1. Product Releases & New Gear
The August 10 edition highlights compact networked systems, high-output installation loudspeakers, wireless monitor control, and digital mixers designed for modern church and live-production workflows.
Solid State Logic launched the System T TCA Tour, a compact fly-away audio production system built from the company’s broadcast-grade System T platform. The 16-fader package is designed for touring, broadcast, temporary installations, and portable production environments. It supports AoIP workflows and can connect to external Tempest Engines and I/O through ruggedized networking.
For churches operating from multiple locations or supporting live broadcast, the TCA Tour demonstrates a useful direction: professional processing in a smaller, transportable format. Fast deployment, centralized routing, and IP-based expansion can reduce setup time without requiring a complete compromise in control.
Sonance has expanded its Professional Series High Output loudspeaker family globally. The range includes high-output in-ceiling models for commercial and large-scale installation projects. Models such as the PS-C85T and retrofit-oriented PS-C85RTBF with PS-C85BB back box use interchangeable horn and collar options.
Installers can select approximately 120-degree wide dispersion for lower or medium ceilings, or 80-degree dispersion for higher ceilings and longer throw. The system uses an 8-inch high-output woofer, a 1.4-inch compression driver, and a 120-watt transformer. Global availability follows the initial North American release.
KRK introduced the V Series Five studio monitors, with wireless monitor control through KRK Mesh and the KRK Control App. The V4, V6, and V8 models retain physical rear-panel controls while allowing engineers to adjust settings remotely.
The app can manage levels, input sensitivity, EQ profiles, and monitor groups. This is particularly useful for stereo pairs, installed monitors, and Dolby Atmos environments where rear-panel access is limited. The wireless connection controls the monitors. It does not replace the normal analog or AES3 audio connections.
Yamaha’s MGX digital mixer series brings the familiar MG workflow into a digital platform. The MGX16, MGX12, MGX16V, and MGX12V models include 32-bit/96kHz processing, dual USB-C ports, Bluetooth 5.0 input, microSD multitrack recording, and a 4.3-inch touchscreen.
The MGX12 begins at $799.99. The V models add video-related connectivity for productions that require audio and visual integration. For church teams, the combination of direct operation, multitrack recording, and touchscreen access may reduce the number of separate devices required for services and events.
Mackie’s live-sound product updates also remain relevant for portable systems. New mixer options and wireless-control workflows continue to target small venues, mobile production, worship teams, and performers. Mackie’s portable PA range includes column-style systems designed for quick setup, integrated mixing, and Bluetooth operation.
2. Church Installations & Case Studies
Recent installations show that successful church sound design depends on room geometry, coverage control, intelligibility, and operational requirements rather than brand selection alone.
Freedom Church opened a new 1,000-seat auditorium with EAW Newport NT206L line arrays. The system uses 22 NT206L modules, with 11 per side, supported by fills and flown subwoofers.
The installation uses the NT206L’s rotatable horizontal dispersion fins. The upper boxes were adjusted from a wider 110-degree pattern to a narrower 80-degree pattern. This focuses energy toward distant seating and reduces spill onto untreated side walls. The result is a practical example of using loudspeaker directivity to improve clarity in a reflective room.
Monte de Dios in Santo Domingo, described as the Caribbean’s largest church, opened with an L-Acoustics K2 system designed for approximately 8,000 seats. The system includes 48 K2 enclosures arranged in four arrays of 12.
Sixteen KS28 subwoofers are deployed in a cardioid and end-fire configuration. The system was designed to maintain level consistency within 3 dB across the seating area. This level of uniformity requires detailed prediction, loudspeaker zoning, amplification, alignment, and measurement. It also demonstrates why low-frequency control must be treated as part of the complete system design.
At Father’s House Church in Gqeberha, South Africa, Stage Audio Works delivered a distributed Plus Audio point-source system. The room presented several challenges, including low ceilings, a wide seating area, and polished concrete floors.
The installation uses CPH212 and CPH210 loudspeakers for main and delay coverage, CPU105 loudspeakers for front fill, and ET218B subwoofers. Dante-enabled AC415 and AC420 amplifiers provide processing and networked control. A distributed point-source design allows lower output from each loudspeaker and more precise coverage zoning. That reduces unnecessary energy on hard reflective surfaces.
Sheldon Road Methodist Church in the United Kingdom added a FlooGoo FMA121 Auracast transmitter to its existing sound system. The church feeds the same audio source used by its hearing loop into the transmitter.
The hearing loop remains active. Auracast operates alongside it, allowing compatible hearing aids, earbuds, and other Bluetooth LE Audio devices to receive the service. The installation required no major structural changes and provides a low-cost path toward improved assistive listening.
3. Industry Trends & Announcements
Auracast is emerging as a leading assistive-listening option for houses of worship. The Bluetooth SIG guide for houses of worship identifies the technology’s main advantages as high audio quality, one-to-many transmission, lower deployment cost, and reduced infrastructure requirements.
A church can connect an Auracast transmitter to a suitable mixer output and broadcast the signal throughout the room. Listeners with compatible hearing aids, cochlear implants, earbuds, or receivers can connect directly. Churches can also retain existing induction loops to support users who depend on telecoil-equipped hearing aids.
Deployment still requires verification. Confirm device compatibility, transmitter range, audio delay, volume control, and connection instructions. Provide loaner receivers or neck-loop accessories when possible. Do not assume that every Bluetooth device supports Auracast.
Immersive sound is also moving further into houses of worship. At Wave Church, an L-ISA immersive system uses L-Acoustics L2D arrays, A10i and A15i loudspeakers, KS28 subwoofers, and an L-ISA Processor II.
The system creates a spatialized listening area across much of the room while providing an improved mono experience in areas outside the primary immersive geometry. The objective is not simply a wider stereo image. It is consistent coverage, clear localization, and fewer dead spots across the seating area.
4. Product Recommendations & Training Resources
Church tech teams should match training to their operational responsibilities.
Start with the Ultimate Live Sound School, 2nd Edition for complete system instruction. The course covers signal flow, gain structure, microphones, loudspeakers, monitors, troubleshooting, digital consoles, and live-system operation. It is suitable for church tech leaders who need a repeatable training path for volunteers.
Use the live sound course collection for console-specific and workflow-based instruction. Brand-specific training is useful when a team must operate a particular digital mixer consistently across multiple services.
The Premium Courses collection provides focused instruction in EQ, dynamics, mixing, and vocal processing. These resources are applicable to both live consoles and recording environments. Assign individual lessons to team members based on their service responsibilities.
5. Quick Hits
- Verify assistive listening. Test the hearing loop and Auracast broadcast from multiple seating areas before the service begins.
- Review firmware. Check console, stagebox, amplifier, wireless, and networked-audio firmware during a scheduled maintenance window.
- Back up show files. Save current console scenes, routing files, DSP presets, and network configuration data to at least two separate locations.
- Document changes. Record new device names, IP addresses, transmitter settings, and access credentials in the team’s technical documentation.
- Train for recovery. Require volunteers to practice scene recall, mute-state verification, backup playback, and basic troubleshooting.
About David Wills
David Wills is a professional audio engineer and educator with 30 years of industry experience. His work includes projects associated with artists such as Michael Jackson and Phil Collins. Through ProAudioEXP, he provides practical video training for musicians, producers, audio engineers, and church sound teams.
The training is designed to reduce trial and error. Church tech leaders can use the courses to establish consistent operating procedures and prepare volunteer teams for reliable Sunday services.
0 Comments
There are not comments yet. Be the first one to post one!