Since its founding in 1163, Paisley Abbey in Scotland has been restored and renovated several times, the latest supporting its role as a meeting point for the local community. But, with more external companies coming in to use the Abbey for special events such as music recitals, exhibitions and weddings, its 30-year-old sound system was unable to deliver.

In response, the Abbey turned to Adlib to design and install a new sound system that could meet the various needs of the facility while also being straightforward to use.

‘They required a system that was very simple to use but that could also be augmented by external production companies,’ explains Adlib Applications Engineer/Project Manager, Andrew McCully. ‘They also needed to be able to zone the speaker system, as they might have a small communion service just in the chancel area, or a small meeting in the chapel or a full Sunday service using all zones. Above all, they were looking for professional advice.’

Adlib designed a future-proof solution that revolves around Dynacord components – an MXE5 Matrix Mix Engine provides the control and sound processing required by the different functions of the site, with SoniCue Sound System Software used for system set-up and creation of a user-friendly GUI for a TPC-1 Touch Panel Controller.

‘We spent a lot of time around the user interface, as that is such a key element to the success of the project,’ recalls McCully. ‘If the interface is complicated or confusing, the users don’t have a good experience – no matter how good the speakers sound. SoniCue was used to create a GUI with presets for the TPC-1 specific to the needs of the user and provided a system that both sounds great and is easy to use.’

Control is via an iPad or the IP-networked TPC-1, which both allow scene recall and level adjustments. The church selects one of three presets, a Normal Mode, a Chapel Mode and a Chancel Mode. Each preset activates different elements of the system and a different combination of microphones.

Adlib chose Dynacord TS models from the vertical-array series of loudspeakers. Four TS 400 cover the main nave of the Abbey, with a further three TS 100 and the same number of TS 200 in place to cover adjacent spaces.

‘We’ve used quite a lot of the TS series in other houses of worship and they certainly perform really well,’ McCully says. ‘We selected the TS range as it provided great coverage and an aesthetic quality to the installation.’ To complete the setup, an Electro-Voice EVU ultracompact loudspeaker has been positioned discretely under the pulpit to provide front fill.

Dynacord also provided the solution for driving the loudspeakers, with Adlib combining different members of the manufacturer’s installation amplifiers. A pair of IPX 5:4 four-channel amplifiers are joined by a C1300FDi model to provide more than enough power for the church.

The age and historic nature of the building provided the main challenge for the project, as Adlib faced limitations in the loudspeaker positions and fixings that could be used. A Dante audio network infrastructure was used to reduce the cabling, and the Adlib team worked hard to ensure that everything on show is as neat as possible.

‘This is predominantly a Dante system, though with the flexibility of the MXE5 we’re feeding the C1300 with an analogue output. We used a couple of Dante I/O plates to allow the church to connect additional mics when needed, or to plug a mixing desk at a FOH position for whenever there are additional requirements and the need for a dedicated operator on faders. We also had to strategically position an induction loop amp which is fed from an output from the Dante I/O plate, meaning that we could run a single Cat-6 cable instead of a four-pair multicore.’

Reflecting on the project, McCully says: ‘This was never going to be an easy install, due to the nature of the building. The sound is very good, spoken word is fantastically clear and playback is rounded and warm. Our team did also a great job with the cabling, which is neat and hidden were possible.’

Most importantly, the Abbey is pleased with the results: ‘The church team got up to speed with the controls pretty quickly and have had really positive feedback from the congregation,’ he adds. ‘I’m confident that the system is so versatile that it will stand up to whatever they can throw at it.’