In 2007 Fellowship Bible Baptist Church moved into a 1,200-seat sanctuary dome-shaped building that proved to be something of an acoustical nightmare. After many failed attempts to resolve the problems with other audio contractors Kimberly Lake, media director at FBBC, contacted dB Integrations in 2016. The goal was to improve intelligibility and the overall acoustic environment in the sanctuary. According to Kimberly, “There was too much echo throughout the sanctuary and members had a hard time understanding anyone talking on the mic—including our pastor—and members couldn’t understand our choir.”
The project was divided into two phases. The first phase was to develop a comprehensive design through acoustic analysis, room auralization, and loudspeaker system modeling. This process produced the information necessary to present a detailed solution that included acoustical treatment as well as loudspeaker replacement.
The acoustical treatment started by placing r30 and r32 absorbent material above their ceiling clouds, treating the walls with 2×2 and 2×4 2 inch thick panels, covering the bull nose that circles the room, and finally, covering the perpendicular walls that connected the bull nose to the floor. In all, dB installed 155 acoustical panels.
As important as the acoustical improvements to FBBC were, it was still critical to keep direct sound energy on the listeners’ ears and off the walls and ceiling as much as possible. Danley Sound Labs’ pattern control and efficiency would prove invaluable for meeting that objective. Just three Danley SH-96 loudspeakers provide main coverage, each with a Danley SH-95 for down fill. Three more SH-95s cover the balcony on delay, two Danley SM-80s provide choir fill, and two SH-60s provide mid-stage fill.
The combination of improving the acoustic environment with absorptive materials throughout the room and installing loudspeakers with true directivity has created a room with excellent intelligibility. “Members now enjoy our services from start to finish and walk away satisfied with their worship experience,” said Phillip Rhodes, who managed the project for FBBC. “Nothing is distracting or annoying, and that is a massive improvement.”
When you work with dB Integrations we listen, measure, survey – and then design the ultimate solution to your audio, LED, lighting, and control needs. And our versatile, experienced engineers deliver on service, reliability, and the utmost quality. We appreciate the trust you place in our team, so we are always willing to work to meet your needs.