Acoustics is very predictable, and do not let anyone tell you differently. You don’t need to know anything about acoustics, but you should know what goals you want and what level of performance you expect from your worship space and sound system. Make your list and never compromise. Whoever you hire to help your church should be able to tell you after testing your room how well the acoustics and sound system will perform. Put those goals and performance targets into your contract.

Here at JdB Sound Acoustics, we have 29 goals that we try to reach in every acoustical and sound system project.  These goals are limited by the design, geometry and finish of the room we are trying to fix.  In most cases we can fix over 70% of the goals listed below.   For the other room fixes, we can fix 99% of the goals.  The goals are: 

1. Eliminate standing waves

2. Eliminate or less floor monitor spill

3. Eliminate deadspots

4. Eliminate hotspots

5. Less sound system distortion

6. Less bass distortion for subwoofers

7. Eliminate echoes

8. Passive parametric room equalization of bass and mid frequencies

9. Eliminate flutter echoes

10. Maximum gain before feedback of a person talking or singing with a single mic to be 4 feet or further. (The greater the distance, the more microphones can be used simultaneously.)

11. Eliminate bass build-up

12. To have an even distribution of sound coverage from front to back and side to side.

13. Highest level speech intelligibility (91-97%Alcons or Sti level of .62-1.0)

14. Elimination of the need for delayed speakers in most churches

15. Improves the performance and sonic quality of the sound system – often over 100%

16. Better stereo sound (for churches with expanded music programs that have a budget to support such a program)

17. People have longer attention spans

18. It makes the room more effortless for the musicians to perform

19. Improved sound for people with hearing aids and those using a loop system or church supplied hearing assist system

20. Easier for the sound-person to get an excellent mix

21. Better and louder congregational singing (bring back the ability to sing in 4 part harmonies)

22. It can reduce or eliminate the need for drum shields or both

23. It makes the room less fatiguing for the minister to preach

24. Increases the signal to noise ratio between 18 - 25 dB of acoustic sounds and amplified sound throughout the room

25. Can add up to an octave of clear bass to the speaker system

26. Better bass from musical instruments, both acoustic and amplified

27. It helps to make the space more relaxing to hear speech and music.

28. lowers the sound levels from HVAC systems

29. It makes the sound of children in the sanctuary less intrusive during worship and sermons

If there any physical conditions in the design of a worship space that will limit achieving any of these goals, we will let you know before submitting a final design of the acoustics and sound system. 

 For the past 30 years, we have been using a 3500 year old technique successfully in hundreds of churches to reach all of these goals in one step. Experimenting is not required.

Please use this list when talking about  your sound system and acoustics to other professionals or experts who you trust, or for a second opinion.  If you can, read the following articles before hiring the next company to help you with your church sound needs. 

Do Churches Really Buy 10 Sound Systems?