Lectrosonics wireless microphone system for Grace Cathedral
Published: WORSHIP
US: San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral Gresham Hall/gymnasium facility has recently benefitted from a Lectrosonics wireless microphone system installation. Contracted to handle the design and installation of the wireless system was Novo Group Inc, which decided the hall required ‘premium sound quality with a system that ensured optimum gain before feedback performance for the hall’s live events.’
‘In addition to various sports activities for the adjacent Grace Cathedral School for Boys, the Gresham Hall / gymnasium facility is used for the church’s webcasts and newsfeeds, diocesan conventions, as well as a variety of public speaking events,’ explained Novo Group’s co-founder Arthur Yeap.
Measuring approximately 18m wide by 46m long, the Gresham Hall can be opened up to the gymnasium when additional space is required. In addition to feeding signal for the webcasts and newsfeeds, the system required would be linked to a sound reinforcement system.
‘To address these parameters, we decided to install a Lectrosonics system built around the company’s Venue receiver system and the Digital Hybrid Wireless technology employed by the equipment,’ said Mr Yeap. ‘We ultimately selected a six channel system consisting of four LMa Digital Hybrid Wireless beltpack transmitters and two HM plug-on transmitters. The Venue receiver is the VRMWB – 230MHz bandwidth model and it’s fully stocked with six VRS receiver modules.’
To enhance signal reception, two Lectrosonics ALP600 log periodic dipole array antennas were selected. Mr Yeap reports that system configuration (and any future modifications that may be required) is handled by a notebook computer running Lectrosonics’ LecNet2 system configuration software.
‘Being located atop Nob Hill, we were very concerned about RF interference,’ confessed Mr Yeap. ‘In this immediate area, there are all types of frequencies that are not listed in anyone’s spectrum database. A number of companies, including the phone carriers, conduct tests there. We’ve also encountered frequencies used by the US government that seem to pop up whenever high ranking officials are in town, which then disappear a few days later.’
Solving this problem was the Lectrosonics one-touch SmartTune auto frequency selection feature implemented on the Venue receiver system, which Mr Yeap described as ‘invaluable. It works terrifically and makes the process of identifying available frequencies quick and easy. This capability was a key feature in our selection of the equipment,’ he enthused.
‘The sound quality of the Lectrosonics equipment is excellent – very transparent,’ he continued. ‘The equipment accurately reflects the character of the microphones that are attached to the system, and the sound quality is absolutely on par with cabled microphones. Because the wireless equipment is also tied into a live sound reinforcement system, the Lectrosonics equipment needed to provide solid gain before feedback – and it absolutely does,’ he assured.
‘The system is working very well,’ asserted Mr Yeap. ‘The sound quality is first rate, operation is quick and easy, the gear is built to last, and we get good strong levels with the house sound system. With the plug-on transmitters, members of the congregation can get involved and be clearly heard throughout the room. Simply put, our client is ecstatic!’ he concluded.