The Church of Holy Apostles Taps APAV Solutions for Y- and V-Series loudspeaker systems.

Beyrooti said the key to the project was the ability to accurately model the performance in d&b ArrayCalc simulation software. “Due to the architecture and seating areas, the rigging plan was challenging so we needed to be sure that we hung the loudspeakers right the first time. ArrayCalc gave us all the information required. We essentially leveraged the DSP in the 30D and 10D amplifiers and combined that with external DSP to give us two distinct sound systems; one that we call the lecture system, which times the Y-Series speakers to the center of the altar, and one that times some of the Y-Series to localize the sound to the choir area. The V-Series located on the choir side of the church are timed to reinforce the acoustic output of the choir. For contemporary services, acoustic drums, grand piano, percussion and other acoustic instruments serve to anchor the sound by timing both the V and Y-Series loudspeakers to those sources. We have successfully used this technique in many Catholic and traditional churches where the choir is never located in the central altar area, but rather on one side or the other. The result is a much more engaging experience as the congregations’ eyes and ears can work in unison without the brain having to compensate for the sound not coming from where our eyes are looking.

The contemporary worship services include seven musicians along with three vocalists utilizing ensemble of drums, bass, guitar, keyboard, and piano with the vocalists singing in harmony together. “We are back to a regular schedule with all masses being live streamed,” states Craig Colson, Liturgy and Music. “The church is still at thirty percent (about two hundred to three hundred-fifty) capacity due to CDC Covid guidelines. On a typical weekend services take place on Saturday at 5 pm, Sunday at 8 am and 10 am and a Spanish mass at 11:30 am.

Colson has been a music director for over twenty-six years and worked on a lot of really amazing sound systems.

The church, which construction was finalized in 2007, has many architectural features that are “fruit of the designer’s prayers,” such as the stained-glass windows, designed by Sr. Agnes Paul, SSpS, states Joe Filpi, Building Manager. “Located in the Church’s sanctuary, behind the tabernacle, the Trinitarian window is a prominent and a breathtaking depiction of the congregations’ belief in the Blessed Trinity set against a star-filled sapphire sky. The tiny stars in the background remind us that those who instruct others into justice will shine like stars for all eternity. The shape of the raised platform of the sanctuary hints at a deck of a ship. Surrounded by buoyant blue from the stain glass windows, our monumental crucifix stands tall like a mast on a ship. The sanctuary invites us all to become fishers of men descendants of the first apostles. Twelve sections of pews represent the twelve apostles.”

Regarding the new d&b loudspeaker system, Father Paul White added that “It is truly amazing hearing how different the sound is in the church. Both spoken word and the music got a huge upgrade. There are no more dead spots, and the total clarity is just wonderful. Before you could not hear the singers over the music but now it is like a song that is in perfect harmony.”

Two d&b 16C column speakers are mounted in a horizontal orientation on either side of the altar high up in the architecture so the sound can be focused on the altar area by using the narrow forty-degree dispersion of the column speakers horizontally. The wider ninety-degree vertical coverage serves to get sound from front to back of each speaker’s coverage area. Each loudspeaker is on its own mix so there is independent control of each zone.