Sonic spectacular: advice from audio experts
Spectacles, whether big or small, wouldn’t be believable without sound. We talk to audio experts from various fields, discovering the tools and techniques helping them achieve the incredible
Meyer Sound PANTHER Elevates Audio at Church
New Psalmist Baptist Church enhances its worship experience with a custom Meyer Sound PANTHER system, delivering superior audio quality and integration
Baltimore’s New Psalmist Baptist Church has ushered in a new era of sound excellence with the installation of a cutting-edge Meyer Sound PANTHER large-format line array system. The upgrade, carried out by Charlotte-based integrator WAVE AVL, comes ahead of the church’s celebration of 50 years of pastoral leadership in 2025 and replaces an aging sound setup with a state-of-the-art solution tailored to the sanctuary’s needs.
The church, which accommodates more than 3,500 worshippers, required a sound system that could deliver superior audio quality across its vast and complex layout, including main floor seating, balconies, and side loges. To meet these demands, the WAVE AVL team designed a combination of line array and point-source loudspeakers, ensuring balanced sound coverage for every seat.
Production Coordinator Deaven Wood highlighted the church’s choice of Meyer Sound technology: “We sought a reliable, state-of-the-art solution that could adapt to the diverse demands of live production. Meyer Sound’s reputation for excellence, combined with WAVE AVL’s expertise, made this an easy choice.”
The new sound system includes two main left and right arrays of PANTHER loudspeakers and additional LEOPARD arrays for side coverage. Meyer Sound’s UPQ-D3, ULTRA-X40, and ULTRA-X20 loudspeakers handle over- and under-balcony fills, while low-frequency control is provided by 1100-LFC elements. All components are monitored via the Galileo GALAXY platforms, offering seamless system management.
A key design element was the decision to have the loudspeakers custom-finished in white, allowing them to blend unobtrusively with the sanctuary’s aesthetic. With the church regularly streaming services to YouTube, maintaining visual harmony was just as important as ensuring top-tier sound quality.
Rob Bender, CEO of WAVE AVL, emphasised the challenges posed by the sanctuary’s large dimensions and high ceilings but praised the lighter weight of the Meyer Sound system. “We were able to leverage existing power in the ceiling, and Meyer Sound’s lighter system helped with ceiling loads and structural approval. Despite challenges, the results were phenomenal,” he noted.
In addition to aesthetic and acoustic benefits, the system includes advanced networking capabilities, with the integration of AVB and Milan protocols. These allow for real-time monitoring and troubleshooting via the RMServer, providing reliability and scalability for future expansions.
For Wood and the church community, the response to the new system has been overwhelmingly positive. “The first time we powered it up, everyone was amazed by the clean, crisp, and well-rounded sound,” said Wood. “Meyer Sound has exceeded our expectations, and we are confident this system will elevate our productions and enhance the worship experience for years to come.”
The installation marks a significant investment in the future of live production at New Psalmist Baptist Church, with the PANTHER system poised to support everything from regular services to large conferences in the years ahead.
