mentioned being dissatisfied with their current sound system, so I talked them through some of what was possible with Powersoft amplifiers.” As Dick continued to work alongside Bayside Baptist IT administrator Shane McCotter on the visual overhaul, the church decided to invest in a completely revitalized sound system. “The system in there was aging and consisted of lower-grade equipment,” Dick says. “The coverage was lacking, sound quality and intelligibility were poor, and the sightlines were obtrusive.” Dick knew this could be improved, and that new equipment could make a difference in delivering a dynamic worship experience. “There’s a lot of exciting, loud music that’s part of worship these days, so we wanted to provide plenty of subwoofer power and some extra output overall,” he says.
"We’ve used Powersoft DSP before and having access to that really great EQ is tremendous,"
Caleb Dick
Excel AV Group.
The Excel AV team assembled a package that included Powersoft amplification driving Fulcrum speakers, saying it was an ideal fit for Bayside Baptist’s 250-seat sanctuary. A pair of Fulcrum DX1526 speakers driven by a Powersoft K10 DSP+AESOP was chosen for the main front of house speakers and a pair of Fulcrum TS215 speakers powered by a Powersoft K3 DSP+AESOP for the subwoofers, which were small enough to be tucked under the stage and out of sight. The system was rounded out with an Allen & Heath Qu-32 mixing board. Dick says Powersoft’s efficiency allowed him to complete the install using the existing circuit count, eliminating the need for an expensive power upgrade. The Powersoft amplifiers were combined to provide a smooth and distinct low-end with plenty of crisp, clear high end, and Powersoft’s onboard DSP with Armonia software contained all of the tools Dick needed to tune the system.
“We’ve used Powersoft DSP before and having access to that really great EQ is tremendous,” Dick adds. “Plus with Powersoft we can just take the FIR files from Fulcrum, load them into the amp, and the tuning’s almost done.” The amplifiers’ miniscule footprint was equally critical, consuming only one rack space per unit, leaving plenty of room for six Sennheiser wireless receivers.
Fidelity Without the Fuss
When the church staff first turned on the new system, the improvement was noticeable. The church’s sound engineers ran a variety of sound sources through their 32-channel board and were amazed with the clarity and musicality. “They were telling me how they’ve been fighting with these kinds of signals for years and this was the first time they could just turn it on with it sounding awesome,” Dick recalls. He notes that church staff was especially appreciative of the coverage. “We’re within 2 db just about anywhere in the house, so it’s really consistent,” Dick says.
An Investment in the Future
Bayside Baptist church leadership is confident that they made a good choice with their new sound system, which not only addresses current needs better than ever before but gives them plenty of room to grow. “They chose to work with us because they could tell we really knew the technology we were working with, and we chose and continue to choose Powersoft because it’s the best amplifier for the job,” says Dick. Bayside Baptist Church may yet have to expand if growth continues, but Dick says they can use their Powersoft amplifiers as a solid foundation for future growth. “We use them quite a bit and they really last.”
