Renkus-Heinz ICONYX steerable line array technology has been deployed throughout the Episcopal Cathedral of St. Philip in Atlanta, Georgia, solving longstanding speech intelligibility problems caused by the venue’s highly reverberant Gothic Revival architecture.
The cathedral, which first opened in 1962 and is one of the largest Episcopal congregations in the United States, had relied on an ageing audio system for more than 20 years. Stone walls, high ceilings and hard floors created severe reverberation that made speech clarity almost impossible with the existing setup. Consultant Newcomb & Boyd was brought in to specify an upgraded solution and created an EASE acoustic model of the space to determine the most appropriate loudspeaker configuration before any hardware was selected.
The resulting design, installed by Dynamic AV Systems, centres on Renkus-Heinz’s ICONYX digital steerable line array system. The installation comprises two IC24-RD digital steerable line array systems as mains at the front of the hall, supported by two IC8-RD arrays covering the transepts at the sides. Ten IC16-RD columns extend coverage through to the rear of the space, ensuring consistent audio reach across the full congregation area.
A dedicated AV network was developed using Dante for front-of-house control, after it became clear the cathedral’s existing IT network was not compatible with the updated solution. The system is designed to be scalable for different service sizes – for gatherings of fewer than 100 people, staff can deactivate the rear arrays and rely solely on the front IC24s for a cleaner, more focused result.
Throughout the installation, the existing system remained operational to avoid disrupting regular services – an added complexity that required Dynamic AV Systems to work carefully around legacy equipment while fitting the new infrastructure.
Aesthetics were also a significant consideration. The cathedral’s interior stonework is central to its character, and the previous system had left visible cabling and prominent loudspeakers. The new Renkus-Heinz columns were custom-painted to match the stonework, and custom-painted wire mouldings were used to conceal cabling running up the stone columns. Denmon noted that some elements blended so effectively that parishioners were still asking when the new system would be installed.
James Denmon, of Dynamic AV Systems, said: “Knowing that speech intelligibility was the main goal, the ICONYX steerable system was the obvious solution for this venue. The ability to steer sound directly to the audience is a real game-changer for acoustically complex venues such as this cathedral.”
He added: “The ICONYX system has dramatically enhanced speech intelligibility for services of all sizes. One parishioner told us that after attending the Cathedral of St. Philip for many years, she could finally understand everything that was being said.”
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