L-Acoustics provides flexible solution for Filadelfiakyrkan’s new space

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Stockholm, Sweden – Inaugurated in November 1930, Stockholm’s Filadelfiakyrkan (Philadelphia Church) belongs to the Swedish Pentecostal Movement. With the church’s popularity expanding, a service programme that features small bands and the intention to rent the building out to touring productions, the decision was made to undertake a complete renovation of the building and update its technical infrastructure. In 2019, construction work started, including remodelling of the main hall to create a versatile space with improved sight lines. At the beginning of 2020, official L-Acoustics Certified Provider Rental and Certified Provider Install, JLE Audio was asked to provide a proposal for a new PA-system which would address the church’s own needs and ensure that it is a fully rider friendly venue.

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The remit was for a complete solution with full coverage for all seats that would handle anything from speech to pop / rock music. In September, a shootout was organised in a similar venue between five loudspeaker brands. The systems were hung side by side and a jury of professional sound engineers, staff from the church’s music and tech department, and volunteers performed listening tests and comparisons of a wide range of music and speech material.

 

“We asked everyone to fill in a form for each system in the different scenarios,” says Pontus Rydebjörk, head of installation at Filadelfiakyrkan, who works alongside colleague Linus Pansell. “When we gathered all the answers, JLE´s commitment, the rider compatibility and the price meant that choosing the L-Acoustics system was easy.”

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Sound engineers Emil Söderteg (left) and Philip Briland in Filadelfiakyrkan’s main hall.

 

JLE’s Johannes Jonsson, who handled design, installation, calibration and tuning of the system, then created a sound design proposal with the help of L-Acoustics Application Engineer Oskar Meijer. The load capacity of the building roof is limited, therefore Kara II was chosen for the main system due to its light weight, and its ability to provide the coverage and punch Pontus and his team were after.

 

“We had a number of additional criteria, a significant one being that we wanted flown subs,” adds Rydebjörk. “As our stage is built with removable sections, we wanted to be flexible with the stage design and not have to adjust the design/space for the subs.”

 

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The installation was completed by JLE and the audio crew from the church during the winter of 2020/21. The final design comprises main left / right hangs of 12 Kara II per side, with four KS21 flown behind the Kara II per side. Outfill is catered for by an A15 wide per side, whilst frontfill is six X8, with a further eight X8 as under balcony fills. The entire system is driven by LA4X amplified controllers running on AVB from an L-Acoustics P1 processor and measurement platform at front of house.

 

“Using the P1 was the natural choice as we wanted a flexible matrix for the whole system where you can connect both the in-house console and guest consoles, with the ability to connect both via AES or analogue. We also wanted the ability to send separately to subs, etc., and have a guest EQ,” continues Jonsson. “In addition to this, we want the best sound transmission to amplifiers. Here, AVB/MILAN is unbeatable, as everything is 100% time aligned and sent with the highest sound quality. As redundancy, there is an analogue fallback from the P1. Another nice feature that the P1 offers is auto-climate integration.”

 

Jonsson is appreciative of L-Acoustics’ support and assistance with the Soundvision design and proposals and its help during the demo / shootout. “It feels very good to have a close relationship and support from the manufacturer,” he says. “It has helped us to make the right decisions and take the project to next level, with very good results.”

 

“It is always a pleasure working with Johannes and JLE. No one takes their mission more seriously than Johannes. He always looks for the best solution and does it with a smile!” concludes Rydebjörk. “We haven’t been able to test the system as much as we would like due to Covid, but our first impression is how even the coverage is. It sounds the same everywhere, from the first row to the last row of the balcony.”

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The church is currently being used as a mass vaccination centre and the L-Acoustics system being put to good use, playing lounge music and recorded messages for everyone attending.

About L-Acoustics

Founded in 1984 near Paris, France, L-Acoustics is the market leader in professional sound reinforcement technologies. With over 550 team members worldwide and offices in Paris, London, Singapore, Los Angeles, and New York, L-Acoustics is present in over 80 countries via our network of Certified Providers. Focused on solutions that elevate the audience experience, more than 20% of L-Acoustics’ talent is devoted to R&D in the areas of acoustics, applications, mechanics, electronics, signal processing, and software development. In recognition of creating innovative professional sound technology, L-Acoustics was named as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2020.

 

Recognized for pioneering the line source array, L-Acoustics continues to shape the future of the professional audio industry with L-ISA Immersive Hyperreal Sound technology, a multidimensional, object-based approach to designing, mixing, and processing sound that results in extremely natural and intelligible audio, and a more vibrant, authentic connection between artists and their fans. Now also available for exceptional private sound spaces with L-Acoustics Creations designs.

 

L-Acoustics technologies can be heard in places like the Hollywood Bowl, Dickies Arena, Allianz Arena, home of Bayern Munich, or the Philharmonie de Paris, as well as the world’s top-grossing festivals, and on tour with world-class artists such as Mark Knopfler, Aerosmith, and P!NK.

Web: www.l-acoustics.com