Leading the Way in Professional Audio Visual Systems Design for Churches, Schools, and Commercial applications

Power Sound of New England has been serving houses of worship and businesses the with old-fashioned customer care and new cutting edge technology since 1969. Though we specialize in church sound systems and church video projection we serves other industries as well. Our customers includes schools, arenas, stadiums as well as smaller Catholic churches and houses of worship.

Or goal is to offer a custom system for each customer's unique space, budget and performance needs. Often the design and installation is just the beginning. Our relationship with our customers lasts far beyond.

We've created the blog to talk about some of our projects and new technologies within the audio visual systems industry.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Fr. Casey has “Much Better” Church Sound at St. Anne Parish in Littleton, MA

Great Architecture. Challenging Acoustics. Innovative Solution; from Power Sound and Video of New England

The Project:
A new church audio system gives crystal clear sound for the spoken word and rich tone for the music ministry. Power Sound of New England analyzed the New Hampshire church’s space and carefully considered the goals of the parish to facilitate the design of two customized church sound systems. We designed and installed a system tailored for the needs in the main church and integrated church sound into a chapel sound system. Church sound systems functioning as one system or two...imagine the possibilities.

Speakers:
In many worship spaces our designs call for BOSE Panaray speakers—crafted specifically for the worship environment they are just 4 inches wide and available as 3, 6, or 9 foot heights—allows us the ability to design the church audio to project from the front-of-church mounted speakers all the way to the very back pew emitting intelligible sound evenly throughout the sanctuary. How is this incredible church sound achieved? We defer to the technical specifications from BOSE that explain the speakers for ideal church audio projection:

From pro.bose.comThe (speaker) delivers high speech intelligibility and natural sounding music… acoustically demanding spaces.” BOSE goes on to describe the drivers in each speaker __- for church audio projection as a “vertical line array of twelve 2.25" (57 mm) drivers provides wide horizontal and narrow vertical pattern control.” The speakers “reproduce the entire critical vocal range between 155 Hz and 12 kHz, -3 dB (100 Hz to 16 kHz, -10 dB) with no crossover required.”
In our terms: Great church sound for the spoken word and the music ministry.

At St. Anne Parish in Littleton, NH, church audio projection was an interesting challenge in that the handsome architecture features an extreme pitch on the upper portion of the walls. Our sound analysis indicated that this would inhibit the clear, even sound projection we wanted. To balance the church sound system we introduced a unique solution for a steep angled ceiling: We utilized 6-foot tall by just 4-inch speakers in the front of the church. Then, partway back we installed another set of smaller speakers to ensure equally distributed sound is projected throughout the nave. Notice in the photo (to the right) that while church sound is considered; so are aesthetics. The speakers are custom colored so they are heard and not noticed.

The Feature:
Special programming allows for individual church sound settings for any scenario including large weekend Mass, small daily Mass and more. A remote controller has presets for small or large masses, and an overflow setting which activates speakers in the chapel. Each space can also operate independently. This is a mainstay of Power Sound and Video’s tailored church sound systems. We program all the settings a parish may want based on possible sound scenarios which may also include; windows open in summer, full holiday Masses, different speech styles of Celebrants, etc. This means quite simply church audio settings that are exactly right every time.

The Results:
A very delighted parish priest, thankful clergy and staff and a congregation that hears every word and every note...beautifully. Amen!

“Much Better”
“We are all extremely pleased with the new sound system. The sound quality is excellent. I would highly recommend Power Sound of New England to any parish”.
~ Rev. Richard L. Casey, St Anne Parish; Littleton, MA

How’s your sound? We are here to discuss church sound systems to help those of you as your plan for church audio renovations and upgrades. We are happy to discuss your church sound system needs and how our approach can enhance the worship for your congregation.

Friday, April 1, 2011

It's all about the sound....church sound!

St. John's Seminary; Boston
Need reliable church audio or church video projection for your parish without the lingo and false promises?

We know you do. 
We get calls, a lot of calls, from parishes needing us to “fix” a system installed by companies who are either simply not pros or do not truly understand the special needs of church sound. Power Sound of New England offers, quite simply, professional church sound and video Solutions.

Often we get asked why our designs are so detailed or our proposals so comprehensive. Sometimes we even get asked why our church audio or video projection systems are more expensive than the prices for products found at online discount retailers web sites.
So, let us share some information to help you compare church audio or church video projection apples to apples.
We are not:
A retail store that sells amplifiers, microphones, speakers or video projection system parts that you then need to hire a contractor to install.
A discount parts retailer without any guarantees
A company that sells A/V parts or installs parts for any application with no expert knowledge in any one discipline more than any other.
The guys who once worked at a Sound shack or installed his cousin’s home theater system.
A couple of college guys who “really dig wiring stuff” and have a cookie-cutter a/v package.

Our Mission and Philosophy:
We specialize in church sound and video projection systems. Always have.  Always will. We believe that because it’s to share the word of God, the church sound must be flawless. Not sometimes, but every time...and, that church video projection will facilitate a deeper connection to worship. Church video should enhance the worship experience but not distract from it.

Immaculate Conception Parish; Nashua NH
We are:
New England’s most trusted provider of Church Audio Visual Solutions for Worship. Our systems include the expertise of a team with more than 60 years of church sound solutions. We understand the needs specific to worship space applications. And we know that one size does not fit all.

Our work:
We analyze your needs—in real time— in order to create a custom design for a video projection system or church sound system that meets the needs unique to your worship space and your worship style. We consult with you until you are able to clearly define exactly what you actually want and need. Then we design a church audio or video system specifically to meet those needs. We use only professional parts designed for the needs of worship spaces and our installation of the parts we provide is guaranteed. We patiently take all the time needed to teach everyone at your church who needs to understand how any component functions and the functionality all of its special features. We test the system to ensure it works, perfectly. We then are available for questions, further fine tuning, routine maintenance of your church audio or video projection system – for upgrades/additions as you needs require.

What they say:

“...it’s incredible.”
"The sound system is wonderful, it's incredible really. A big change! Everyone can hear now; even those who are hard of hearing say they can hear. It has changed the liturgy and made it more available. The speakers blend in to their surroundings so well with that many people have actually asked where they are."
~ Rev. John M. Grace; Parish of the Resurrection, Nashua NH

Power Sound of New England has served more than 1,200 churches, parishes, and seminaries since 1969.  Churches from New Hampshire to Boston Massachusetts to Rhode Island and beyond trust our professional church sound and video systems. So can yours.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Church Sound and Video Projection System for Holy Bible Baptist Church customized for the very special needs a growing Boston church - part II


As we continue chronicling the expansive Audio Visual System design and installation project at Holy Bible Baptist Church we will explain the church video projection. This portion of the Boston church’s A/V system project is a video projection system designed for the unique needs of Holy Bible Baptist Church.

High-Performance Church Video Projection
Two motorized screens in the main church and another in the connecting chapel are part of a completely integrated video projection system designed to offer a host of options for church video display. The system includes monitors in the nursery, foyer, lower hall, and meeting rooms. The ability to add monitors as the church grows means freedom to use church video in countless ways to enrich the worship experience.
The video projection system can function independently in each space main video signal form the main sanctuary can be sent to some or all locations. This kind of flexibility in the church video system offers numerous projection possibilities.

A high-definition camera in the balcony can zoom in for live streaming video close ups of performers and the Pastor, enhancing the visual power of the worship experience. The engineer can also utilize a computer to project hymn lyrics, readings and religious imagery. Church video also offers freedom to be used for educational presentations and films, church messages in the foyer, projections of Services in the nursery and so much more. Church video at HBBC is a tool that offers boundless opportunities for the congregation to be “connected”. The video projection system can also be used for video display on the church website.

Major Renovation or Minor Upgrades
Clearly this particular church sound and video project was a substantial undertaking. At Power Sound and Video we are experienced in church audio visual projects of all sizes and scopes. Whether a small chapel just need clearer sound or your church is undertaking a major A/V renovation we have the experience that has guided churches for more than 40 years.