Acoustics	Audio	Lighting	Video	Facility Design

Goals & Objectives
The purpose of a church audio reinforcement system is to make sound sources louder – so all can hear.

• It must be capable of reproducing sound (especially speech) naturally.

• The system should be audibly transparent to the audience.

• The audience should feel like they are listening to the person speaking or singing, not an audio system.

• It must provide even coverage from seat-to-seat – at every seat.

• The audio reinforcement system must be quiet (no hiss or hum).

Considerations
What many of us do not realize is a church audio system is the most unique type of audio system in the world. Consider these following points:

• Almost everyone hearing the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a church today hears it through an audio system.

• The church audio system is one of the most intensely listened to sound system, second only to portable music players and the television.

• Depending on denomination, a devout church member will listen to their minister through an audio system between 50 and 400 hours per year.

• Most church members spend 90% of their time at the church learning about the Gospel through an audio system in the sanctuary, or fellowship hall.

• The audio system is the most used tool in congregational worship.

• The only thing standing between ministers and their congregations are the acoustics of the room and the audio system.

• Most ministers are not trained in knowing how to use a good audio system.

• Most Lay people, choir members and children are not trained in how to use a microphone. Their learning comes from trial and error. This often leads to learning bad audio habits.

• Church Sound operators are rarely given any chances to be trained in their craft. The pastoral staff attends training conferences, yet the very people who control whether or not the congregation hears what they say are given minimal training. Worse yet, most churches don’t realize how much help training would improve not only the operation of the existing equipment, but also the addition of new equipment or a better design of the system or repairs to acoustical problems.

• In most churches, rehearsal times are usually disturbed by people coming and going. Often, for special music, the singer gives the operator the CD or cassette minutes before the service starts.