Serving the communities of Tamworth and Lichfield in Staffordshire, UK, Coton Green Community Church offers a range of flexible spaces designed to meet the needs of both the church and the wider community, centred around a welcoming 650-seat auditorium. When upgrading the sanctualy sound, the church consulted Novum Live, whose understanding of the church’s needs proved decisive.
To design the system, Novum Live used OpenArray, Outline’s proprietary 3D acoustic simulation software. The team modelled the auditorium and positioned loudspeakers virtually, to evaluate coverage, SPL and uniformity across the space.
‘During the modelling process, it became clear that several configurations could technically work,’ explains Tim Jacques of Novum Live. ‘However, when considering coverage and SPL requirements, the Outline Vegas 15 CX [two-way, full-range] emerged as the ideal choice.
‘By rotating the horn, we achieved sufficient vertical reach for the raised seating while maintaining tight horizontal control to avoid unwanted wall reflections. A line array would not have been optimal here – a precise, point-source design was the right choice.’
The installed system features Vegas 15 CX loudspeakers flown left, centre and right, their 80° x 60° dispersion providing consistent coverage throughout the auditorium, including the upper-tier mix position.
Because of the loudspeaker height and the proximity of the stage to the congregation, a dedicated front fill system was essential. Six Outline Vegas 24 [wide-dispersion, passive] loudspeakers were installed across the stage lip, ensuring clear and balanced sound for the first rows and those taking part in services from the stage area.
‘There was a small coverage gap directly in front of the stage where clarity would have been compromised,’ continues Jacques. ‘The Vegas 24s filled that space perfectly, and thanks to consistent voicing across the Outline range, they integrate seamlessly with the main system.’
Low-frequency reinforcement comes from two Outline Sub 215 dual 15-inch subwoofers, configured to provide powerful, evenly distributed low-end energy throughout the room.
‘Careful system design is the key to great results in the field,’ says James Lawford of CUK Group, Outline’s UK distributor. ‘When combined with a top-tier system from Outline, the result is stunning sound quality and impressive coverage, which I experienced firsthand during my visit after the installation. Novum Live has been a valuable partner to CUK and Outline for many years, and the company’s commitment to quality shines through this installation.’
Amplification and processing are handled by two Powersoft Quattrocanali 4804 DSP + Dante amplifiers. Each channel runs presets optimised for the specific loudspeakers, ensuring both maximum performance and long-term reliability. Power distribution was fine-tuned using Powersoft’s Power Sharing Tool, allowing the Sub 215s and Vegas 24s to share one amplifier efficiently, while the main Vegas 15 CX loudspeakers are powered by a dedicated unit.
The result is a compact yet powerful system, requiring only 2U of rack space in amplification and processing, capable of delivering full peak power to every loudspeaker with ample headroom for both dynamic performances and spoken word.