Russian church in Volga district fitted with ultra-modern sound system

[biro]

A beautiful Russian Orthodox church in the Volga district is now fitted with cutting-edge technology for its sound system. The speakers, microphones and other materials were installed by Electro-Voice.

From the press release:

As well as a fundamental improvement in the quality of the sound within the church itself, the client wanted a means of relaying services to the open area in front of the building. Furthermore, the system had to be easy to operate and the loudspeakers invisible to worshippers. With this detailed requirement profile in hand, the team from First Install Company and Ruton S began an exhaustive series of simulations.

[podkarpatska]

Does anyone recognize this church? Does is have a website?  Thanks.

[LizaSymonenko]

That is a beautiful church!

[88Devin12]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

[CRCulver]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

A lot of churches install speaker systems because they are too small for the crowds present every Sunday. It doesn't matter how well a church is constructed -- the people standing outside are not going to hear the liturgy within unless it is relayed to them.

In any event, enunciating clearly is a skill that many priests have lost, and installing speakers is for the time being more realistic than expecting them to learn how to project their voices without electronic aid.

[88Devin12]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

A lot of churches install speaker systems because they are too small for the crowds present every Sunday. It doesn't matter how well a church is constructed -- the people standing outside are not going to hear the liturgy within unless it is relayed to them.

In any event, enunciating clearly is a skill that many priests have lost, and installing speakers is for the time being more realistic than expecting them to learn how to project their voices without electronic aid.

I still stand by what I said...

[CRCulver]

I still stand by what I said...

Then please explain how you think traditional church architecture allows people standing outside to hear what's going on within?

[chrevbel]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

[88Devin12]

Sorry, I didn't have time to reply as I had to go to class...

The problem lays in the fact that if they are over-capacity on Sundays, then one of three things must be done... Either they must build a new Church that is bigger; or they can expand the current one; or they can build a second church with another Priest.

I don't want to get into a debate about it here in the news section, but I hold my ground just as I do about all traditional Orthodox Architecture and other issues like pews...

[augustin717]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

Well, back home, except for electricity, our church had none of the above.

[podkarpatska]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

Give me a break. Do you reject these amenities in your own life? If built 'properly and traditionally' they would not meet fire and building safety codes. If you want to live a religious life in the 19th century, there are plenty of Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio. In this life, like it or not, we live in this realm. There is a balance between accepting the realities of the era in which we live and not compromising the Truth of the Faith. I for one don't think that electricity and loud speakers cross the line. Spreading the Word in the face of the darkness of our times and our own salvation trump such things. Please excuse me if my tone was offensive but I believe that a strongly worded response was in order.

[88Devin12]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

Give me a break. Do you reject these amenities in your own life? If built 'properly and traditionally' they would not meet fire and building safety codes. If you want to live a religious life in the 19th century, there are plenty of Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio. In this life, like it or not, we live in this realm. There is a balance between accepting the realities of the era in which we live and not compromising the Truth of the Faith. I for one don't think that electricity and loud speakers cross the line. Spreading the Word in the face of the darkness of our times and our own salvation trump such things. Please excuse me if my tone was offensive but I believe that a strongly worded response was in order.

Umm, I think you misread chrevbel's post. He's not advocating rejecting elements like that.

Also:
http://www.nelsonacoustical.com/Resources_files/Acoustical%20Guidelines%20for%20Orthodox%20Churches.pdf

Reading the article, it appears that the Church's reverberation time was way too high... I won't get into detail here because we should leave the debate for another thread...

[podkarpatska]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

Give me a break. Do you reject these amenities in your own life? If built 'properly and traditionally' they would not meet fire and building safety codes. If you want to live a religious life in the 19th century, there are plenty of Amish communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio. In this life, like it or not, we live in this realm. There is a balance between accepting the realities of the era in which we live and not compromising the Truth of the Faith. I for one don't think that electricity and loud speakers cross the line. Spreading the Word in the face of the darkness of our times and our own salvation trump such things. Please excuse me if my tone was offensive but I believe that a strongly worded response was in order.

Umm, I think you misread chrevbel's post. He's not advocating rejecting elements like that.

Also:
http://www.nelsonacoustical.com/Resources_files/Acoustical%20Guidelines%20for%20Orthodox%20Churches.pdf

Reading the article, it appears that the Church's reverberation time was way too high... I won't get into detail here because we should leave the debate for another thread...

Sorry, I'm a little sensitive on the subject. We have a large church, built about 100 years ago with beautiful, reflective acoustics. While sound carries extremely well from the sanctuary as well as the choir, from the amvon is another thing. We had trouble for years getting the proper balance and finally we have it. Without the use of amplification the proclamation of the Gospel, Epistle and, particularly the homily are really difficult, especially for the seniors. Our pastor's voice tends to drop off as well during his delivery of homilies.

[laconicstudent]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

Well, back home, except for electricity, our church had none of the above.

How could you possibly know that the paint wasn't acrylic? 

[TheodoraElizabeth3]

Sorry, I'm a little sensitive on the subject. We have a large church, built about 100 years ago with beautiful, reflective acoustics. While sound carries extremely well from the sanctuary as well as the choir, from the amvon is another thing. We had trouble for years getting the proper balance and finally we have it. Without the use of amplification the proclamation of the Gospel, Epistle and, particularly the homily are really difficult, especially for the seniors. Our pastor's voice tends to drop off as well during his delivery of homilies.

My parish has a much newer church building than yours. Very lively acoustically. While sound carrying is not an issue for the choir or our priest at the altar, there's something of a "dead space" right above the ambon for homilies (although we have no problem hearing our priest when he is chanting the Gospel), so we have two speakers and a wireless microphone for homilies and announcements only. They're not intrusive and they allow everyone to hear the homilies.

[augustin717]

I really wish Orthodox Churches wouldn't resort to this... If built properly and traditionally, they wouldn't need sound systems.

If built properly and traditionally they also wouldn't have electricity.  Or be painted with acrylic paint.  Or have a parking lot.  Or indoor plumbing.  Where does one draw the line?

Well, back home, except for electricity, our church had none of the above.

How could you possibly know that the paint wasn't acrylic? 

Simple:
It didn't have the annoying gloss of the acrylic.
It was older than the acrylics.
One could tell right away it was real fresco, painted on the right support: mortar etc.

[KBN1]

A beautiful Russian Orthodox church in the Volga district is now fitted with cutting-edge technology for its sound system. The speakers, microphones and other materials were installed by Electro-Voice.

From the press release:

As well as a fundamental improvement in the quality of the sound within the church itself, the client wanted a means of relaying services to the open area in front of the building. Furthermore, the system had to be easy to operate and the loudspeakers invisible to worshippers. With this detailed requirement profile in hand, the team from First Install Company and Ruton S began an exhaustive series of simulations.

At first I thought this was going to be horror story.  Glad to see that it isn't.  I used to be a sound system engineer and installer and it looks like everything was done with great care.  The speakers that were used are low-power and quite small.  Chances are that if you walked into that church you wouldn't even see the speakers and you probably wouldn't notice right away that a sound reinforcement system was being used.  Having perfectly built churches with perfect acoustic environments is a nice ideal, but can be difficult to execute even if the architect has a good understanding of acoustics.

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