First Baptist Church is a thriving congregation serving 5,000 members in Bryan, Texas. With five services each Sunday, the church requires purpose-built audio solutions. Citing a critical need for high-quality, mobile audio capture for their music ensembles, Technical Director Tim Weaver has upgraded the church’s audio production capabilities with the new Audix Wireless MicroBoom MBW50B and MBW50BHC microphones. Audix staff interviewed Weaver about the process and its results.
Q: To start, could you tell us about your role at First Baptist Church?
Weaver: Serving as the Technical Director for FBC, my role encompasses managing the sound, lighting, and video systems, along with a certain amount of networking. Basically, my primary responsibility is keeping all the production elements turned on, fully functional, and working flawlessly to support our worship experiences.
Q: Tell us about the church’s weekly production needs.
Weaver: The First Baptist Church of Bryan, Texas, has been around for over 100 years, and in this specific location for about 21 years. We have experienced massive growth in recent years to roughly 5,000 members. On a typical Sunday, we see between 3,500 to 4,000 faces walk through our doors. It is an incredibly busy day for our production team. We host five services on Sundays alone: a traditional service, two contemporary services, a Spanish-language service, and then we take a small break before hosting a college service at night. Additionally, on Wednesday nights, we have various group life classes, Bible studies, and youth services that range from young children all the way up to high school age.
Q: We understand you recently adopted the new AUDIX Wireless MicroBoom microphones. What drove that decision?
Weaver: I have used the older wired versions of the MicroBooms for a few years now and have always been extremely happy with them. When I first got to this church, they owned four of them. One happened to be broken, so I sent it back to Audix. They repaired it free of charge and sent it right back. The church had owned those mics for at least ten years, so that fantastic customer service really stuck with me.
Recently, we decided to upgrade to the new Wireless MicroBoom system to help with our complex stage logistics. We have incredibly tight changeovers. just 20 minutes, we can transition from a traditional service featuring a full 100-piece choir and 40-piece orchestra with a nine-foot grand piano, a full contemporary band with a drums, keys, guitars, bass, and percussion, or special ensembles.
Two summers ago, we completely remodeled the sanctuary. When we did, I removed almost all of the traditional stage floor pockets. I have never been a fan of stage pockets because they are never in the exact right place, they never have enough outlets, or they lack the specific jacks you need for a given setup.
Our service features a lot of dynamic, small-group performances. We might have four vocalists standing on the stage, a 30-person vocal ensemble, or special soloists like a flautist or trumpet player. Not having to limit our production configurations around fixed stage pockets and cabling provides us tremendous flexibility for these setups. The Wireless MicroBooms are a lifesaver. I can just attach a wireless belt pack to the boom on a stand, place it exactly where we need it, and we are ready to go. It is incredibly fast and completely uncluttered.
Q: Have the Wireless MicroBoom microphones solved any other specific live production challenges?
Weaver: Absolutely. Because so much of our special program music happens at the front of the stage, we frequently use the steps leading up to the platform as a pseudo-choir riser for vocal groups. The challenge has always been tripping hazards when we’d use gaffed cables and mics, especially when thousands of people enter the sanctuary. People will naturally step around a mic stand, but they will easily trip over a taped-down cable. So, without them, the Wireless MicroBooms eliminate the risks of tripping entirely. At the same time, their carbon fiber booms are so tiny that they practically disappear on stage, not even noticeable by the congregation during service.
Furthermore, because we often place these performers far out on the steps, we are technically placing microphones directly in front of the main PA system. Utilizing the hypercardioid Wireless MicroBoom has been massive for us. It helps us reject unwanted noise and easily avoid feedback, giving us great gain before feedback even in tricky acoustic positions.
Q: Having used the previous wired MicroBoom, do you find the sound quality of the wireless version comparable?
Weaver: I don't notice a difference at all between the wired and wireless versions. Modern wireless systems have gotten so advanced that you can truly hear the pristine, studio-grade qualities of the microphone capsule right through the system, which is where Audix has always shined. Wireless MicroBooms sound fantastic, feature very low noise, and handle audio levels extremely well. During a recent special concert, we used them for soloists without windsocks to keep the visual footprint as small as possible—much like an operatic production. They performed flawlessly, delivering a very clean recording and a strong mix in the house.
Q: Do you use any other Audix products in your weekly productions?
Weaver: Yes, we use several. I use Audix D-Series drum mics extensively. I also utilize their A231 large diaphragm condenser microphone. I have been very impressed with it; while it has the sonic characteristics of a studio mic, it is incredibly tough and perfectly suited for the stage. Additionally, I use the ADX51 pencil condensers for our orchestra to capture high-quality audio specifically for our broadcast feeds.
Q: What are your overall impressions of the Audix brand?
Weaver: I have been a happy Audix user for years. I've tried many different legacy microphone brands out there, and Audix is one of the only companies that consistently delivers incredible performance and durability that rivals or exceeds the oldest industry standards. Their handheld vocal mics are incredibly tough, and in my realm of live production, most professionals tend to prefer Audix drum mics over anything else—the D6, for example, is widely considered the de facto rock and roll kick drum mic today. One thing I really appreciate is that Audix microphones feel like they’re purpose-built. They offer specific pickup patterns and designs tailored for exact applications, rather than just forcing a generalist microphone to do every job.
Q: Finally, would you recommend the Wireless MicroBoom to other technical directors and churches?
Weaver: Absolutely. I would not hesitate to recommend them. First, the price point is very competitive compared to other choir miking solutions. Second, you don't have to hang them from the ceiling. Many churches either lack the infrastructure to hang microphones properly or rely on volunteers and cannot rig equipment safely. The Wireless MicroBooms are dead simple: you just stick them on a stand in front of your choir or ensemble, and they work perfectly. And third, they are fast. Having the ability to deploy a completely wireless, high-quality microphone system for small groups or large ensembles in mere minutes is a huge operational advantage. They give you incredible mobility, a clean aesthetic, and excellent sound.
