St. Paul Church
Torrence Sound is a specialty systems contractor that’s been installing custom sound system for houses of worship since 1928. We used an Electro-Voice Xi-2123A/106F & Xi-1082 loudspeakers in customized left & right exploded cluster configurations for this sanctuary, ensuring complete coverage and intelligibility while keeping the architectural ambience in each space intact.
In each Xi cluster, a large format, vertically-flown, three-way Xi-2123 speaker addresses the main seating areas on each side of the room while the smaller format, horizontally-flown Xi-1082 speakers-one on either side-throw down over the central aisle areas and sides. The speakers are mounted on custom-built frames.
Don Beyer of Torrence described the system design: “Both churches were new construction projects, and both posed architectural challenges: CMC has a dropped ceiling, and pews that wrap all the way around to behind the pulpit in a 180-degree fan. At St. John’s we were unable to use a central cluster, as it would have obscured the circular stained glass window behind the chancel. Using the left and right cluster design, we were able to achieve controlled coverage in both sanctuaries. While a line array system may have been configured to provide the needed coverage, we were able to achieve over 180 degrees of coverage at a fraction of the cost“
The three-way Xi-2123 systems can be operated in a VBS™ (Vertical Beam Shaping) configuration using an EV Dx38 processor or the DSP in EV P-Series RL amplifiers. This unique approach extends the vertical coverage-angle control to as low as 125Hz, well below that permitted by the mid-bass horn alone (about 800Hz). These systems can therefore be thought of as two- and three- element LF line arrays.
Beyer continues, “The Xi-2123 has proven an excellent solution for us in a number of installations-it offers the ideal balance of power and precise pattern control. Vertical Beam Shaping (VBS™) is perhaps the single most useful feature of the Xi-2123. Not only is this a superb-sounding box in and of itself, in more challenging rooms like these, the VBS gets all the low-frequency energy off the pulpit and front rows, for example, which makes a significant impact on both intelligibility and gain control. You have all the definition and frequency range of a loudspeaker loaded with the highest-end components available, combined with the control of a line array, but in a far smaller footprint-perfect for this application. Flying these boxes in exploded clusters means we don’t need to pull out frequencies to deal with the open mics underneath-we get the best of both worlds this way. We use this approach a lot, and the Xi boxes are an essential part of the formula.“
EV wired and wireless microphones, including PolarChoice podium mics and N/D267 & N/D767a models, were also installed at both locations.
Torrence worked closely with Electro-Voice reps C.L. Pugh & Associates, Inc. on the projects.
