Syn-Aud-Con Class Visits Mega-church

The Louisville, KY Sound Reinforcement for Designers class visited Southeast Christian Church on the first evening of the seminar. We were treated to an overview of the main auditorium as well as the new youth facility.

The main auditorium can seat 9600 people. The sound system was recently renovated to replace the original point source array with line arrays. The seating is spread over three levels, all of which are occupied during a typical event. Read more »

A Brief Guide to Microphone Selection and Use for Places of Worship (AudioTechnica)
The examples used in this guide are drawn largely from the worship situations most commonly encountered in the United States.

Using Wireless Systems (AudioTecnica)
Get the facts: how to select, operate and get the best performance out of your wireless systems. For beginners and experts alike.

A Brief Guide to Microphone Selection (AudioTechnica)
If microphones seem a mystery, a few minutes reading this guide may help clear up some misconceptions.

Introduction to Wireless Microphone Systems pdf (Shure)
Get familiar with wireless microphone systems.

Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcement pdf (Shure)
Recommended microphone type and placement for a large variety of live vocal and instrument situations.

Audio Systems Guide for Houses of Worship pdf (Shure)
Comprehensive review of microphones, wireless microphone systems and mixers for church sound applications. Specific sections covering miking techniques for altar, lectern and choir. Disponible en Espanol.

Introduction to Wireless and Personal Monitor Systems for Houses of Worship pdf (Shure)
This booklet covers the selection and operation of wireless systems and personal monitors for House of Worship applications. Disponible en Español.

Microphones and Multitracks pdf (Shure)
Essential steps to quality recording using a microphone and multitrack recorder.

Microphone Techniques for Drums pdf (Shure)
Some suggestions to follow when miking musical instruments and drums for sound reinforcement.

Microphone Techniques for Live Sound Reinforcement pdf (Shure)
Recommended microphone type and placement for a large variety of vocal and instrument situations.

Microphone Techniques for Recording pdf (Shure)
In this guide, Shure application engineers describe particular microphone techniques and placement: techniques to pick up a natural tonal balance, techniques to help reject unwanted sounds, and even techniques to create special effects.

Selection and Operation of Wireless Systems pdf (Shure)
For any sound system, the primary goal is good sound. What, however, constitutes “good” sound?

Wireless Systems Guide: Antenna Setup pdf (Shure)
These recommendations and useful guidelines will help you achieve satisfactory performance from wireless audio systems. Disponible en Español.

Cable Anatomy I: Understanding the Microphone Cable (ProCo)
These were written by the Pro Co engineering division to help everyone understand a little more about wire and cable construction, and to explain why the good stuff costs a little more.

Cable Troubleshooter (ProCo)
Here are some interesting hints for trouble shooting audio, wiring and cable problems.

How to Cable the Band (ProCo)
Color Coded Diagram

What’s a Snake? (ProCo)
A Quick Guide to Cables for your PA System

Conduit Sizer (Acoustic Dimensions)
Basic conduit calculator for simple projections.

Sound Systems Interconnection (Rane)
This note, originally written in 1985, continues to be one of our most useful references.

Why Not Wye? (Rane)
Wye-connectors (or “Y”-connectors, if you prefer) should never have been created.

Interfacing AES3 & S/PDIF (Rane)
Today, two serial interfaces coexist: AES3 (aka AES/EBU) for professional use and S/PDIF for consumer products. Simple low-cost passive conversion between them is possible — even easy — but it is also filled with cautions.

Driving Long Cables  (Community Pro Audio)
Advanced calculations for long microphone and line level cables.

Tech Notes  (Community Pro Audio)
Transformers vs Autoformers

Danger: Low Power  pdf (JBLPro)
Too Little Amplifier Power Can Produce Too Much

“Amplifier Anatomy “  pdf By: Patrick Quilter, Chief QSC’s Founder and Chief Technical Officer
Pat Quilter, has written an article for Sound & Video Contractor that fully describes the operating principles behind QSC amplifiers. This article also offers a technical look at different amplifier classes (Class AB, G, and H).

Increasing Effective Amplifier Output Power Using Audio Compression pdf (RDL) By: Joel Bump, President/Director of Engineering, RDL
This article examines the relationship between required amplifier power and the dynamic content of speech.

Damping Factors  (Community Pro Audio)
What it is and what it does, with wire table.

Amplifier Gain Calculator (Acoustic Dimensions)
Interactive Online Tool

Operator Adjustable Equalizers: An Overview (Rane)
This paper presents an overview of operator adjustable equalizers in the professional audio industry.

Signal Processing Fundamentals (Rane)
How do we create sound, and how do we capture sound?

Dynamics Processors — Technology & Applications (Rane)
Ten Chapters of Information.

Understanding Acoustic Feedback & Suppressors (Rane)
This article takes a closer look into that annoying phenomenon called acoustic feedback and some of the DSP based tools available for your toolbox.

Linkwitz-Riley Crossovers: A Primer (Rane)
Before exploring the math and electronics of LR designs, it is instructional to review just what Linkwitz-Riley alignments are, and how they differ from traditional Butterworth designs.

Selection and Operation of Audio Signal Processors pdf(Shure)
For any sound system, the primary goal is good sound. What, however, constitutes “good” sound?

“Power and Grounding for Audio and Audio/Video Systems A White Paper for the Real World “ (Surgex) Jim Brown The Audio Systems Group, Inc. http://audiosystemsgroup.com
This “White Paper” is an attempt to cut through the confusion and set out a collection of good engineering practice that is both safe and effective.

” Global Voltage Chart “ (Surgex)
Worldwide voltage reference chart – for your convenience

“Practical Considerations for Field Deployment of Line Array Systems”  pdf (AES) Paper by David Scheirman
An emergent market trend during the past decade, modular line array systems are now being used for a wide variety of sound reinforcement applications… such systems do typically provide relatively narrow vertical coverage patterns and increased apparent gain at distance when compared to more traditional, fan-shaped arrays.

“J and Spiral Line Arrays”  pdf (AES) Paper by Mark Ureda
Straight-line arrays produce highly directional polar response curves in the vertical plane resulting in high on- axis gain. IThis paper derives the directivity functions of two arrays, namely the “J-Array” and the “Spiral Array.”

“Directional Radiation Characteristics of Line Array Systems”  pdf (AES) Paper by Mark Engebretsen
Directional Radiation Characteristics of Articulating Line Array Loudspeaker Systems – Knowledge of line array behavior is important in understanding the directivity of different array configurations, and the management of array coverage areas.

“SAFELY DRIVING YOUR SOUND SYSTEM”  pdf (EV – Bosch Communications Systems)
This application note offers knowledge and techniques that you can use to prevent loudspeaker failures caused by overdriving the sound system.

GUIDE TO CONSTANT-VOLTAGE SYSTEMS (Crown)
by the Crown Engineering staff

Tech Note: Vol 1, #14 – Basic Principles for Suspending Loudspeaker Systems  pdf (JBLPro)
Basic Principles for Suspending Loudspeaker Systems

Speaker Power Requirements  pdf (JBLPro)
Answers To Some Often Asked Questions

Distributed Speaker Systems 101  pdf (JBLPro)
Rick Kamlet – In a typical paging, background music or noise-masking system, several loudspeakers are placed across a single amplifier in parallel. They must often be powered at different levels, and the calculations involved in determining the actual load impedance at the amplifier’s output can be quite tedious.

Designing Better Sounding In-Ceiling Business Music Systems  pdf (JBLPro)
Rick Kamlet

“Analysis of Loudspeaker Line Arrays”  pdf (AES) Journal Article by Mark Ureda
This paper provides a set of mathematical expressions to analyze the performance of loudspeaker line arrays. It begins by developing a set of expressions for straight-line arrays including the directivity function, polar response, quarter-power angle, on-axis and off-axis pressure response and two-dimensional pressure field… the paper…provides expressions for curved (arc), “J” and “progressive” line arrays and more…

“Pressure Response of Line Sources”  pdf (AES) Paper by Mark Ureda
The on-axis pressure response of a vertical line source is known to decrease at 3dB per doubling of distance in the near field and at 6dB in the far field. The present paper shows that the conventional mathematics used to achieve this result understates the distance at which the -3dB to -6dB transition occurs.

Selection and Operation of Personal Monitor Systems  pdf (Shure)
Divided into two sections, the first section gives a short history of monitors and describes, in detail, the benefits of using them. Section two provides specific information on choosing the proper system to meet your needs and the various ways personal monitor systems can be configured.

Dipole – Cardioid Calculator (Acoustic Dimensions)
Interactive Online Tool

Horn Break Frequency (Acoustic Dimensions)
Interactive Online Tool

Environmental Effects on the Speed of Sound pdf (Rane)
A detailed analysis of the environmental effects of temperature and humidity on the s peed of sound is presented.

Tech Note: Vol 1, #26A – Speech Intelligibility (Part 1) pdf (JBLPro)
Many factors important to speech intelligibility are well understood and can be used to help develop guidelines for successful system design.

Tech Note: Vol 1, #26B – Speech Intelligibility (Part 2) pdf (JBLPro)
Many factors important to speech intelligibility are well understood and can be used to help develop guidelines for successful system design.

Acoustics & Sound Systems in Architectural Designs pdf (JBLPro) Rick Kamlet, from AIA Magazine

Speed of Sound pdf (RDL) by Cor Riethof, Technical Director, RDL-Europe
Sound travels very slowly in air compared with the speed of light…It is the relatively slow speed of sound which causes audible echoes to bounce back from a flat surface…

Noise Curve Room Criteria Calculator (Acoustic Dimensions)
Interactive Online Tool

Wavelength vs Frequency Calculator (Acoustic Dimensions)
Interactive Online Tool

Inverse Square Law Calculator (Acoustic Dimensions)
Interactive Online Tool

The Importance of Room Acoustics for a Quality Sound System (Bose)
Free Downloads by: Curt Taipale, professional audio consultant

How Acoustical Panels Improve Sound (Acoustics First)

This video illustrates how multiple layers of different building materials, such as BlockAid® Vinyl Sound Barrier and fiberglass, are more effective than one single material at reducing sound transmission and increasing STC. (Acoustics First)

Teleconferencing with Sound Systems pdf (Lectrosonics)
An explanation of the processes and performance of the LecNet 2 solutions to the problems encountered when sound systems are used for teleconferencing. It is intended for system integrators, consultants and others involved in the system design.

Developing an Optimal Conference Room Whitepaper pdf (Clear One)
White paper room acoustics a conferencing professional should be able to help you with the technical aspects of assessing your conference room acoustics

Setting Sound System Level Controls (Rane)
Correctly setting a sound system’s gain structure is one of the most important contributors to creating an excellent sounding system.

Gain Structure 2  (Community Pro Audio)
Advanced guide for setting system gain structure.

Calculating Pads  (Community Pro Audio)
How to calculate and design fixed resistive pads (attenuators)