Byers Avenue United Methodist Church,   Joplin, Missouri

Audio System Upgrade

This project is an audio system upgrade in a building built in the 1920's.  The congregation had been fighting with an aging system, parts of which were installed in the mid sixties when the room was last remodeled.   The electronics had been upgrade twelve to fifteen years ago, but the quality of the components were sub standard.

The beautiful, but decorative ceiling would not allow of any suspended overhead speakers.   So the best option was, split systems, mounted high on the walls behind the platform (either side of the pipe organ.)    The walls and aesthetics would not allow for the support or appearance of standard speaker enclosures.   The solution was custom built enclosures that had the -10 degree downward angle already built inside the box.   (See picture below.)

The front speaker array is built by Concert Systems LLC. at the request of Jordan Audio Consultants.   Each box contains two 10" high output woofers, a 60 by 40 degree constant directivity horn and a 2" throat compression driver.  The bi-amped system is mounted at a height of 18'.   

Five new floor monitors were added for the singers and band.  These are also custom built by Concert System LLC.   

The control booth houses the audio system controls, including console, recording system, and insert compressors.   The new main snake (26 pair)  meets four 4 channel snakes from floor pockets,  and several individual lines from various microphones (choir, pulpit, bells, organ.)   The terminal block is located inside the pipe organ chamber.

    The effects rack and amplifier rack were assembled and test before delivery to the church.  The amplifier rack is located back stage.  It houses a dbx driverack as the main complete system processor. 1/3 octave equalizers are used on the vocal monitors,  band monitors and overhead choir monitor.  The amplifiers are the MircoTech  and CP series from Crown.   A  total of 1500 watts of power is available for mains, monitors and extension speakers.

The two smaller speakers mounted to the rear walls are the supplement speakers for the "Amen" corner in the back of the auditorium.  They are Community  CSV series boxes.  The acoustic panels were added to aid in reducing the reverberation in the room and to minimize the slap back on to the platform.   Men in the congregation did the labor for pulling wires and mounting the acoustic panels.