AVL SYSTEMS
HOW MUCH IS THAT MIXER IN THE WINDOW?
DESIGNING AND BUYING CHURCH AVL SYSTEMS – PART 1 | Jeff Hawley
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before… A NAMM, InfoComm and WFX, the most The plot thickens as questions like, “How many
Regional Sales Manager, a manufacturers’ common question I get from general attendees speakers will I need to cover a room with seating
rep firm Pro Sales Manager, a Dante-Certified is some version of, “So how much is it?” and, for 1500 people?” and, “Are 24 microphone
AV Systems Specialist, a Certified Installation “How do I buy it?” Then comes my response of, preamps enough for a small praise band?”
Technology Specialist, and an AV Systems “Well, we don’t actually sell things, our dealers and, “Can I connect my Brand X personal
Integrator walk into a church. The joke is that do. And they will sell it for some amount that monitors with your Brand Y console?” pop up.
this large cast of fancy-sounding characters is less than the $999.99 retail price”. For a While trade events are great for connecting and
still likely leaves out a few important players church tech director wandering around the attending training sessions and getting a very
in the process for outfitting your church with a show floor, rinse and repeat this experience for high-level sense of the movers and shakers in
cost effective, flexible and well-designed AVL the audio console, the speakers, microphones, the industry, they usually aren’t designed to be
system. stage lights, direct boxes, etc. ad nauseam. a ‘retail' sort of experience. What trade shows
This approach might help yield the most basic illustrate is just how complex and opaque much
In my decades of exhibiting with various ballpark pricing info, but likely isn’t providing a of the AVL system design and install process
manufacturers at industry trade shows like very helpful or accurate budget picture. can be without some professional guidance
along the way.
156
September 2019
Subscribe for Free...