Bose solves acoustic issues at Rowandale Baptist Church
Published: WORSHIP
WORLD: Sound Art recently installed a RoomMatch system from Bose Professional Systems into the Rowandale Baptist Church in Manitoba, US, where an average of 220 worshipers assemble each Sunday.
The new system comprises a centre-hung cluster comprising one Bose RM7020 module atop a RM12040 module, one RM9040 module used as a balcony delay speaker and two MB24 modular subwoofers (chosen in place of the RoomMatch RMS215 subwoofer due to space issues) – all powered by Bose PowerMatch PM8500 and PM8500N amplifiers.
‘The church, which has had some experience with the brand in the past, actually contacted Bose Professional Systems directly, and Bose then asked John (Loewen, head of Sound Art’s sales and installation division) and I to take a look at it,’ explained Ian Skrabek, project manager at Sound Art for this installation.
‘Like many churches, they were looking for a way to make speech clearer and get it to cover the interior of the church more evenly. At the same time, their worship music performances had become increasingly louder and more powerful – a new youth service to be held twice a month would include a full band playing contemporary-style music. Specifically for this service they were concerned about meeting high volume and bass requirements. They needed a sound system that could handle that with full-range sound, and do so without any distortion.’
Mr Skrabek felt confident that they could successfully address both issues with technology from Bose. Mr Skrabek and Mr Loewen chose RoomMatch array modules for their ability to handle high SPL levels in a more compact form factor, as well as their selection of coverage patterns to choose from. ‘One of the really remarkable things about the RoomMatch systems is how few modules you actually need to cover a space,’ enthused Mr Skrabek. ‘Two modules essentially gave us four zones of coverage, which distributes the sound very evenly.’
Furthermore, the PowerMatch amplifiers can be networked or not, depending upon the needs of the project. Sound Art used a PowerMatch PM8500N amplifier; networking the RoomMatch centre cluster and balcony delay speakers together, while separately powering the MB24 subwoofers, which reside beneath the stage with a PM8500 amplifier.
‘The PowerMatch amps are able to deliver an incredible amount of power from a standard 15-amp AC outlet, and all system processing was done with the DSP in the PowerMatch amps,’ added Mr Skrabek. ‘The church was extremely happy with the outcome. The resulting sound coverage from the RoomMatch modules is very consistent everywhere in the room and balcony. The sound system is now capable of accurately reproducing the most delicate sounds right up to concert-volume sound with thunderous bass.’