With congregations increasing in size, facilities growing larger and productions getting more complex, the need for comprehensive audio systems in houses of worship is more important than ever. Worship leaders and speakers need to be heard loud and clear with high speech intelligibility, music needs to be powerful but not overwhelming and sound reinforcement systems must be ultra-flexible yet easy to operate.
To provide a better experience for congregants, houses of worship of all kinds turn to HARMAN Professional Solutions when equipping or upgrading their facilities. From powerful JBL Professional line array systems and efficient Crown amplifiers to flexible BSS signal processors and advanced Soundcraft mixing consoles, HARMAN Professional provides a range of solutions to enhance the worship experience.
Keep reading to learn how houses of worship across the world are leveraging HARMAN solutions to give their congregations the best experience possible.
Dushanbe Mosque, Tajikistan
Constructed over ten years at a cost of $93 million, Dushanbe Central Mosque is one of the largest mosques in Central Asia. The complex boasts a maximum capacity of 120,000 worshippers, with the Mosque itself capable of accommodating around 25,000. Facilities include multiple prayer halls, a library, a museum, an outdoor courtyard and four towering minarets. To provide intelligible sound in the cavernous prayer halls and expansive outdoor spaces, A&T Trade deployed a sophisticated audio solution featuring 170 JBL Intellivox column loudspeaker arrays with AXYS IndustryAmp amplifiers, BSS signal processors and a Soundcraft mixing console for seamless mixing, monitoring and control.
“From the very start, we knew that this system would be extraordinary,” said Janis Zaneribs, Project Manager, A&T Trade. “We used HARMAN Professional’s top-of-the-line products because they provide exceptional speech intelligibility and background sound reinforcement, even in difficult acoustic conditions. We were constantly pushing ourselves forward, and the JBL Intellivox loudspeakers helped us hit all of our targets. This is the largest showcase of Intellivox products that I know of.”
Indeogwon Catholic Church, South Korea
Belonging to the Catholic Church’s Suwon Diocese, Indeogwon Catholic Church was established on February 14, 1997 and dedicated to the temple on October 18, 1998. Church leaders recently decided to upgrade the existing sound system with a modern solution capable of delivering crystal-clear sound throughout the entire venue. With the help of leading distributor TechData Co., Ltd. and integration company BADAANT, Indeogwon Catholic Church installed a cutting-edge HARMAN audio system featuring class-leading solutions from JBL, Crown, Soundcraft, AKG and dbx.
“The priest at the Indeogwon Catholic Church requested a sound system that was distinctive yet powerful,” said Brad Park, Sales Representative, TechData Co., Ltd. “Since the main hall is fairly large, the setup had to provide even sound distribution to the back of the room while ensuring that the priest’s voice is brought forth with utmost clarity. Also, it was a matter of great pride for us that two of the units, the JBL Intellivox HP-DS370 and AXY-710121 AXYS B-121 subwoofer, were the first of their kind to be installed in South Korea.”
Tauranga Elim Church, New Zealand
When Elim Church’s Tauranga branch moved to a larger facility with a 550-capacity auditorium, church leaders saw the need for a premium sound system that could deliver loud and clear sound with consistent tone and even coverage to support sermons as well as musical performances. Sound and Vision Connection supplied the church with a complete HARMAN Professional sound reinforcement system consisting of JBL Professional line array loudspeakers and subwoofers powered by state-of-the-art Crown amplifiers.
“As a church, we are very pleased with the result,” said Sean Verwey, Audio/Visual Coordinator at Tauranga Elim. “We listened to some great systems, but we felt that what HARMAN and JBL Professional offered met our requirements perfectly. The JBL CBT 1000 loudspeakers provide more than enough grunt for youth services and special events, yet are easy to mix during a regular Sunday service. It simply sounds amazing.”
Young Buddhists Association, Thailand
The Young Buddhists Association of Thailand (YBAT) is an organization dedicated to spreading Buddhist teachings and practices to the younger generation. Opened in 2006, the YBAT Vipassana Meditation Headquarters in Bangkok is home to the Mind and Wisdom Development Institute and hosts multiple meditation and Dhamma courses. To ensure clear, intelligible sound during classes and special events, YBAT hired Mahajak Development Co., Ltd. to upgrade their existing audio solution with a world-class HARMAN Professional networked audio system featuring JBL Professional CBT Series and Control Series loudspeakers powered by network-connected Crown, BSS and Soundcraft solutions.
“The YBAT management wanted to upgrade their existing sound system with a robust audio solution that would enable them to spread their message powerfully, stirring every member in the practice room,” said Pongsakorn Kanchanachayphoom, Director of Project, Mahajak Development Co. “We selected the JBL Professional line array column loudspeakers for their powerful output, versatility and sleek design.”
Mile Hi Church, Colorado
Originally founded in 1959 as a small study group based out of a vacuum store, Mile Hi Church completed construction on a new 1,500-seat sanctuary in Lakewood in 2008. Today, Mile Hi Church hosts three Sunday services and a special Wednesday night service each week, along with special events such as weddings, concerts and public speakers like Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson. Originally outfitted with a JBL VerTec Series sound system, Mile Hi Church recently decided to upgrade to a more modern HARMAN solution featuring state-of-the-art JBL VTX A8 loudspeakers provided by HP Marketing.
“I love working with JBL and VTX; it’s been great,” said Nathan Marschall, Audio Visual Coordinator, Mile Hi Church. “JBL has treated us well. The box sounds great and it’s made a big difference here at Mile Hi. I’ve gotten letters praising the system, which is something I never got before. I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘I don’t know what you did, but it sure sounds great in here!’”