Bethlehem Assembly of God has been a hub for Long Island’s Valley Stream community. Music is a big part of the multi-ethnic congregation's services, and the church recently upgraded its 500-capacity sanctuary’s audio and lighting systems to better convey the music and the message, including a DAS Audio’s new SARA system.
The system is based around left and right arrays totaling 16 DAS Audio SARA-100 compact powered line array systems with 3000 Watts of Class D 4-channel amplification. It was conceived and designed by veteran audio engineer Burton Ishmael, who's regular “day job” is running FOH for Madonna. Four SARA-SUB 18-inch compact cardioid powered subwoofers deliver rock steady bass, and four DAS Audio EVENT-26a ultracompact line array cabinets handle front fill duties, and system processing is covered by a single DAS Audio MATRIX-66 unit controlled by DAS Audio's latest control and management software, ALMA. Installation was handled by Jamaica, NY-based Advanced Event Services.
As Ishmael explained, the project was not without its challenges. “It’s a pretty traditional A-frame design, about 60 feet wide and 70 feet deep, with a balcony, and that means big wooden beams, high ceilings, and lots of reflectivity. It’s just not acoustically friendly. Add to that an older heating system and a foyer with open doors and you’ve also got temperature gradient issues. It’s a classic case of a sanctuary designed for a certain era, and now you want to put live drums in there. It just calls for a different approach. The previous system was pretty long in the tooth, and the SARA system really gave us the ability to give them a huge leap in sound quality.”
Ishmael gave high marks to DAS Audio's new SARA system and its ability to steer the sound onto the congregation and away from the walls and other reflective surfaces. “Years ago when most of the service was preaching and spoken word, performance didn’t matter as much," he said. "Once they started doing live music and bringing in drums and amplification, the room’s acoustics became an issue, and it only got worse over time.”
[The Integration Guide to House of Worship]
The upgraded system has been a hit with parishioners and technical crew alike. “The feedback we’ve had from the worship leader is that people are telling him how they now feel surrounded by the sound, encapsulated by it,” said Ishmael. “The crew are saying it’s much more of a concert experience, and it’s so much easier and faster to get the mix you’re looking for. The worship pastors feel empowered to try new and different things now, and they don’t feel limited by the technology.”
Working with the DAS Audio team has been a long and fruitful relationship. “DAS Audio is a company that has been a very dear part of my success," Ishmael concluded. "They are serious about what they do, and I’ve watched them grow and create amazing technologies over the years. They care about their product, and they care about the delivery and the service and the needs of their customers. Honestly, I cannot recommend them highly enough.”
