Turning old into new and better

Referenz

Upgrading a sound reinforcement system in a listed building

Formerly a church, today an event location:

Modern technology moves into the town parish church of St. Marien for unparalleled sound.

Müncheberg, Brandenburg.

Former church becomes multifunctional event venue

What to do when there is no town hall or venue in a small town where events can be held? But instead a lovingly and modernly restored church, which in 1991 stood only as a ruin on its foundation walls?

Exactly, one combines the beautiful with the functional! Thus the church rooms of the city parish church "St. Marien" in Müncheberg serve after the rebuilding by the renowned architect Klaus Block not only for clerical services, but are now also used for cultural events such as concerts, readings, exhibitions or the participation in film festivals - to name only a few event examples.

Requirements of the listed building preservation

When equipping the single-nave city parish church with a new sound reinforcement system, acoustic as well as structural challenges had to be mastered.

The task was structurally demanding because the walls had to remain untouched due to the requirements of historic preservation and nothing could be mounted on them. In addition, columns already existed in the church - a combination of loudspeakers and lighting - on which the design of the new sound system had to be based. Rainer Zincke from the consulting firm 'Church and Sound', responsible for the project, found the solution with the manufacturer Pan Acoustics, which fitted perfectly into the concept both acoustically and visually.

Beam Steering and Dante technology are deployed

As a result, Pan Beam PB 16-D (Dante) line array loudspeakers now rest on custom-made pedestals - both precisely matched in color - in the city's parish church. The columns formerly used for sound reinforcement were allowed to keep their place, but now no longer provide the sound, but are used solely for lighting. The new line array and illuminated columns have a particularly harmonious effect when used together, as both stand completely upright and the loudspeakers do not have to be tilted. In addition, both are almost identical in shape and size. This becomes possible thanks to the DSP control built into Pan Acoustics' line source speakers, which uses PC software to aim the sound so it arrives exactly where it is needed to be heard. This is achieved without having to change the position of the loudspeaker. The technology behind this is called Beam Steering, which Pan Acoustics has been using since 2005.

High-tech, yet user-friendly

Müncheberg's city parish church is also home to the city library, as well as other conference and community spaces. Everything is managed by an operating organization that places particular emphasis on ensuring that a new sound system is flexible and suitable for a variety of event formats. As far as this requirement was concerned, Zincke made a good choice with Pan Acoustics' active, controllable line source loudspeakers, which are equipped with the latest Dante technology!

The advantage of Dante

Dante is a multi-channel audio transmission system based on network technology, which is particularly suitable for simple and convenient operation of the individual line source speakers: Digital audio and control data can be transmitted from the mixing console and the sound system can be easily adapted to the type of event. Is speech being played back or music? Are there many guests or just a handful? It is easy to respond to these questions, to vary the volume and to adjust the audience area to be covered.

Even the fact that the room to be covered, the parish church, required a cable length of up to 80 meters is no problem for a Dante network. Within the Ethernet specifications, the audio data is distributed and reaches the loudspeakers with minimal delay, virtually in real time. Likewise, additional accessories such as microphones can be conveniently integrated and managed via Dante interfaces. This way, a concert becomes a special experience with a minimum of effort. Multi-channel recordings are also child's play thanks to Dante network technology, allowing the concerts to be further edited and made available to listeners at home.

Flexible positioning of the stage

This results in a further advantage: the so-called "reverse operation" is also possible without any problems. If the back suddenly becomes the front or the other way around and seating is arranged accordingly, the technician can adapt the necessary loudspeakers to this in no time at all.

"The new sound system in the Stadtpfarrkirche with line array loudspeakers from Pan Acoustics is an all-round success: The sound is right and so is the design," Rainer Zincke from 'Church and Sound' and the operators of the venue are pleased to report. And so are the visitors, of course.

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