UK - SOUL Church, one of the largest and fastest-growing churches in the UK and Western Europe, has opened a new, purpose-built auditorium in Norwich. The 1,250-seat facility features a state-of-the-art L-Acoustics Kara II line array system, designed to provide an elevated audio experience for the church's diverse congregation.
Founded in 2014 by Pastors Jon and Chantel Norman, SOUL Church has quickly become a leading faith community with over 2,500 members. The church hosts a variety of services throughout the week, from large Sunday gatherings to intimate Bible studies. The new L-Acoustics system will support these gatherings, as well as SOUL Church's annual Christmas spectacular, which attracts nearly 10,000 attendees.
"Building a new church of this scale in Western Europe is truly unique," explains Gareth Lee, of the Directional Leadership Team at SOUL Church. "We wanted a sound system that could match the ambition of our new facility and provide a world-class experience for our congregants."
SOUL Church partnered with L-Acoustics Certified Partner Solotech, a leading audio-visual solutions provider, to design and install the system. The decision to choose L-Acoustics came after extensive research into top venues and churches worldwide. Solotech's expertise, combined with L-Acoustics renowned sound quality and support, made for an ideal collaboration.
The auditorium's unique layout, with 400 ground-level seats and tiered amphitheatre seating, presented challenges for the installation. Solotech used L-Acoustics Soundvision 3D modelling software to optimise speaker placement and coverage. Soundvision proved instrumental in designing the perfect solution for SOUL Church, providing detailed heat maps of the SPL coverage for different speaker layouts. This allowed the church and installation team to choose the best option for the room.
The final design incorporates a combination of flown and floor-mounted subwoofers for optimal low-end coverage, complemented by a stereo line array and front fills. The system comprises 16 Kara IIi loudspeakers, two A15i Wide, five A10i Wide, six SB18 IIi subs, four KS28 subs, and four X12 coaxial speakers. The setup is powered by L-Acoustics amplified controllers: two LA12X and six LA4X, managed by a P1 processor and an LS10 switch for Milan-AVB networking.
The audio system installation process presented a unique challenge. The stage construction blocked the main entryway for the equipment needed to lift the speakers into place. To solve this, Solotech had to carefully coordinate with the stage construction team. In the end, they used a spider boom lift that just fit through a side door to complete the audio installation.
The new L-Acoustics system has received widespread praise from the congregation, visitors and industry professionals alike. As the church continues to grow and inspire its community, the new sound system will play a crucial role in delivering clear, impactful messages and soul-stirring music for years to come.
