Auckland’s Eastgate Christian Centre recently upgraded its audio system with Allen & Heath dLive digital mixing for FOH and ME personal monitoring.

‘We needed a greater auxiliary count and a more flexible workflow than the existing FOH mixer could provide,’ explains Eastgate Technical Arts Director, Matt Bayly. ‘Plus, the old monitor system was no longer reliable, so the church decided to replace both systems with a higher capacity system that can easily handle the most demanding services.’

After researching and seeking advice from an A/V consultant, the church called on its team of volunteers to test different mixing options before the purchase: ‘It was a unanimous decision,’ says Bayly. ‘Everyone preferred dLive, as it has a superior workflow, is more user friendly and it sounds incredible.

‘Following dLive’s installation, there has been a marked improvement in the audio quality, and we have received great feedback from churchgoers, pastors, musicians and sound technicians. The transition couldn’t have gone more smoothly between the old and the new systems and we are left without regrets.’

The S7000 and DM64 MixRack were installed in Eastgate’s 450-capacity main auditorium, offering future expansion possibilities. The system manages the FOH mix, auxiliary sends throughout the building, and the mix sends for the front line vocalists. Musicians mix their own monitor mixes with the ME-1 personal mixers, of which there are currently eight.

‘Having access to 40 channels has proved invaluable. The ability for musicians to have customised stereo mixes has only improved musicianship and their enjoyment of playing at Sunday services,’ Bayly says.

Eastgate also installed a Dante card for recording of services, podcasting, archiving, multitrack mixer training and the ability to connect to legacy sound consoles for monitor mixing.

‘As an end-user, we have really enjoyed learning the dLive system. The flexible channel strip layouts, low noise floor, Deep processing, and large dual touchscreens, are stand out features for us. We would highly recommend the system to other churches – it’s a pleasure to use,’ Bayly reports.

More: www.allen-heath.com