Five years ago, Phoenix, AZ-based integrators 5 Words Media began #FreeChurchAV. The competition has awarded over a million dollars in free audio and video systems to small and mid-sized houses of worship across the country. And DAS Audio has joined with 5 Words Media as a gold sponsor of the event, beginning with Season Four’s winners, Blue Ridge Chapel in Rocky Mountain, VA.
“When we heard about #FreeChurchAV we knew right away it was something we wanted to be involved with,” recalled DAS Audio’s VP of sales for Pro Audio, Michael Palmer. “This was a company doing something truly special, and we knew we could support them and help make a difference for some lucky congregations.”
[Historic Chapel, Modern Sound]
Due to the main area’s unique dimensions, being a deep room as opposed to a wide room, Blue Ridge Chapel’s sanctuary was outfitted with a center array of three VANTEC-20A self-powered constant curvature line arrays and a VANTEC-118A subwoofer, along with two more VANTEC-118A subs on the ground. A handful of ACTION-508 two-way systems provide outside delays to a few shaded areas, as well as to the upstairs mix position.
As Palmer observed, the system was a perfect fit for the room. “The space has relatively low ceilings and a video wall, so line of sight was a consideration. The VANTEC system is compact enough to not be in the way, but powerful enough to cover pretty much the entire room.”
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For the 5 Words Media team, joining forces with DAS Audio was a natural fit. “DAS Audio has this amazing state-of-the-art demo room at their Miami headquarters,” reports 5 Words Media CEO Daniel Gourley. “When we walked in there I was like Gordon Ramsay when he comes in and orders every item on the menu—I just wanted to hear everything. And the VANTEC system was perfect for the kind of jobs we do—small to mid-sized churches where a full line array is too much.”
Looking ahead, the winners of Season Five of #FreeChurchAV have just been announced, with the award going to CityView Church in Phoenix. “We’re excited to see what the 5 Words Media team comes up with for the CityView sanctuary,” concluded Palmer. “And we’re looking forward to working with them on #FreeChurchAV for many years to come.”
