Originally built in the 1950's, the Church has recently grown to over 2500 congregants, presenting the need for expansion including an expanded sanctuary area, as well as an audio upgrade.
"The project had a lot of design challenges that added time to the build calendar," shares Jeff Geisler of EMI Audio, the AV design/build contractor for the project. Enter the implementation of an Allen & Heath GLD-80 mixing console as the centrepiece of an extensive audio upgrade.
"The ease of set up with the Allen & Heath GLD-80 helped us make up for lost time due to construction issues. Everything about Allen & Heath mixers and accessories worked as billed and are straightforward. Sometimes you have an audio product that doesn't do everything you expect it to do - the GLD-80 is not one of those products - it worked perfectly right out of the box."
Along with the Allen & Heath GLD-80, with its MMO card providing a variety of formats of multi-channel digital output, there is an AR2412 Audio Rack, and two GLD AR84 expanders. This is the heart of the new audio system for the church, which also includes Bose Control Space ESP signal processing, Bose PM-8500 Amplifiers, Bose LT 9403, LT-9400, 402 Speakers, Shure ULXD wireless Microphones, My Mix Monitor System and DPA Instrument Mics.
"I was old school knobs and switches, the Allen & Heath console was unknown to me but the GLD -80 has an old school feel with new technology - nice!" relates Mark Braaten, AV Coordinator for Zion Lutheran.
With the sanctuary renovation now complete and his initial trepidations about digital mixers relieved, Mark Braaten and his tribe of audio volunteers are free to explore the full capabilities of the Allen & Heath GLD-80 console.
"I can see the future of the digital world much better now," he says. "I was such an analogue guy but now that my volunteers and Pastors see me get excited about the digital world, they too are becoming fearless when approaching our new audio system. The GLD-80 with its friendly set up deserves a big 'thank you'!"
(Jim Evans)
