Maryland church is first to install Syva system
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However, AVL systems provider Mankin Media Systems of Franklin, Tennessee was able to recommend a highly effective and elegant solution in the form of L-Acoustics’ new Syva colinear loudspeaker system.
This project is particularly noteworthy in that it represents both the first North American permanent install for Syva as well as the world’s first house of worship to adopt the new system.
“The Syva system at Abingdon’s campus is the secret weapon that really made the room what it is,” says Mankin’s Tim Corder. “In the project’s early ‘Dream’ phase, we explored multiple loudspeaker design approaches for this space and they all had significant compromises - either they were too large and compromised the height of the room to the point of being a deal-breaker, or they created too much potential variation in experience throughout the space to be acceptable. Syva was the perfect solution. The finished result blends into the space unlike anything else possible, without compromising quality in the least.”
“In our area, buildings with taller ceilings are difficult to find and in high demand,” notes Technical Arts pastor Bob Rufenacht, who works with all of MCC’s campuses and has been part of the church’s AVL ministry for a decade. “Syva was key to this project. Its sleek and compact form factor, which is no wider than the support columns they’re mounted on, allowed us to keep speakers out of the way of our sightlines and out of the way of our lighting angles. It enabled us to tuck the lighting up into the ceiling structure without being blocked by speakers and facilitated raising our screen heights to help with message visibility.”
Although the satellite church’s message is streamed over the Internet from the main Mountain Road campus each week utilizing Mankin’s SlipStream by Guardian service, everything else is staged live at Abingdon’s campus, including the praise team and other service elements. Since opening in mid-September, MCC’s newest location is regularly drawing approximately 1,000 people out to its three Sunday services, and audiences, musicians and staff members alike are reportedly thrilled with the results.
Using L-Acoustics’ Soundvision 3D acoustical modeling software, Mankin’s system design placed single Syva enclosures on the pre-existing structural columns framing the far left and right sides of the stage. On the stage lip directly below each Syva are two Syva Low enclosures per side, extending Syva’s LF response, while a single KS28 sub per side adjacent to the stage further solidifies the system’s bottom end.
Two additional Syva systems mounted on structural columns out in the house provide additional delay coverage to the back left and right corners of the room, while three X12 coaxial enclosures flown over the audience provide additional spot fill. A quantity of AVB-ready LA4X amplified controllers power and process the entire system.
(Jim Evans)
