Richhill Methodist Church in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, recently completed a major extension and comprehensive A/V upgrade featuring a new Martin Audio sound system with amplification from by sister brand Linea Research.
The project began in summer 2025 following a conversation with Rea Sound Director, Roger McMullan, a contact established through the integrator’s previous work with houses of worship. ‘They were planning to extend the church and wanted to coincide with a complete audiovisual fit-out, both for the new extension and the church itself,’ he recalls.
While the main body of the church remained unchanged, the new extension added a kitchen, a foyer area, and upstairs meeting rooms. With the existing audio equipment around 15 years old, and the church becoming more active with events and a live praise band, the timing was perfect for a unified upgrade.
Following on-site visits and development of design proposals, Rea Sound put forward a solution centred on the Martin Audio portfolio. ‘Martin Audio is a go-to for churches,’ McMullan says. ‘In a church environment speech intelligibility is the key – the minister, the announcements, the sermon. Martin Audio is great at that. And once you get into live praise with a live band, Martin Audio just handles it all so easily.’
The installation comprises a pair of CDD15 Coaxial Differential Dispersion loudspeakers supplemented by a pair of SX210 subs, whose compact design and high output suited both the space and performance considerations.
Aesthetics and visual integration were considered alongside audio performance throughout: ‘I worked very closely with the architect,’ McMullan says. ‘He loved the design and look of the CDD, and that slimline profile worked well with his plan for aesthetics in that space. Crucially, the sound quality is there right from the front to the back of the church.’
Martin Audio Display software was used to verify the coverage: ‘I knew the solution would work, it was more of a reassurance,’ McMullan says.
The new foyer also benefits from a Martin Audio solution, comprising ACS-40TS ceiling speakers. The new infrastructure facilitates the seamless relay of main services from the church to different areas around the site, providing the technical team far greater control over the entire building. ‘We can relay sound from the church, and they also can conduct meetings independently in the foyer, plus we’ve added Bluetooth connectivity for background music in there,’ McMullan explains.
‘Everybody loves it. Martin Audio provided a perfect audio solution and it’s a project that has delivered exactly what the church needs now and into the future.’
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