Ecclesiastical Installations

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Engineering sound within Churches and Cathedrals is challenging to say the least. There are more factors to consider than in most other buildings. It’s a known fact, Church acoustics can be the finest places for recording and music reproduction. However, the spoken word requires clarity and projection without echo, in order to be heard clearly and this is the real challenge.

St Mary's & All Saints,
Kidderminster

Our approach to ecclesiastical work is different to most. For a start, a lot of firms seem to think pricing a job from a single site visit by a quick measure up is all that’s needed. This non-technical approach falls down for a number of reasons. For instance, how do you know how the sound will behave? Sound waves are a complex medium, further complicated by conflicting echo from stone columns and stained glass in most cases. How do you know what coverage can be anticipated? Will it help, or hinder the worship? How do you know if you will not get microphone howl and feedback? There are simply too many reasons why you should research a large audio project very carefully.

You’ll be glad to know, our approach is very different. We do have a tape measure, but it goes a lot further than that. We listen to all the needs of the client first, then we move to a full evaluation and survey, which usually entails setting up a trial system and carrying out acoustic tests, which we call a ‘Soundcheck’.

The Soundcheck gives us all the information we need in order to design a really good system, and offers readers and congregation a chance hear for themselves the benefit of a good quality sound reinforcement system. At the same time, digital pictures are taken from all angles of the building, which helps in the design stage.

Using acoustic software to predict
clarity in large Naves

For larger Churches and Cathedrals we would always use our acoustic prediction software to ensure speakers are placed in the best possible positions given we have restrictions on where, we are allowed to place loudspeakers. Most of our systems are use ‘high directivity’ speaker systems, which means much fewer speakers are required to cover even the largest of buildings. Quite obviously, this has great favour with architects and DAC’s. The software also enables us to try out different manufacturers’ designs in direct A-B comparisons so we know the best choice has been made.

Then we prepare a consultation document for your architect, and for faculty approval of your system. Our pass rate is 100%, and of course, having approval from English Heritage on previous projects, we guarantee your Church fabric is in very safe hands indeed when the system is being installed.

We have commissioned a vast number of Church sound systems projects across the UK.

One example in a 16th Century Church, for other examples, please contact us.