When it comes to church PA systems there are several commonly used designs and multiple variations within those designs. Engineers and audio experts all have their individual preferences. As with so many issues we discuss here, there are always proponents of one side or the other, willing to go beyond simple preferences into pure dogma. Spoiler alert; Both sides of each of the following Four Church PA Controversies are alive and well.
Early in my career, the church I worked with was starting their third major building project. We had contracted with a reputable design firm for our AVL (Audio/Video/Lighting) systems. Equipped with fairly comprehensive AVL design documentation, along with help from our in-house construction manager, I was tasked with securing multiple bids from AVL contractors to provide the equipment and installation in accordance with the design. One of the firms bidding for the project (we’ll call them ABC Corp) contacted us with frightening news, “The design was all wrong!” The audio design, which called for multiple line-arrays, was the complete opposite of what we needed for the new auditorium. ABC Corp graciously told us they couldn’t participate in good faith in our current bid process. But they were willing to engage with us in a new contract, where they could design, sell, and install the proper system for our new worship auditorium.
After a bit of research we discovered that ABC Corp did not carry the line-array speakers specified by our AVL designer, or any other line-array products. They only represented one speaker manufacturer and exclusively sold, designed and installed those products. ABC Corp’s unethical, albeit clever sales ploy failed, and we proceeded with finding a good provider to install what turned out to be an excellent design solution for our auditorium. That experience revealed to me how churches can be deceived, and provided me with a healthy skepticism that has served me well throughout my career.
I encourage churches to do as much research as possible when considering a new PA system or audio upgrade. The key to choosing the correct design is understanding how the system will integrate into your worship style in your specific auditorium.
In and of themselves, the following four PA design options are perfectly acceptable as long as they are correct for the culture and environment in which they are used. Regardless of what the keyboard warriors tell us; there is no ALWAYS or NEVER here, there is only WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOUR MINISTRY.
Stereo vs. Mono
I love mixing in stereo, especially when the FOH (Front of House) mixing position is located in the sweet spot of the stereo field in the auditorium. However, even in some of the most well-designed auditoriums, the FOH booth doesn’t end up in the sweet spot. That’s ok, I still enjoy it. But is it really about me and what I like?
If I’m mixing in a 2000 seat auditorium with two main arrays, left and right of the stage, how many of those 2000 seats are any where near the sweet spot or really experiencing true stereo? If the auditorium is wider than it is deep, there may be multiple main arrays configured in sections to create additional stereo zones. Same question, how many of those seats are truly experiencing a stereo mix? Even in most stereo auditoriums, side sections, under balcony sections, and front row sections, are typically hearing a summed mono signal. As much as I enjoy mixing in stereo, I am keenly aware that I have to limit extreme use of panning. There are some fun stereo effects and tricks I’ve learned over the years that simply add some atmosphere to the auditorium. But they are very subtle. No one ever says, “I really got to the throne, once I heard the perfectly timed stereo delay on the lead vocal.”
There is something to be said for being able to spread vocals and instrumentation throughout the stereo field so you’re not simply piling layer after layer of sounds on top of each other. I always advise new engineers to mix for the congregation, not for themselves. Make the room sound good, and don’t deprive anyone of the full worship experience.
While my personal preference is to mix on a stereo system, I’ve mixed on some excellent mono systems. Mixing in mono forces you to craft your mix via levels and equalization. Mono systems can be extremely effective in liturgical and traditional worship environments.
If you want to challenge yourself and see if you may have been overdoing it with your stereo system, try a Sunday with everything panned center and see how it goes.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with having a mono system. No surprise here, I would rather have a well designed mono system that provides complete consistent coverage than a stereo system that does not.
Full Range vs. Auxiliary Fed Subs
Running your system full range, simply means that when you send music or vocals through the system, all of it goes to every speaker; your high speakers or arrays, dedicated to the mid and high frequencies and to the subs (subwoofers) which are dedicated to the low frequencies, just like a home stereo.
Auxiliary fed subs is a variation where you choose on your mixing console which channels and at what level you route to the subs.
The theory for aux fed subs is that there’s no reason to send certain channels of audio to the subs, such as vocals or spoken word. In this scenario; kick drum, bass guitar, and some keyboards may be the only instruments sent to the subs. And in this scenario the audio engineer decides how much of each instrument to route to the subs, and has a master volume (via aux or matrix) to control them.
In the full range scenario, every input on the mixing console is already routed to the subs simply because they are part of the main PA. So each channel’s equalization and high pass filter settings determine if any frequencies within that channel will generate sub energy.
There are some very passionate opinions on both of these methods. Some have technical objections and say the variations inherent with the use of aux fed subs has unintended consequences in frequency response and time alignment. Others argue that aux fed subs add another layer of complexity for volunteers to deal with and that it eats up resources (auxes or matrices) on the mixing console that could be used elsewhere.
These are somewhat valid arguments. However, most volunteers I’ve worked with, have no problem grasping the concept. Anecdotally speaking, I’ve never heard a good system suffer from aux fed subs. I’ve worked with both design types and when the system is tuned properly it is hard to tell the difference.
A practical use for aux fed subs can be for churches that have subs positioned under their stage but use the area in front of it for alter calls or prayer. It’s very handy to easily reduce the sub volume with one fader as needed.
The good news is that you probably already have the tools and infrastructure in place to experiment with either scenario to see what works best for your ministry.
And while we’re talking about subs.
Subs on the Floor vs. Flown
“You hear thunder, but you feel an earthquake”. In simple terms, subs on the ground or floor will generally give you more punch than flown subs. If cost is no concern, some of both are ideal. But that is not the reality for most churches. Flown subs can be extremely effective in filling a room with low frequency energy without shaking your clothing on every kick drum hit.
Often floor subs, by design, are located in cavities under the stage. Unfortunately, the inherent physics of that location can result in “power alleys”, so there will be more sub energy in some areas than others. Flown subs can distribute low frequency energy more evenly throughout the auditorium without the power alleys, but with less definition.
For churches that are going for a dynamic modern worship experience, ground subs are a great solution. If possible, some low frequency extension cabinets flown along with the main PA are a great addition.
For churches that still want full rich sound without the need for in-your-face low energy thump, flown subs will meet their needs. Also it’s not uncommon for churches in this category to have architectural or cultural restrictions disqualifying the use of ground subs.
Both designs work very well, as long as you apply the right technology for your ministry.
Line-Arrays vs. Distributed Point Source Speakers
Line-array technology is continuously evolving and there are some truly great systems on the market today. But just because a system is labeled “line-array” does not mean it is inherently the right solution for your church auditorium.
“Point source speaker” is the common term for a single full-range speaker cabinet. In this case, multiple point source speakers are distributed throughout an auditorium to achieve complete and consistent coverage in the space. Most speaker manufacturers that produce line-array products also produce point source speakers.
I worked with a church once that placed a high value on environmental projection. Their auditorium would have been a good candidate for a line-array system, but to accommodate the projection elements, we opted for a point source solution. So rather than having 2 or 4 line arrays, consisting of 6 or 8 boxes each, interfering with the projection, we designed the system with a total of 8 full range speakers (plus subs) distributed throughout the auditorium. They saved money, and it’s a great sounding auditorium, that is still going strong today.
Many elements of your auditorium will dictate how well line-array vs. distributed point source systems will perform; ceiling height, depth, width, balconies, acoustics, and seating layout etc. Some churches eliminate the line-array option simply because of how they look, with no consideration that it may be the best sounding solution. Others eliminate the point source option, just because they think arrays are better…or cooler.
Simply put, there are some very poorly designed and manufactured line-array systems you should avoid. The expensive systems are expensive because generally speaking, they are pretty good. There are also some exceptionally good point source systems on the market.
Either system type can be the right one for your auditorium or the absolute wrong one. Get help from a qualified system designer that has earned your trust to guide you through the process. Just stay away from ABC Corp!
What other audio controversies have you encountered? Let’s discuss them. Contact me at rcochran@worshipfacility.com.
Until then, don’t forget to listen!