With a capacity of over 2,600 congregants, North Metro's worship services include a full orchestra and choir. To provide optimum audio for the congregants, choir and musicians, Chris Austin, president of Austin Sound Design, selected a system consisting of 30 RLA/2 modules; nine 215EL dual 15" subwoofers; 10 118XEL extended range subwoofers; 10 RLA/3 modules; and three US2413ST installation enclosures.

"SLS loudspeakers were chosen primarily for their patented high frequency ribbon driver technology," Austin explains. "Other commercial loudspeaker manufacturers claim to emulate 'ribbon-like sound,' but only SLS uses actual ribbons. The flat, linear response and near-zero distortion attributes of the ribbons translate into very clear, accurate vocals that are very pleasing, even at higher SPL levels.

"This allows the sound engineer to run the house system louder-to overcome stage volume-without complaints from the congregation. The most common comments the engineer hears is how amazed people are by their ability to understand every spoken word, including lyrics by the choir, and how pleasing and smooth the music is."

Two of the more challenging aspects of a church-based installation of this size, Austin adds, are providing clear and intelligible monitor foldback for the choir without compromising the sound for the congregation, as well as reinforcing the choir to intelligibly overcome acoustical orchestra volume levels. "With SLS line array speakers," he concludes, "both goals are consistently met, Sunday to Sunday, without problems."

"The SLS speaker system recently installed for us by Austin Sound Design is incredible," says Rev. Keith McBroom, North Metro First Baptist Church Minister of Music. "I have had church members young and old comment on the clarity and presence of the music and spoken word. Without a doubt, this new system enables us to better proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ."