what you need to know about our new sound system
Members of the Ovation Audio team consult with David Walters (r), an acoustic architect who designed the previous and new sound systems at Mother of God Church, as they tune the speakers. Walters has been designing sound systems for businesses, theaters and churches for more than 40 years.
On Thursday, June 11, Mother of God Church was closed for the day while acoustic architect and independent consultant David Walters and crew from Ovation Audio tuned the speaker arrays, which are part of the new sound system. They did it in conjunction with a technician from Eastern Acoustic Works (EAW), manufacturer of the speakers, who connected remotely to accomplish the task.
Tuning the speakers located on both sides of the sanctuary customizes how the sound waves are thrown out into the space to ensure the best coverage for every seat in the church. But here are some important facts to keep in mind:
During the week of June 21, Ovation Audio will be onsite to train the operators of the sound system and set levels for the spoken word and music. We ask for your patience during this adjustment period.
Our new sound system is state-of-the-art and will give us the capability to do more, especially as we seek to reinstate Mother of God as a cradle of the arts. We are very excited about the possibilities and thank you for supporting this project.
Tuning the speakers located on both sides of the sanctuary customizes how the sound waves are thrown out into the space to ensure the best coverage for every seat in the church. But here are some important facts to keep in mind:
- Sound waves are subject to the law of physics, so both the spoken word and music will sound slightly different depending on where you are seated in the room. In fact, there can even be subtle differences whether you are seated or standing. But most people won’t notice.
- About 13 years ago, at David Walters’ recommendation, we applied acoustic panels to the back wall of the church underneath the choir loft to absorb the sound waves coming from the main speakers. This greatly reduced the echo that bounced off the wall and hung in the air, muddying the sound and making the spoken word less intelligible.
- That echo effect also happens in the transept of the church, with sound from the speakers bouncing off the large stained-glass windows and walls above the confessionals. Acoustic treatment in these areas would be very expensive and detract from the artwork. If you have difficulty hearing, we suggest that you’ll have the best listening experience sitting about four pews back from the front (or further). If you wear Blue Tooth-enabled hearing aids, you can also download the “Listen Everywhere” app from Google Play or Apple’s App Store onto your smartphone and select “MOG Listen.” (Note: This will be available once the new sound system is fully up and running at the end of June.)
During the week of June 21, Ovation Audio will be onsite to train the operators of the sound system and set levels for the spoken word and music. We ask for your patience during this adjustment period.
Our new sound system is state-of-the-art and will give us the capability to do more, especially as we seek to reinstate Mother of God as a cradle of the arts. We are very excited about the possibilities and thank you for supporting this project.