First United Methodist Church recently deployed a new sound reinforcement system drawn from the catalog of Greensboro, NC-based WorxAudio Technologies.
Fort Wayne, IN-based CSD Group, Inc., a design/build firm providing audio, video, lighting, and acoustics services, was contracted to manage the church’s new sound system installation. CSD Group president Doug Hood, who oversaw the project from conception through completion, discussed the challenges of the project.
“First United Methodist Church has a traditional sanctuary with seating capacity for approximately 300 worshipers,” Hood said. “In addition to the sermon, services typically involve music performances by the church choir with piano accompaniment. For this project, a key priority was to find a solution that minimized line of sight distractions as one faced the altar area. On that note, we opted to find a low profile loudspeaker solution that could be centrally positioned—yet one that had the dispersion characteristics capable of providing even, consistent coverage throughout the space. This led us to the WorxAudio TrueLine X5i-P installation line array with its mounting hardware, the TrueAim Grid.”
The WorxAudio X5i-P is a compact, ‘all-in-one’ line array that incorporates five modules, each with a medium format, 1-inch exit compression driver coupled to a stabilized proprietary FlatWave Former (wave shaping device) that delivers clear, penetrating high frequencies over a predictable and controlled coverage area. These compression drivers are paired with dual 8-inch cone transducers in each of the five modules. Hence, each X5i-P loudspeaker system provides a total of five high frequency drivers and ten bass drivers.
“The X5i-P’s horizontal dispersion is incredible,” Hood said. “To prove our point, we actually brought in a crank up lift, positioned the system where the new array would go and left it there for a Sunday service so the congregation could hear the difference. The left to right dispersion of this loudspeaker system is amazing when you consider there is just one center array. Upon hearing the system in a real-world setting, the church decided to proceed with the project.”
“Another key challenge of this project was in maintaining and respecting the décor of this beautiful, traditional sanctuary,” Hood said. “At the client’s request, we bought the system unfinished and they custom painted it to match the room.”
“WorxAudio has always been great to work with,” he said. “They are always happy to provide us with assistance when we begin work on a new project. We believe it’s good practice to have the manufacturer involved with recommendations, so it is a real benefit to have the WorxAudio team eager and ready to provide help.”
