Sound volumes in churches, etc

wadewade

Marlot, thank you, that's an interesting point. Our desk is right at the back and furthest from the four speakers. I agree our's sounds different with different operators. Hence I'm wondering if we can agree a limit with them and ask all to keep within it.

paddyrg

I would just get out into the main area and have a listen, and keep a friend near the desk to turn it up/down and make a note of the top level you never want to go beyond - then tell Mr Desk that for your bits, you need the desk set up hence...

Maybe he's just a bit mutton after having his own music too loud for years!

BTW, if you do decide to buy a meter, they're available off the shelf from Maplin. They have A and C settings to represent the true and percieved/weighted levels (or something like that, never remember which is which). But I think this is overkill, just working out what works with a friend is just as accurate/useful in such a diverse environment

googler

I'll ask again - since groups of people have made music, and sung, un-amplified, in churches for hundreds of years.... tell us again why you NEED a PA system with four speaker stacks?

What's the instrumentation? Are there electric instruments?

wadewade

A large victorian church. 4 loudspeakers not stacks. A mixture of guitar, keyboard, violin, flute, recorder, french horn and two or three singers depending on availability. Sound reinforcement also for leader, members of congregation not used to public speaking and playing DVD extracts.