With Christmas fast approaching, the congregation of First Baptist Church was excited about upcoming holiday concerts featuring Grammy and Dove Award-winning artist Jason Crabb and the church’s own Celebration Choir and Orchestra. Much less exciting was the prospect of hearing the music on the church’s old, inadequate sound system. So a month before the shows, Pastor of Worship and Music Joel Harris contacted the team at Ford Audio-Video, a nationally known systems integrator with offices in nine cities, including nearby Austin.
“We knew that the key to this project would be Fulcrum Acoustic loudspeakers,” recalled Ford Senior Project Engineer Gary Ewald. “Fulcrum is usually our first choice because they’re the best. Their Temporal EQ coaxial technology is amazing; there is nothing out there that can compete. It’s really easy to make a Fulcrum system sound good, so we were confident we could complete the design and install in time for Christmas.”
To cover the front rows in the 110 x 67-foot space, Ford AV’s team flew three Fulcrum Acoustic AH65 loudspeakers above the front of the proscenium. The AH65 is a bi-amplified, two way, high sensitivity, arrayable coaxial horn system that provides precise pattern control to below 400 Hz, low frequency extension to below 80 Hz, and exceptionally high output with modest amplifier power.
“Voice intelligibility is always of great importance, and since the church hosts concerts and has both an orchestra and a choir, music reproduction was crucial as well,” Gary explained. “Fulcrum Acoustic AH65 loudspeakers provide exceptional clarity and consistent voicing, even while delivering high sound pressure levels. That’s exactly what we needed.”
To fill the rear of the auditorium, Ford AV’s team mounted delayed Fulcrum Acoustic CX1595 15-inch coaxial loudspeakers along the sides. The 2-way CX1595 uses a 3-inch coaxial titanium-diaphragm compression driver and a 15-inch woofer, with a single neodymium magnet. CX-series loudspeakers provide the output capability and pattern control of normal, premium 2-way systems in significantly more compact enclosures. Their vertically trapezoidal shape and compact size allows mounting very close to ceilings or under balconies-ideal for sidefills. A Dante-enabled Yamaha QL5 console and stagebox and BSS DSP completed the new system.
“Our new sound is incredible,” enthused Pastor Harris, a former road and studio musician. “I’ve heard sound systems in everything from America’s largest coliseums to churches and more, and I’ve never heard cleaner, better sound. And the Ford AV team worked around our needs so we never missed a service or rehearsal. They’re the best!”
