SFL Group has carried out the inaugural UK install of the L-Acoustics KARAi modular WST line source system for permanent installation at a 2,000-capacity church in North London, Jesus House.
Housed in a converted warehouse, the church features an audience area of 25m wide by 60m deep, covered by a right/left system of six KARAis per side, powered by two LA8 amplified controllers, one for each hang. Four SB18is subwoofers per side are built into the stage, two12XTi coaxials act as front-fill for the KARAi system, and three further 12XTis are flown at the back of the venue to cover a small balcony.
The attractive appearance, absence of fixed touring rigging and high sound quality were among the reasons that informed the specification of the KARAi system by SFL Group, whose technical director is Mark Payne.
“Being a bi-amped product, KARAi works really well for this installation because it has loads of high frequency headroom, so even when the box is pushed hard it maintains a high degree of clarity,” he says. “Jesus House is within the contemporary worship/gospel tradition, so their music is effectively high energy, and they need a concert-orientated system that keeps up with what they want to achieve in terms of sound pressure levels.
“It’s a very efficient system. It has a huge amount of bass and high frequency headroom for the client’s current requirements, but they’re a fast-growing organisation and see themselves in this venue for five years maximum, so we needed a product that could be scaled up when necessary. KARAi is also at the beginning of its lifespan, so its longevity was really important in the decision making process.”
Ayo Olunloyo, head of media at Jesus House, added: “After a visit to L-Acoustics in Marcoussis, Jesus House was delighted to buy into the impressive history and culture of ‘L-Acoustics excellence’. As a church organisation that believes strongly in building good relationships, we instantly recognised and identified with L-Acoustics’ desire to contribute positively to our operations. […] The system is so fantastic that one just wonders how far it can go before it runs out of headroom. The response from the congregation has been more than positive.”
