Pennsylvania's St. Luke Greek Orthodox Church is a breathtaking house of worship, renowned for its Byzantine architecture and elaborate iconography. With its high-domed ceilings, expansive nave, and traditional Orthodox design, the sanctuary is visually stunning but poses significant acoustical challenges.
Poor speech intelligibility had become a growing concern. With a reverberation peak of 3.38 seconds, congregation members struggled to hear the spoken word clearly, leading to increased complaints.
“The congregation was vocal about the issue,” says Spinnaker VP of Project Development Fenicia Redman. “Many elderly members expressed frustration that they couldn’t clearly hear the liturgy. We knew we had to find a solution that provided pristine intelligibility while maintaining the church’s sacred atmosphere.”
Seeking a solution that would preserve the church’s aesthetic and elevate the auditory experience, the church hired the team at Spinnaker as the project integrator to select a sound reinforcement system. After extensive EASE Modeling, they chose Renkus-Heinz.
To determine the best possible system, Spinnaker conducted an in-depth acoustic analysis using EASE modeling. Multiple manufacturers were tested in the space, but Renkus-Heinz came out on top. “The client preferred the Renkus-Heinz solution,” Redman explains. “The natural warmth of the sound was something that truly stood out, making the choice clear.”
The final installation featured a single Renkus-Heinz Iconyx Gen5 SeriesIC24 column array, discreetly positioned between the front two windows.
“We needed a solution that would blend seamlessly with the church’s visual aesthetics,” Redman notes. “The IC24-RN was the perfect fit, as it provided excellent dispersion while being visually unobtrusive.”
By leveraging Renkus-Heinz’s OmniBeam beam-steering technology, Spinnaker focused sound exactly where it was needed, avoiding the excessive reflections that had previously muddied the spoken word. The ability to tailor the dispersion pattern resulted in each seat having clear and balanced audio.
The system is powered by a Yamaha MTX5D processor and TF Rack, with intuitive control via an iPad. This allows church staff to adjust settings as needed, making the system user-friendly.
While the installation itself was straightforward, a particular challenge was protecting the church’s ornate interior. “The walls are adorned with 24-karat gold leaf,” Redman says. “We had to be incredibly careful during the installation process to ensure nothing was damaged. Our team took meticulous precautions, and in the end, everything went smoothly.”
Another consideration was ensuring that the new sound system complemented the church’s existing acoustics. “Rather than fighting against the natural acoustics, we worked with them,” Redman explains. “The Renkus-Heinz system allowed us to reinforce speech while still allowing the beauty of the choral music to shine through. It was about precision rather than force.”
Redman says the impact of the new system was immediate and profound. “One of the most touching moments came when a senior member of the congregation turned to her grandson and said, ‘I can finally hear Fr. Christ,’” Redman shares. “That’s why we do what we do. Sound is more than just technology; in houses of worship, it speaks hope.”
Since the installation, the church has received positive feedback from parishioners of all ages. Not only has speech intelligibility dramatically improved, but the overall experience of worship has been enhanced. “Renkus-Heinz provided exactly what St. Luke’s needed – a balance of clarity, warmth, and unobtrusive design,” Redman concludes. “The results speak for themselves. Every project presents its own challenges, but when you have the right tools and expertise, the outcome is always worth it.”
