AVlex supplied Frenetik loudspeakers and Superlux microphones to Dynamic Audio Visual Systems for its recent renovation project at Bartow Cumberland Presbyterian Church. This was the first time the systems integrator had used products from either brand, but the project has left the team suitably impressed with the quality and value of the solutions, as well as the service it received from AVlex.
Founded in 1869, Bartow Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a small church serving a dedicated community both in person and online in rural Georgia. The red brick church lost its roof and sustained considerable damage after a fire three years ago. This led to a modernization project with a new audio system installed. However, this solution didn’t perform to the level expected, and left some of the congregation struggling to hear services inside the 30 by 35 foot sanctuary.
Dynamic Audio Visual Systems was called in to provide a fresh perspective on the sound. “I knew that we needed to do some sort of column array just to provide good, even coverage,” recalls James Denmon from Dynamic Audio Visual Systems. This led him to Frenetik’s Spik 2c column loudspeakers distributed exclusively in the US by AVlex.
While the form factor and white color were perfect for the application, there was a further reason behind the selection. “The church was built with concrete walls which affects the installation,” explains Denmon. “I had to think about how many wires we were pulling and the number and size of the holes we’d have to make. The Frenetik speakers are PoE, so we could pull one cable that handles signal and power.”
The Spik 2c were wall mounted at the front of the church either side of the altar and paired with the manufacturer’s Wall Sub on the floor on each side to add low frequency extension. “I wasn’t looking for a thumping sub, I just wanted to expand the frequency range,” says Denmon. “I knew the speech would be very, very clear, but it’s very natural sounding. And acoustic music particularly sounds really, really good through them.”
At the other end of the signal chain, Superlux microphones provide a discreet yet powerful solution to provide consistent coverage when the church streams its services. The church wanted to ensure that announcements made from anywhere in the sanctuary could be heard clearly by congregants joining from home via the stream. To achieve this, Dynamic Audio Visual Systems installed four E324W boundary microphones into the ceiling to cover the whole sanctuary.
“It works very well,” states Denmon. “They are about an inch in diameter, white and flush mount into the ceiling, so they are just perfect. Anything that is said in that room can absolutely be heard via the stream, and that was the goal.”
An SMK-H8K stereo set of electret condenser microphones have also been added to the setup, with the matched pair used for the church’s piano. “The stereo set for the piano was a good solution that works well to pick up the musicality and share that through the stream,” states Denmon.
With everything installed, both Denmon and the church have been delighted with the way the new system has enhanced the sound in the sanctuary. “I’m absolutely happy with the end results and I would definitely use Frenetic and Superlux equipment again,” reflects Denmon. “The people at the church have told me that wherever they go in the room, it sounds exactly the same. And that is exactly what I want to hear.”
“This is exactly the type of project where Frenetik and Superlux products really excel,” adds Philip Van Peborgh, COO at AVlex. “James is known for the quality of the work he and his team produce, so having Dynamic Audio Visual Systems trusting AVlex and our brands to deliver the results they need was hugely beneficial. I’m proud that we could offer the right solutions to give Bartow Cumberland Presbyterian Church the sound quality its congregation needed, and back this up with the kind of service that Dynamic Audio Visual Systems deserves.”
For more information visit: www.avlex.com
