According to Thatcher Sanders, Octane AVL’s design lead, who led the project’s conceptual design, Calvary approached the company with a clear goal. “Everything was just outdated,” he says. “They had a pretty expansive production system that was still running well in their other rooms, but in the main sanctuary, they were ready to dream big. They wanted to host a full band, record, and make sure people could hear clearly from front to back.” Octane AVL delivered a comprehensive technology upgrade that included new audio, lighting, LED, and visual systems, with the Meyer Sound installation forming the centerpiece.
The team modeled and tuned the system using Meyer Sound MAPP 3D. “Chris Greely, our audio engineer, and I went back and forth to make sure coverage and weight loads would work,” says Sanders. “It’s a diamond-shaped room with a long throw and parallel surfaces, so we put a lot of thought into coverage and reflections,” adds Jonah Mann, Octane AVL marketing & design.
One of the first steps was addressing the acoustics. “They didn’t have much acoustic treatment before,” Sanders explains. “Everybody always says, ‘Let’s make it dead,’ but we prefer to say, ‘Let’s control it.’ We installed four-inch broadband panels across the walls to shape the sound instead of kill it.”
The new system comprises four hangs of eight LINA® very compact linear line array loudspeakers with six ULTRA-X20™ compact point source loudspeakers providing front fill coverage. Low frequencies are powered by six 900-LFC™ compact low-frequency control elements, three per side in cardioid configuration. System management and optimization are handled by Galileo® GALAXY 816 and 408 Network Platforms.
Identical eight-box LINA arrays were used for both the main and out fill hangs, ensuring phase alignment and consistent stereo imaging. “It’s the same array everywhere, so you get phase coherence across the entire room,” says Sanders. “It’s a very unique system. Chris, our engineer, even experimented with left-right stereo placement across the pairs so there’s complete stereo coverage everywhere in the room.”
For Calvary Church, the difference was immediate. “It’s night and day,” says pastor and worship leader Ian Dizon. “Our old system had a lot of reflections and dead spots. With the new one, the clarity is remarkable. Every instrument is clear, and the low end through the subs is amazing. The room feels like it’s a different building.”
Dizon, who has served at Calvary for 18 years, says the change has reshaped both worship and confidence among the volunteer-driven production team. “Because there’s more clarity, there’s not a fight between volume and intelligibility anymore,” he explains. “In the past, if we couldn’t hear something, we’d just turn it up—but then the reflections would get worse. Now people can still hear themselves singing, but in a way that encourages them to sing. It’s the perfect balance.”
Octane AVL’s collaboration with the church extended beyond technology. To avoid interrupting midweek and weekend gatherings, the installation was completed in two-day increments over several months. “It gave us time to focus on the details and build relationships with the church team, says Sanders. “By the end, it felt like we were part of their family.”
For Dizon, the investment has already paid off. “We thought we might outgrow this building soon, but now it feels like we’ve given it new life,” he says. “We’re even adding another service next year, and the new sound has made the experience better for everyone.”
Meyer Sound In Worship
From speech clarity to musical performance, Meyer Sound delivers sonic fidelity for houses of worship of any scale by supporting their vision with the highest-quality sound systems. Our reliable, state-of-the-art solutions can adapt to the diverse demands of live production and have the power to transform communities. Meyer Sound can elevate the worship experience to create immersive, intimate sonic experiences from the front row to the balcony, including music that is dynamic and enveloping and spoken word with incomparable clarity, so that even in rooms with thousands of people, each congregant feels like the pastor is speaking directly to them. To see how we’re delivering sonic fidelity for houses of worship of any scale, check out our solutions.
About Meyer Sound
Founded in 1979 by John and Helen Meyer, Meyer Sound is the global leader and innovator in self-powered loudspeaker systems, active acoustics, spatial sound mixing, and sound system design and prediction tools. Headquartered in Berkeley, California, with operations globally, the company is driven by a singular mission: to create the best sonic experiences in the world. With more than 100 patents and a legacy of breakthrough technologies—including the first dedicated loudspeaker processors and large-scale self-powered arrays—Meyer Sound combines scientific innovation with precision craftsmanship. Its premium systems power the world’s most iconic concert tours and festivals, theatrical productions, cinemas, houses of worship, educational institutions, and more. The company champions sustainable manufacturing and invests in the future of sound through education and global partnerships.
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