First Baptist Church of Lenoir invests in WorxAudio
Published: WORSHIP
WORLD: The First Baptist Church of Lenoir recently upgraded its audio reinforcement system with a WorxAudio Technologies solution. The investment was made as the US church’s management wanted an A/V system that could handle a wide range of services and the occasional music programme.
Selah Media Productions Inc was contracted to design and install the church’s new A/V system, which now includes sound, video and projection capabilities. Company president Buck Roberts designed a sound system that included a six element, WorxAudio X1i-Passive line array system that was augmented by a V5M-P line array element, two WaveSeries 8M stage monitors and two I/O-4 surface mount loudspeakers.
‘Church management wanted their new sound system to be able to handle a wide range of events so as to be well positioned for the future,’ Mr Roberts explained. ‘The previous system consisted of several portable PA loudspeakers that church volunteers had mounted on the side walls of the sanctuary. The system exhibited a number of issues that really hampered its effectiveness, so it was important for the new system to correct this situation. Room aesthetics were an equally important consideration and, as a result, the system was to have a low profile. This led us to a centrally positioned loudspeaker cluster– painted white so as to blend in with the rest of the sanctuary.’
First Baptist Church’s new system comprises a six element, WorxAudio X1i-PAS line array system that is suspended from the ceiling using the manufacturer’s TrueAim grid. The mounting system uses a single schedule 40 pipe for the array’s suspension and employs a coupler that connects to the grid’s adjustable crossbeam to facilitate both left and right adjustment. In addition, the pipe coupler has an exit point through which the array’s wiring can pass. By running the wire through the pipe and exiting via the coupler, the line array’s audio and power lines are hidden from view and visible only at the back of the system.
‘The church has a plaster ceiling,’ noted Mr Roberts. ‘As a mounting system, the TrueAim Grid is as minimally invasive as possible, and this enabled us to preserve the character of the ceiling.’
Mounted onto the rear of the TrueAim Grid is the single WorxAudio V5M-P which is angled down toward the stage area and serves as the monitor for the choir. It is entirely hidden from the congregation’s view. Two WorxAudio PXD-8080 power amplifiers are used to drive the X1i-PAS line array system, which are also mounted to the rear of the grid.
As the sanctuary includes a balcony at the rear of the space, Mr Roberts decided to place two WorxAudio I/O-4 surface mount loudspeakers as under-balcony fills. ‘The X1i-PAS has great throw,’ he said. ‘However I wanted the final two-to-three rows under the balcony to have the same coverage as the rest of the room, and these loudspeakers were just the ticket.’ Two WorxAudio WaveSeries 8M two-way monitors complete the sound system.
‘The new system is working out really well,’ said Mr Roberts. ‘Both the congregation and church management have been very complimentary of the new system. The entire WorxAudio team was extremely supportive of this effort. They not only made product recommendations, the provided EASE data as well. When I have an installation project, WorxAudio is the first company I think of.’
‘Our church recently underwent an upgrade to the A/V system in the Sanctuary,’ commented Paul McCurry, director of multimedia at First Baptist Church. ‘However we had to do careful studies as to what would be appropriate for a room built in 1925, as although it is full of beauty and history, it was not built for amplified sound. The end result was a system that has garnered nothing but positive comments from both the technical crew and, far more importantly, the congregation. We feel this was made possible by the careful design and implementation of the speaker system.’