Background
The original St. Mary’s Catholic Church was built in 1868. After several remodels, the church was razed in 1987. The parish hall was used for worship as the church decided how it wanted to design and build a new facility. In 2006, construction on a new facility in Wilton, IA, began. Church membership has increased by 20% since the new facility was buil
Customer Needs
During the construction phase of its new church, St. Mary’s realized it needed help finding a sound system and design that would work well in the space being constructed. The church was looking for a system that was easy to use and provided crisp sound.
Solution
In his full-time job as an electrician, St. Mary’s Parish Council President Jim Gavin worked with a knowledgeable CEC employee on a building project. When it came time to install the sound system at St. Mary’s, Jim didn’t hesitate to call CEC for its expertise. After working with CEC, St. Mary’s Catholic Church now has:
- A speaker system array, amplifiers, wireless PA systems, and microphones that work exactly like they hoped.
- Volume control mounted on the piano at the front of the church so the organist can manage it during mass. CEC fabricated a box that the organist uses to control sound throughout the space.
- Ideas and solutions that can be implemented in the future to further improve sound and eliminate reverberation coming from the large, flat wall at the back of the church.
- Speakers and volume control in the gathering area so parishioners can follow along with the mass even if they’re not in the sanctuary.
- Video screens and design layouts that will be used to broadcast mass and wake services in other parts of the building.
- Crisp sound without feedback, which is well-distributed across the congregation so parishioners of all ages can hear and understand.
- A sound design that places floor outlets and other items exactly where they would be needed.
CEC was very impressive. They helped us lay out a speaker system that was different than what we originally intended. They looked at our original plans and saved us in the long-run. Everything that was put in five years ago works exactly like they said it would. We haven’t had one complaint on the speaker system. It’s amazing how well it does.
