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Sound Systems: Priority Components
Have you found yourself wondering how to improve the sound in your church? Maybe your next thought was, "But it costs too much." Most would like to improve their system but are forced, by the budget, to cut back to a Need List instead of a Wish List. So, how do you determine priorities? This article is a guide to help you define your sound-system priorities. A SOUND SYSTEM Sound systems consist of four basic groups of equipment: 1) Microphones. 2) Preamplifier or mixer. 3) Amplifier. 4) Speakers. First, we will briefly describe each of these groups in relation to a sound system. Then, we will prioritize. Sound is produced by moving air past a vibrating vocal cord or striking a string in a piano. The sound moving through the air is called acoustic energy. However, this energy competes with many other sources of acoustic energy (babies, fans, etc.). The sound can be heard better if we either amplify the original sound or move closer to the desired sound. Either method will make the desired sound louder than the competing energy, and we will be able to hear and understand the talker or singer. Figure 1
 So what does it take to amplify the original acoustic energy? It first must be turned into another form of energy. This is done by the sound system microphone (Figure 1). The microphone converts the acoustical energy into a very tiny amount of electrical energy. Now we have a form of energy which we can easily work with. This small amount of electrical energy is sent from the microphone to the microphone preamplifier (Figure 2). The preamplifier is located in your mixing board or mixer/amplifier. The preamplifier boosts the level of the microphone's output. This level is called line level. If desired, we could change the tone of the signal by boosting or cutting certain frequencies with the tone controls. The outputs of the other microphone preamplifiers are then mixed together and sent to the power amplifier. Here, the line level signal is boosted to a speaker level signal. Now the tiny electrical signal has been amplified enough to power a speaker. The speaker will convert the now large electrical signal into acoustical energy. The acoustical energy is hopefully an exact replica of the original, only louder. The energy then travels through the air and enters our ears. We can hear! Figure 2
 As you can see, there are many links in the sound system chain. Each one is important, but are there some more important than others? Let's look at each and discuss its importance. PRIORITIZE Microphone The first link is the microphone. It is also probably the most important link. This is not the place to skimp. Since the microphone converts the acoustical energy into electrical energy, any fault here will produce inaccurate sound from the speaker. Please note, there is a huge difference between the pick-up from a cheap $20.00 microphone and a $200.00 microphone. A poor microphone will make the best speakers sound bad. Buying high quality microphones for each different application will result in more gain-before-feedback (volume) and better, more accurate sound. Speakers The last link is also very important - the speakers. They have to convert the amplified electrical energy signal back into acoustical energy. Not an easy job. It is difficult to build a speaker that will exactly reproduce the original signal. Here again, the higher the quality, the more naturally and accurately the speaker(s) will perform. The speaker(s) should also be selected for your particular church. Each church has its own unique acoustics which should be considered. Also, the coverage pattern of the speaker(s) needs to fit your particular seating area. A properly designed and engineered speaker system can provide even coverage with natural sound and high intelligibility. Electronics Another link is the electronics. With today's technology, there aren't the extremes in sound quality from electronics as from speakers or microphones. The main difference in electronics are in the features available to make your system flexible and/or easy-to-operate. For example: Do you need one or 32 microphone inputs. Do you need an automatic mixer or will an audio person operate the system? These decisions and many others need to be answered before you select a mixer or amplifier. | 
| Accessories allow you to fine-tune your system. | 
| Accessories Accessories form another link. These are the items which allow you to fine-tune your system. You could buy effects gear like reverbs or equalizers. Compressor/limiters are available to help control the level of the system. A cassette deck could be added for a tape ministry. And don't forget the system for the hearing impaired. It can be difficult to determine just what accessories fit your needs and budget. For the best possible system for your money, call us. Our goal is to provide you with a system that will serve your needs both now and in the future. So please, don't hesitate to give us a call. We would be glad to help you select a new pulpit microphone, a reverb or a whole new sound system. by Ron Huisinga © 1996 Internet Sound Institute (www.soundinstitute.com). This articles is for personal use only. Any commercial reproduction is not permitted without permission. To obtain permission, contact ISI at hopi@soundinstitute.com
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