Co-owned by Ed Whitney and Mike Hockenberry, Reynoldsburg, OH-based Metro Audio Video was contracted to design and install the church's new sound system. The sound reinforcement system that Whitney ultimately deployed consists of eight D.A.S. Audio Variant 25A powered, two-way mid-high line array elements, two Variant 18A powered subwoofers, plus three AX-V25 steel bumpers to hang the system.
Whitney discussed the challenges of the project. "Vineyard Columbus' multipurpose space is used for everything from meetings and banquets to small concerts. When the church decided to renovate, they wanted to get away from the look of a gymnasium. Hence, they erected a multi-level stage area and they didn't want big, unsightly loudspeakers to overwhelm the room and interfere with the line of sight. Aesthetics were very important."
Whitney continued, "The room is approximately 90ft by 75ft and has a drop ceiling. The space is structured such that it is wider than it is long - with the stage / altar area facing into the width of the room and the FOH (front of house) mix position situated along the opposite wall. There is some acoustical wall treatment in addition to carpeting. Moveable seating for approximately 900 people is used. Music plays a vital role in the church's worship service and there is both a praise band and a large, 150-voice choir. For these reasons, we had to find a loudspeaker setup that provided solid music reproduction, a high level of speech intelligibility, and wide dispersion. Most significantly, large, unsightly loudspeakers were out of the question."
the D.A.S. Audio Variant system was chosen. The loudspeakers are flown in three clusters: left-centre-right. The left and right hangs each consist of one Variant 18A subwoofer plus three 25A modules underneath. The two remaining Variant 25A enclosures serve as a centre fill.
"The D.A.S. Variant loudspeakers are compact, self-powered, and have excellent flyware," notes Whitney. "Since there was no room for the subwoofers under the stage area, the fact that the Variant system places the 18A sub at the top of the cluster proved to be exactly what we needed. The system is flown at approximately 15ft and I was particularly impressed with the ease of interconnecting the system. After installing the AX-V25 bumpers, the subwoofer and the three elements all clip together. The setup is small and light, yet provides a full, rich sound that creates even coverage throughout the space."
(Jim Evans)
