Ebenezer Pentecostal Church consulted Commercial Acoustics regarding their fellowship Hall and Sanctuary reverb issues. Like many churches the fellowship hall was used for special events during which amplified speeches were common. In addition to being used for the congregation the church also rented out the space for local community events.
Related: Guidelines for Worship Center Sound Treatment
The fellowship hall was approximately 25′ high and had a footprint of 40′ x 40′. The laminate floors and drywall finishes resulted in a reverb time of over 3 seconds! Because of this the speakers could not be clearly understood and those attending the events complained of excessively loud noise. After the initial on site assessment the prognosis was clear – the room needed acoustic treatment using fabric wrapped acoustic panels.
Fellowship Hall Acoustics
With a reverb time of 3 seconds, the fellowship hall required 90 panels to bring RT60 down to an acceptable number. Because of the multi-purpose use of the space, a target reverb time of 1.2 seconds was set.
Due to the multiple lights and vents on the ceilings, it was decided that wall mounted panels would be installed around the perimeter of the space. Furthermore, wall mounting precludes the need of a scissor lift and additional ceiling-cloud hardware, which can greatly increase the cost.
The fabric wrapped panels were matched to the color of the wall with a Guilford of Maine breathable fabric.
Unlike sanctuaries, which may vary widely with target reverb times (from 1.2 to 2.5 seconds depending on the type of music played), fellowship halls do not need to “ring out”. When designing fellowship spaces in a church, remember that soft finishes will greatly reduce the noise in the space.
Sanctuary Acoustics
The congregation and pastor desired a unique, custom acoustic panel layout in the sanctuary that matched the slope of the ceiling around a central projection screen, and above the baptistry. Because the speakers fired back at the pastor or speaker on stage, the first few rows of audience were receiving a “slap echo” from the wall’s backdrop.
After the color was selected and the fiberglass custom water-jetted, the acoustic panels were wrapped and installed in this unique configuration. The installed acoustic panels worked to eliminate the reverb that was affecting how the congregation heard speakers during church services and any other events that took place in the space.
With the help of the Commercial Acoustics team, reverb time in the fellowship hall and the echo in the sanctuary were significantly reduced.
