RCF audio equipment has been installed throughout a new church complex in the province of Sassari in northern Sardinia. The new Holy Spirit complex in Porto Torres incorporates a church, several multi-purpose halls and a sports area – with a total surface area of over 8,000 sqm. An important point of reference for the local community, the complex was constructed at a cost of of 2 million euros, and inaugurated in June 2016.
A critical factor for the choice of sound reinforcement products was the architectural structure of the church: it is an open space, 36m wide and 16.5m deep, excluding the choir and chapel. There are no installation points, and so the perimeter walls are the only anchor points available.
Two RCF VSA2050 columns have been installed on the side walls, plus one VSA1250 near the altar, to reinforce the front rows. The VSA columns’ deep throw and 130° horizontal coverage mean that this small number of cabinets is sufficient for full coverage of the space.
VSA speakers are high suitable for installation in acoustically challenging ambient spaces or in areas where particular architectural constraints exist. A simple control mechanism allows the audio signal to be directed towards the listening area and avoids the dispersion of acoustic energy towards the ceiling or into empty zones; this ensures the removal of echoes and other effects that might compromise intelligibility.
The speakers’ compact size and low profile give them a discreet appearance that easily blends into the building’s interior design. The VSA speakers installed in the Holy Spirit church have been supplied in the standard colour, but RCF can supply speakers with customised RAL tints, in order to minimise the aesthetic impact in any venue.
A second VSA1250 column is dedicated to the monitoring of the choir, and this is situated next to the altar. A two-way compact DM 41 speaker has been installed in the sacristy for monitoring purposes, and the small closed chapel next to the altar, measuring 7m x 6m, has been reinforced with a two-way slim-line CS3082 column speaker and an AM 1064 amplifier-mixer (60 W with three audio inputs).
The external part of the church is a vast yard without a porch, and for this area the P2110-T coaxial two-way speakers – with perforated aluminum front grille and water-repellent fabric backing – were chosen and installed on the external walls. These speakers meet the IP55 specification against the ingress of liquids, solids and external agents. “We chose the P Series speakers because they are horn-loaded, so they guarantee efficiency and high directivity in an area as large as the external yard. They are also weatherproof,” say RCF engineers that where involved in the project.
Sassari-based company Costec undertook the installation of the sound reinforcement system in the church of the Holy Spirit. Costed chairman Tonino Loi has worked previously with RCF delivering other notable projects on the island, including the fire-alarm system for the Brotzu hospital in the city of Cagliari in 2007. The installation and launch phases in Porto Torres were carried out rapidly and the customer was highly satisfied with the final results, said Loi.
