BELFAST – Built in 1844, St. Malachy's church needed extensive work on its interior and exterior. When in reopened after 15 months, parishioners marveled at the restored brickwork, plasterwork, marble altar, mosaic floor, "wedding cake" fan-vaulted ceiling, and new sound system featuring a pair of QSC AcousticDesign AD-S282H 2-way loudspeakers.
"I have never heard a PA sound as well as when we turned this on – it was crystal clear," said installation contractor Gary McElveen, who runs local PA specialists Communications Systems Ltd. and handled the installation.
McElveen had been introduced to the project by electrical consultants Williams & Shaw. He also consulted with Jim Hooks at local dealers DJ Kilpatrick to find the best solution for the church's unique interior space.
"The church is extremely wide and narrow, with a gallery that virtually overlooks the altar," said McElveen, of the 1,200-seat church. "In the 23 years I have been in the business, I have never fitted out a church shaped like this – it was far from being the usual rectangle."
The new system includes a pair of AD-S282H loudspeakers on either side of the altar. They are yoke-mounted vertically onto the sanctuary walls, and provide the dispersion for both the gallery and ground floor seating tiers – and, enhanced by white polystyrene, blend in visually with their surroundings. Another pair of out-facing AD-S82H loudspeakers extends coverage to the wrap-around side pews.
The low impedance system is backed up by a 100V line recessed ceiling speaker system which also ensures even coverage at the back and out in the entrance foyer.
The QSC equipment was provided by Shure Distribution (UK) Ltd., which also supplied a Shure SLX wireless system (lapel and handheld for the officiating clergy and soloist in the gallery) as well as boundary mic and gooseneck for the lectern.
All presets are stored in a rack-mount mixer in the vestry so that all the officiating clergy need to do is adjust the levels.
For more information, please visit www.qscaudio.com.
