Axiom provides Tuiran Kirkko with an overdue audio upgrade

FINLAND: Tuiran Kirkko is an evangelical Lutheran church that was initially inaugurated in 1916 as a chapel of the Oulu parish. In the century that has passed since then, the church has been extended twice to accommodate its ever-growing congregation.

The most recent extension took place in 1992 and the church’s sound system, until recently, predated it. With the congregation continuing to expand and services taking on more of a contemporary style, featuring a variety music elements and gospel bands, Tuiran Kirkko turned to local sound solutions provider, HifiStudio. In addition to being a supplier of hi-fi equipment as its name suggests, HifiStudio also offers kit from pro audio brands, such as AKG, Bose, JBL, Proel and Sennheiser.

Proel's Axiom compact line array system was recommended on the basis that it would deliver the required performance while the cabinets are also small enough so as not to disrupt the aesthetics in the sanctuary. To put a proposal together, HifiStudio partnered with consultant Ilmari Mäenpää and senior audio sales manager Jorma Tikka from Proel’s Finnish distributor, Bright Group Finland.

‘We modeled an Axiom system of AX2065P passive line array modules and AX1115P single 15-inch subwoofers using EASE Focus to simulate performance across the 300-seat audience space,’ recalls Mr Tikka. ‘The AX2065P uses two 6.5-inch woofers and a 1.4-inch high frequency compression driver in a nicely-sized compact cabinet with 100-degrees horizontal dispersion, and we felt that it would provide the ideal audio solution without being obtrusive.’

The proposal accepted, Bright Group got to work installing the setup. This has seen two clusters of four AX2065P cabinets flown in a left/right configuration near the balconies that run down each side of the church. The AX1115P subwoofers were installed on the floor to handle the lows.

AMX HPX-900, HPX-1200, HPX-4600 and HPX-6000 amplifiers power the solution, which is controlled via Proel PC260 system processors. Proel’s LT8P passive two-way speakers offer delay coverage throughout the sanctuary, while WD10A 10-inch two-way powered monitors are equipped onstage.

‘We were slightly constrained as to the height of the flown PA, so achieving good vertical and horizontal coverage with the limited number of boxes available in the budget was challenging, but by assembling tight clusters of four cabinets and angling them carefully with the help of the initial EASE Focus simulations we were able get even coverage and excellent intelligibility to every seat in the church,’ concludes Mr Tikka. ‘The client is very happy with the result. For them the new audio system represents a big step forward – with better sound quality, and more equal coverage for the whole congregation. We had very positive feedback from one of the sound engineers following a contemporary gospel band performance there recently. From my perspective and for this project the Axiom system's performance to price is excellent.’

www.brightgroup.fi
www.hifistudio.fi
www.oulunseurakunnat.fi/tuiran-kirkko
www.proel.com