St. Luke had a dated and poorly performing audio system that did not meet the challenging requirements for contemporary multi purpose venue service and events.

Key Requirements

• An enhanced audio experience for a full range of events, from services, coffee mornings, recitals, through to general church functions.

This included :

• Excellent sound quality throughout the large high vaulted church delivering superb rendition of speech through to wide ranging musical performances to the congregation/audience.
• Key system attributes specified included :
• A highly user friendly solution, allowing the variety of officials and helpers to quickly assimilate features, functionality and operating capabilities
• A high reliability solution
• An easy to maintain solution
• A cost effective solution
• A low carbon footprint system, minimising power consumption and CO² emissions
• A system that fully conformed to good Health & Safety practice
• Minimum equipment ‘footprint’ in public accessible areas
• All cabling routed to be safe and highly discreet (not spoiling the architectural ambience)
• A variety of sound sources, with full control, including : CD, Ipod, wireless and fixed microphones
• A full coverage hearing aid loop system
• Choir area coverage
• Zone speaker control facility

System Implementation

The sound system features distributed full range high quality speakers delivering superb audio reproduction for applications from standard speech to orchestral music. These were strategically positioned, high up and around the periphery of the venue, to facilitate most linear arena coverage while minimising feedback to microphones. The speakers were complemented by a high power amplifier and a leading edge mixing desk with on board digital signal processors allowing full control and programmability.

Both fixed and wireless (handheld, lapel, headset) microphones are catered for.

All control equipment is mounted in nineteen inch rack assemblies that are in turn located discreetly in an existing easily accessible cupboard unit.

The sound system is designed to be highly scalable, allowing the rapid and low cost integration and control, either permanent or temporary, of additional components as and when budget allows or for special production events.

The Process

The process was conducted on a relatively informal but value for money focused basis. On receipt of the enquiry from St. Luke’ Reading LSL undertook the following :

Initial reviews with church officials and technically capable Church ‘helpers’ were undertaken to fully understand :

• the solution requirements
• the budgetary target and acceptable price – performance trade offs
• the likely issues and constraints
• the target timescales
• A site survey

The development of a comprehensive proposal that detailed a fully compliant response, plus suggestions and recommendations on potential improvements (performance enhancement, cost reduction options, etc.)

This resulted in a system design that was both practical and affordable, resulting in order placement.

LSL addressed the implementation phase using the following methodology :

• Key contact information was exchanged
• A Project Management plan was agreed and regular review process put in place. The plan recognised that interruptions to work would be experienced since some important Church activities could not reasonably be postponed
• Agreed access hours and point of contacts established with Church officials to maintain premises activities and security
• An intense programme of work was undertaken by the three man LSL technical team
• The system implementation was formally tested against an agreed Acceptance Test Procedure and signed off by customer
• Two training sessions were delivered

Customer Reaction

The key sponsor of the facility, Steve Allen, provided very positive feedback on the project including being impressed:

• with the thorough preparation undertaken
• the sensitivity towards church events that coincided with installation work
• the flexibility of the LSL staff, both pre and post sales
• the professionalism and tidiness during implementation and of the completed installation
• the thorough post sales service

Mr. Allen stated “St Lukes’ are delighted with the work carried out by LSL. Staff were highly knowledgeable, completely understood our needs and the design they produced has been faultless. We had approached a couple of other companies who thought the job was too small for them and rather belittled us. There is no doubt we would recommend LSL to any Church or similar organisation.”

An example of the sympathetic work in progress approach, minimising disruption for day to day activities while ensuring rapid storage for important Church events

All control equipment integrated into a single easily accessible discretely located cabinet

Excellent quality speakers designed to optimally and discretely blend in with environment and architecture