Andrew Stone, production manager at Tulsa, Okla.'s Church on the Move, recently wrote an excellent article for Church Production Magazine on equipment purchasing in which he recommends coming up with a 10-year plan before every equipment purchase . So before you run out to the local music store to buy next your portable PA, or go looking for a loudspeaker system to install in a smaller environment, begin by carefully considering the range of present day requirements, while dutifully looking ahead to include possible future needs. It’s better to spend money at the head end of a purchase than to go back later to acquire what you really needed in the first place. Your evaluation should take into account cost, audio quality, overall performance, ease of use, feature set, and finally, what might be the most important in the long run: expandability and durability.
Cost/performance ratio
What differentiates a low priced $200-$300 loudspeaker from one costing 10 times more? The answer may not be clear to an untrained volunteer, or to your senior pastor. In general terms, however, the higher priced products will provide substantially greater power output, lower distortion, better build quality, a wider, flatter acoustic response with less coloration, longer service life and, in some cases, additional features such as remote network control.
Lower priced products are usually less advanced in terms of build quality and ultimate performance, but some do offer features you may want, such as RCA or 1/8-inch mini-phone inputs, mic preamps, line mixers, tone controls (or full-fledged graphic equalizers), and even built-in CD players. Conversely, if a variety of features are not needed, then it makes sense to base the purchase decision on performance, durability and overall quality.
If your needs are basic and usage is only occasional, a lower priced product may fit the bill ... and the budget. Conversely, if you intend to push the system hard, if you expect superlative performance and years of service life, then a higher quality, higher-dollar purchase will be a better investment. In either case, a careful evaluation of present-day requirements, along with a discerning look at your ministry's projected growth trends and related applications, will be time well spent.
More about performance
Does the system need to reproduce voice only? If music is an integral part of your intended usage, will that music be from recordings or do you intend to use it with live musicians? How large of a space will the system be called upon to cover? Is ambient noise a potential problem? How much sound pressure level is needed in the rearmost audience areas? Will it be used indoors, outdoors or both? Is the space reverberant, requiring tight directional pattern control to avoid acoustical reflections? Could the system be permanently installed during its service life? A clear definition of present and future requirements is called for to make the most appropriate purchase decision.
Formats and features
While most manufacturers claim "array-ability," many users believe that trapezoidal boxes are all inherently arrayable. They are not. The majority of loudspeakers simply behave badly when additional units are positioned in close proximity.
Popular formats vary. Small speakers range from typical two-way trapezoidal boxes with a 12-inch woofer and a high-frequency horn to tiny satellite speakers supported by a subwoofer, and columnar loudspeakers that can be mounted onto a subwoofer that functions as a bass-base, as well as other variations. Larger loudspeakers can present even more options.
Besides the size, shape and loudspeaker configurations, optional features range from essentially nothing, to bi-amp/single-amp selection switches, and tone contour controls on passive loudspeakers. In powered models, it's common to see mic preamps, additional line inputs with a small built-in mixer, EQ controls, effects, and more. Many modern powered loudspeaker products have auto-switching power supplies that can accept line voltages from 100VAC to 240VAC, an important consideration if the ministry travels out of the country, or uses generator power for outdoor events.
Expandability/durability
Expandability can be explained in two key parts. The first is to determine if a loudspeaker you're considering for purchase can be effectively grouped with like kinds to form larger arrays. You may not need three or four speaker arrays now to handle your immediate needs, but you might at a later date as requirements grow larger. While most manufacturers claim “array-ability,” and many users believe that trapezoidal boxes are all inherently arrayable. They are not. The majority of loudspeakers simply behave badly when additional units are positioned in close proximity. This is an important subject if the ministry is growing and foresees the need to eventually expand the system for use in larger spaces to serve a greater number of congregants or to produce higher sound pressure levels.
When considering expandable loudspeakers systems, check to see if the model(s) you are interested in are equipped with loop-thru connectors for power and signal. This may seem overly simple, but it can make a big difference in the effort that's needed for cabling and setup, especially if the system is to be used in different sized configurations from time to time.
Secondly, if the initial purchase is eventually expanded into a larger system, are there provisions for network monitoring and remote control? This borders on esoteric for most ministries, but worth a mention if future plans call for extensive expansion and will require leading-edge technology.
"It’s better to spend money at the head end of a purchase than to go back later to acquire what you really needed.."
Will it last?
Durability and reliability are tightly tied to expandability; if the product is not long lasting and reliable in regular daily usage, then including it in a future expansion plan has little value. At higher price points, quality loudspeakers should maintain stable performance characteristics for many years—while lower priced products may not. Durability also includes the ability to withstand rough handling when used in portable applications. Premium products intended for touring are usually engineered to handle a lot of physical abuse without major damage, but in any price range it's always best to budget for solid road cases, or at least padded fabric covers, to support longevity in portable applications.
In addition, many portable loudspeakers are not intended for fixed installation. Loudspeakers that are meant to be flown or mounted are built with internal bracing components and external rigging points. Never suspend or fly a loudspeaker system that was not intended for that application.
Reliability is best summed up as this: “Does it work when I need it to?” Here again, most high priced products are carefully developed and tested for long-term reliability, while low priced imports are not necessarily engineered at all. Some manufacturers simply use off-the-shelf drivers, pre-made horns, modules that are often just slapped together with a brand name attached, and little more than the designer's whim as to coverage patterns, distortion characteristics, frequency and phase response, and other critical parameters. Besides questionable performance characteristics, sound quality in certain low-end loudspeakers often varies from loudspeaker to loudspeaker even within the same model line. As the classic saying goes, “Buyer beware.”
Off the beaten track
While you'll often see small- and mid-sized speakers on tripod stands for portable usage, there are other viable alternatives these days. Many loudspeaker manufacturers are offering columnar formats that can provide distinct advantages over conventional formats, depending on your needs. Columnar arrays are much more directional in the vertical axis than conventional loudspeakers, an attribute that is extremely valuable in reverberant spaces. You want to keep excess sound energy from bouncing off the ceiling and corrupting the direct energy that reaches the listeners. In some designs the directional pattern can be digitally steered to best cover the audience by means of a laptop or tablet. There are advantages to digital steering, which are obvious, but it's useful to understand that any form of digital pattern control introduces controlled acoustical cancellations that inevitably reduce the overall output capability. If you're not seeking extremely high sound pressure levels, the small reduction in output power may not be an issue.
A portable sound system can provide much more value than merely covering the occasional remote event. And smaller loudspeakers for fixed installations may offer additional long-term options. As the ministry expands, loudspeakers installed in a smaller auditorium can be repurposed as delay, under-balcony or even floor monitor speakers in a larger environment. They can also be reinstalled in a gymnasium or multi-purpose space, or used as a portable system as needed, for example, as sound reinforcement for overflow areas.
No ministry should invest in the cheapest equipment available. As with most gear purchases, higher quality loudspeakers are usually a better long-term investment. It's important to view the purchase of a small or portable loudspeaker system as having multi-faceted potential, rather than as a quick buy-a-box decision.
