How long will an installation take?

Installations take a varying amount of time, depending on the amount of equipment and wiring to be put in. However, as a rough guide, a medium sized church sound system will take 2 days to complete. Top

Can we get a free quote?

ChurchPA is glad to provide free quotes for sound systems. In many cases it is important that we visit your church so that we can determine precisely the type of equipment needed. We are also available to give you advice on the best use of your existing systems. Top

Do you supply equipment?

Yes, ChurchPA has close relationships with many manufacturers, and we are therefore able to supply the right equipment for your needs at very competitive prices. Feel free to ask us before buying from your usual sources. Top

Why do we need a sound system?

There are many different reasons for a church looking for a new or improved sound system. However these tend to boil down to just a few broad reasons :

The old system has broken
Many churches now have sound systems which are getting on for 30 years old. These systems will now be coming to the end of their useful life. In these situations, we find that a modern replacement for both mixers, microphones, speakers and amplifiers gives a vastly improved sound. We also hope that the sound systems we install will be performing well in a further 30 years!

Worship needs have changed
This tends to be happening in many churches, as the use of a worship band becomes more standard. Older systems (and some current ones) were designed specifically for voice use. These systems have a limited frequency response, and tend to sound bad as soon as any instruments are amplified. There are a number of remedies to this situation, but in general it is wise to install full range amplifiers and speakers. With modern speaker design, both voice and music can be heard clearly.
It is also a good time to think about increasing the number of channels your mixer has, as having more channels allows a more balanced mix to be presented to the congregation.

A hearing aid loop is needed
Many older churches do not have hearing aid loop systems. These are straightforward to install, and will allow deaf members of the congregation to clearly hear the service.

People cannot hear the service/readings from the lectern
Teaching people to read slowly and carefully can go a long way to getting the spoken word across, but in many cases some form of amplification is needed. ChurchPA will ensure that any system selected matches your current and future needs, and also that the system fits in with your churches aesthetics.
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What are the stages involved in getting a sound system installed?

Thinking about installing or upgrading a church sound system can seem a daunting task as there are many people who have an opinion. In our experience, it is wise to take a larger view on what is required to ensure that all needs are met. We have a large amount of experience in getting the right sound systems into churches.
The stages generally go along these lines -

1. Initial discussions via phone or email
2. A visit to your church to measure up, discuss needs and meet your team
3. A full and detailed system description and quote
4. Further discussions to ensure that all aspects have been covered
5. Faculty applications (where required)
6. Installation of the equipment
7. Full testing and calibration of the system
8. Training (where agreed with ChurchPA)

Most of these stages are very straight forward. Our aim is to make the process of getting improved sound quality simple for you, so that you end up with a perfect system with the minimum of fuss. Top

Our existing sound system is not suitable for our needs,
what can we do?

ChurchPA has lots of experience in assessing the equipment currently installed in churches. We are able to advise you on which parts of your system are causing you problems, and where different equipment would be more suitable. Above all, we feel that it is important to only change those parts of a system which cannot be re-used. We understand the pressures of money on your church, and there is no need to spend money where it is not necessary. Top

Can you explain radio microphones?

This is a very broad subject, however in general, radio microphones are very useful in church situations. It is common to use a lapel (tie clip) microphone for the preacher, as this allows them to move freely around the church and still be amplified. In many situations it is also useful to have a hand held radio microphone. This can be used on lecterns and also can be passed to members of the congregation for "interviews".
Older radio microphones suffered from a number of problems :

• Poor range of reception, radio "dropouts"
• Short battery life
• Poor sound quality

More modern radio microphones overcome these problems completely. We generally only supply diversity style receivers. These have two aerials, the one with the largest received signal is automatically selected, largely preventing RF dropout. Also modern microphones have lower power electronics - battery life can now be over 10 hours continuous use (we do not recommend the use of rechargable batteries). With recent radio microphones, there is no reason for the sound quality to be any different to a wired microphone. We are able to help you select the ideal microphones for your needs.
There are two broad categories for Radio microphones. These are VHF and UHF. Most older radio mirophones are VHF models. These can sometimes suffer from adverse pickup from other transmitters in the area, but in short range applications they are still very good - especially with a diversity receiver. UHF microphones are now commonplace, and as such the price for them has greatly dropped. If you are planning to add a larger number of radio microphones to your system, this is the technology to use. Top

How do we find out more?
You can contact ChurchPA via email at info@churchpa.co.uk.
Or feel free to phone us on 0845 4309486.

We look forward to helping you. Top