Located in Aichi Prefecture of Nagoya, Japan’s Nagoya Betsuin of the Shinshu Otani-ha has been a central temple of worship since its construction in 1632. To resolve long-standing acoustic issues and improve the clarity of word for attendees, the Taimensho reception hall recently undertook an upgrade with the help of Renkus-Heinz distributor Beetech.
Alternatively known as Higashi Betsuin, the temple hosts Buddhist ceremonies and religious events, and is also used for exchange events and markets, making it an important meeting place for the local community. However, the building’s distinctive architecture comes with complex audio challenges, including intelligibility in the main hall.
The reception hall is a large, traditional temple structure. Buddhist sermons (Hōwa) are delivered here each day, as well as other ceremonies.
Around ten years ago, the building underwent a major renovation. Original tatami flooring was replaced with carpet laid over concrete, while shōji paper screens on the sides were changed to a more durable, tear-resistant material. The renovation, along with the temple’s previous loudspeakers, caused significant issues with reflected sound from walls and ceilings.
The sound-absorbing properties of the tatami flooring and shoji paper screens were lost, leading to increased reverberation and a significant drop in speech intelligibility when using the PA system. A substantial upgrade was necessary for the temple to continue hosting sermons and other events successfully.
A representative from equipment supplier A&V Co suggested Renkus-Heinz loudspeakers would be a suitable solution due to their narrow form factor, high performance and beam-steering capabilities. After conducting a successful demonstration with the Iconyx Compact Series ICC12/3, the decision was made to officially install the system.
The compact design of the ICC12/3 boxes allowed them to blend into the temple’s decoration. Its diminutive dimensions notwithstanding, the ICC12/3 delivers exceptional flexibility and directivity without sacrificing performance.
‘With the introduction of the ICC12/3 system, we were able to deliver sound evenly throughout the room with minimal power,’ representative from the temple explains . ‘This reduces the need for excessive output to the rear, effectively helping to control reverberation. Since the installation, there have been no complaints during the daily Buddhist sermons. I believe those involved in the setup and tuning worked very hard, and I sincerely appreciate their efforts.’
Where the temple’s previous sound system used portable loudspeakers, the new fixed installation is to be mounted on the temple’s pillars addressing both audio and aesthetic concerns. The installation team designed custom mounting brackets to allow the loudspeakers to be positioned with precision, while being concealed behind the arrays.
The ICC12/3’s beam-steering technology permitted free adjustment of their output to mitigate the pillars’ acoustic influence. The result is exceptionally clear sound throughout the hall.
Renkus-Heinz’s Rhaon II software’s eight-band equaliser was additionally used to match the existing system to input devices such as wireless microphones and mixers.
Three months after installation, the local sound engineer reports the upgrade to have vastly improved the experience for both attendees and lecturers: ‘The lecturers are extremely pleased with the results,’ he says. ‘The issues we faced have been resolved, and we are highly satisfied.’
Higashi Betsuin is now equipped to host a multitude of events, from Buddhist ceremonies to other religious proceedings, with an exceptional Renkus-Heinz audio system that ensures every word is heard clearly. Visitors to the historic temple can now focus on enjoying their experience without the distraction of sound distortion and reverberation. Advanced Iconyx beam-steering technology was the perfect match for such a complex and architecturally sensitive space, bringing exceptional audio performance and directivity to this culturally important venue.