Connect Church makes a fresh start with dBTechnologies

NEW ZEALAND: Following a relaunch under a new name and new look, Connect Church in New Zealand also opted to completely replace its ageing audio, lighting and integrated A/V system, enlisting the help of Napier-based Elevate Consulting Ltd. Located on New Zealand’s Kapiti coast, the church has now been outfitted with dBTechnologies loudspeakers and Cameo lighting fixtures.

‘Their existing FOH audio system had seen better days and was not delivering the coverage and clarity they desired,’ recalls Kieran McKinlay, director of Elevate Consulting Ltd. ‘Taking this into consideration we measured the room and started researching the market for a suitable system that would deliver an evenly distributed sound throughout the venue.’

Mr McKinlay opted for a dBTechnologies DVA Mini solution. ‘We chose the DVA Mini as it offered the same user-friendliness and sound quality as its DVA predecessors and it also saved on cost with its innovative master slave design, which packs a high SPL in incredibly small dimensions and weight,’ he explains. ‘After using the DVA Composer software we were able to determine the characteristics of the room and select the other components to complete the system.'

The result is four DVA Mini elements flown above a dBTechnologies Sub18H per-side and combined with a flown pair of dBTech Flexys F10s as directional centre-fills. On stage, Flexys FM12 monitors provide foldback for musicians. ‘After some system equalisation through an external digital signal processor the result was outstanding,’ proclaims Mr McKinlay. ‘The clarity and dynamic range the system offered was superb and the coverage within the auditorium was even from the front seat to the back row. The subs added plenty of attack, and delivered smooth, low-end bass to the mix, and onstage we chose the Flexys FM12, as they offered a sleek low-profile design with a 12-inch woofer and considerable power handling.’

In addition to upgrading the audio, Elevate also paid some attention to the existing lighting setup at Connect Church. ‘Creating an atmosphere on the stage was the next task,’ furthers the systems integrator. ‘We wanted to find a simple solution that allowed an even wash of colour across the stage, as well as some form of movement for the more energetic styles of music. One of our main priorities was finding a product that was silent, so that when the music has finished we could set a mood of colour on stage with no additional fan noise.’

For this purpose, Mr McKinlay opted for Cameo’s Flat Pro 12 Par fixture. ‘It was a perfect solution with a super slim design thanks to its convection cooling construction and silent operation,’ he offers. ‘Twelve high-performance 10W LEDs produce impressive RGBWA colour mixes from soft pastel hues to rich, warm tints. We chose to use four lights mounted to flown truss on each side wing of the stage. Because of the beam angles and power of the LED’s we were able to achieve a highly saturated even colour wash that brought the stage to life.’

To add some movement and energy to the stage, Mr McKinley also called upon some Cameo Auro Beam 150 moving heads. ‘This product had a few key features that offered more diversity than similar products on the market,’ says Mr McKinlay. ‘The first is its ultra-fast moving head with unlimited pan and tilt movement, meaning it can constantly spin 360-degrees. Second was the individual pixel control function which allowed us to program not only split colours within the beam, but individual pixel mapped movement. This feature added a whole new characteristic to the lighting system. We suspended eight of these units to a flown backline truss and created some impressive and energetic pixel-mapped scenes and fast moving beam programmes.’

‘Overall the complete system superseded the client’s expectations and came in within their budget,’ conclude Mr McKinlay. ‘As a complete audio system the client was extremely happy with the headroom, clarity, coverage and overall cost. Since completion they have been impressed with its reliability and versatility. As a system integrator I have been extremely impressed with both dBTechnologies and Cameo product range. Their reliability, price and local support has been a key factor when offering our clients solutions.’

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www.elevateconsulting.nz