Loudspeakers are possibly the biggest single expense a church will undertake when building new equipment or upgrading an AVL system. And we are long past the days of hanging a few boxes in the air and calling it good.
Today, we have a myriad of options, technologies and price points. Sorting through it all can be a daunting task. It can also be exciting; installing a properly designed PA will greatly enhance the worship experience.
To find out how to choose a system—and someone to install it—we asked three experienced church audio experts about their processes for picking the right speakers and dealer.
CHURCH PRODUCTION MAGAZINE (CPM): When preparing to purchase a new speaker system, do you typically start with the brand/model or first select the dealer then work with them to determine the best system?
DAVIS: I definitely have brand preferences, but we worked with our systems integrator to make a final decision. They are able to keep track of what’s new and have heard more systems in more rooms than I have.
METSCHKE: I do have some brand bias. But you always have to look at application. Getting the right box for the space and application matters most. Knowing your budget and matching the system to your situation is where a good integrator can help.
CPM: What factors do you consider when choosing loudspeaker systems? Brand, sound, cost, design attributes, other?
DAVIS: Our main venue has a large open visual architectural space, so appearance was important. But all considerations were secondary to how the system sounds and fits into our budget—though with the right design, many brands and models could have worked out well for our space.
DEJONG: Every ministry and facility is so unique, I think the first thing that should be done for any new audio system is to spend some time really figuring out what your needs and goals are for the system over the next 10 years. This is a big investment and in order to be good stewards, designing the right system for the goals and particular space should be the top priority.
CPM: Given the potential cost of a medium to large PA, is it worth the expense of having the room and possible PA configurations modeled and predicted in 3D?
DEJONG: Frankly, unless you’re looking at a small room with a very simple system, I can’t see NOT having it modeled first.
DAVIS: Hang points, angles and splay can be deceiving to the naked eye, and [although] 3D modeling isn’t perfect, it is going to give you an accurate idea of where things need to be.
METSCHKE: This is where an experienced integrator is invaluable. They cannot only model the PA, but also help you make sense of the information modeling brings to light.
CPM: When deciding on a speaker system, do you lean toward line arrays or point source systems? Is one better than the other? Or is it largely dependent on the room and application?
DEJONG: If you’re choosing a line array because it looks cooler and that’s what the tours use, stop and get help now. Putting a line array in a wide, shallow room is silly and a waste of money. Putting rows and rows of delays into a bigger, deeper room can be incredibly complicated and inefficient. It’s all about finding the right solution for the application.
CPM: How important is it to audition the short list of possible speaker selections—if not in your room, at least in a similar installation? Should you buy a PA "sound unheard’?
DEJONG: I think in an ideal world, you absolutely want to listen to a system before putting it in. If you can get it into your space that is awesome, but that just isn’t practical for most churches. What is practical is getting to a tradeshow like InfoComm or even visiting the top one or two manufacturers you’re considering for a demo.
DAVIS: Should you buy a PA sound unheard? No. Ironically, I did exactly that, but not uninformed. Friends and colleagues I trust, who know me, and understand what I’m looking for made recommendations. Based on what I know of them, and what I know of the product line they were suggesting, we went with a system I wasn’t totally familiar with. It was a home run.
METSCHKE: At a minimum you need to hear the system in a similar situation, even if you have to travel to do it. If you do have to travel, take someone with you that you trust, someone who can give you constructive advice. Also, don’t expect a manufacturer or integrator to do this for free. If you want it in your space, expect to pay for a rental.
CPM: Is it worth spending the money to hire someone to install the equipment or should you just do it yourself?
METSCHKE: I would always have an integrator [to] install the system, especially if it is a large system. A qualified integrator has a contractor’s license and liability insurance. You are putting your congregation’s safety and the money that they have given in jeopardy by taking the installation in-house.
DEJONG: Getting your sound system hung properly and cleanly should be enough of a reason, but if not, consider the fact that you are flying hundreds or thousands of pounds above people’s heads. If any of it ever falls you could kill someone and/or open yourself and the church up to potentially bankrupting litigation. If you hang it, you’re liable. If they hang it, they’re liable.
CPM: What mistakes or pitfalls are common to churches when buying speaker systems?
METSCHKE: Only looking at it from a budgetary perspective is a big mistake. Although the budget matters, if the system doesn’t give the desired result, it won’t really matter how much money you saved.
DEJONG: Not having a qualified, trustworthy systems designer partnering with you [is a mistake]. There is a lot of calculating and science that goes into designing a great system. If you’re not experienced and trained to do so, please don’t make your church suffer the consequences.
CPM: What advice would you offer to a church on a budget that needs to upgrade or replace the PA system?
DAVIS: Every church is on a budget; some budgets simply look different than others. Do some prep work. Write down the values you have in your worship service, then consider how the different qualities of a PA can help reinforce these values.
METSCHKE: So many churches want to upgrade but don’t have sufficient funding to do it properly. They end up with a new inferior system that replaced the old inferior system, wasting time and money.
DEJONG: Don’t be one of those churches that has to do it two or three times before you finally get it right. Spend the money well the first time, and there’s no reason the system shouldn’t last you 10+ years.
