Got a call last week from a church who wanted to upgrade their sound system. Very small church.Sanctuary about 30 x 50 ft with another room in the back about 20x 20. The first thing I do is ask to see what they currently have and listen to it.The system consisted of 2 Shure gooseneck condensors,one center mounted 2 way speaker and 2 wall mounted speakers that were added after the original install.It had a one space,rack mount mixer and a 1 space Tascam CD player. I ask one of the members to talk into one of the 2 gooseneck condensors.As he began to talk the other member said hear that ring? I said yes, there was a ring around 800hz. They said that was one of the problems.I ask if there was an eq as none was visible.They had a box with a piece of 1/4 plywood screwed on the front.Behind that was an amp and a Sabine Graphi Q. I tired to pull out 800hz but nothing was working.Tried the reset button but nothing would work.They ask me for suggestions.I told them I would bring in another EQ and show them how I could improve their sound without spending alot.They also wanted to replace the 2 Shure condensors because they said if one of their speakers moved off axsis,they weren't comming through the PA. I suggested replacing them with Audix headset mics which I haved used with great success.They told me that they wouldn't work. They also told me some older members of the congregation were having trouble hearing so I suggested a hearing assist system. They said they have one but no one wants to use them.
I said ok,I would come back at no charge and I would let them demo some new mics and set up system with new eq. Got a call back and said they didn't want me to do that,they wanted to build a new system from the ground up and thanked me for my time. They didn't ask me to bid on the new system.In my experience,most churches I have worked with are glad for someone who was concerned with saving them money by getting their current system working correctly.
I called back and asked them if they wanted me to give them a price on a new system.They asked me what I had in mind. I told them I would install an Ashley DSP with 2 biamped wall mounted speakers and replace the mics with something that had a wider patern to pick up the speakers when they went off axsis.They said they would get back to me. While talking to them,the one member asked me what I thought of a line array. I told them line arrays were not the right fit for a church that size.
A few thoughts. First,it seemed they had some preconcieved notion about what they thought they should have perhaps from reading some church sound magazines or from another vendor trying to sell them something they don't need. Second,when you make recommendations and they are ignored,do you walk away or make the best of it? I find about half the installs I do, my recommendations are taken and the final results are usually " Wow!". But when my recommendations are ignored,then results are less than what I would like. Some of the reasons for not going along with recommendations are: we don't want the speakers locaated there. Our minister won't use a headset or as with this church,the old people with hearing problems won't use the hearing assist units.I also offered to give them a list of referals from other installs I have done but they declined the offer.Makes you wonder.
I said ok,I would come back at no charge and I would let them demo some new mics and set up system with new eq. Got a call back and said they didn't want me to do that,they wanted to build a new system from the ground up and thanked me for my time. They didn't ask me to bid on the new system.In my experience,most churches I have worked with are glad for someone who was concerned with saving them money by getting their current system working correctly.
I called back and asked them if they wanted me to give them a price on a new system.They asked me what I had in mind. I told them I would install an Ashley DSP with 2 biamped wall mounted speakers and replace the mics with something that had a wider patern to pick up the speakers when they went off axsis.They said they would get back to me. While talking to them,the one member asked me what I thought of a line array. I told them line arrays were not the right fit for a church that size.
A few thoughts. First,it seemed they had some preconcieved notion about what they thought they should have perhaps from reading some church sound magazines or from another vendor trying to sell them something they don't need. Second,when you make recommendations and they are ignored,do you walk away or make the best of it? I find about half the installs I do, my recommendations are taken and the final results are usually " Wow!". But when my recommendations are ignored,then results are less than what I would like. Some of the reasons for not going along with recommendations are: we don't want the speakers locaated there. Our minister won't use a headset or as with this church,the old people with hearing problems won't use the hearing assist units.I also offered to give them a list of referals from other installs I have done but they declined the offer.Makes you wonder.
