L-Acoustics system unites worshippers

DWR Distribution has recently installed an L-Acoustics K3i system in Unite180’s newly constructed 2,500-seat auditorium, Unite City, to enhance the audio experience. Located in Pretoria, Unite City opened its doors last year and is the church’s main campus, alongside its other locations in Potchefstroom, Nelspruit, Windhoek and Stellenbosch.

Following extensive demonstrations and research led by Jaco Beukes of DWR distribution, the church elected to upgrade from the slightly smaller L-Acoustics system, which was installed at its previous campus, to the K3i system to better suit the scale of the new auditorium.

“Being a young, vibrant and very energetic church, the demand for a full-range PA with enough headroom was apparent,” explained Beukes. “The full system consists of 18 K3i (nine per side) powered by four LA12X amps supplying four circuits for each line array. This gave us the ability to maximise the autofilters from Soundvision, dramatically improving the HF and LF coverage in the room. On the low end we were able to remove all the subs from the ground and only have flown subs. To keep up with the K3i, we opted for four KS28 sub-woofers in a cardioid configuration located behind each K3i array (eight in total) which are powered by another two LA12X amps.”

The KARA out-fills and X8 and 5XT front-fills have all migrated from the previous venue to the Unite City campus. The new install included upgrade kits for all eight KARAs, of which the Panflex focused the energy of the KARA II where needed. In addition to the installation, there were four X12 stage monitors, powered by an LA4X. Beukes commented: “This means that the coverage onstage follows the same sonic signature that the rest of the audience enjoy.” Signal to the system is via AVB from a P1 at front of house, while backup signal is via AES from a DiGiCo SD12 stagerack.

A spokesperson from Unite180 concluded: “The transition from the temporary system, now effectively deployed in several other of the church’s locations, to the K3i was truly a remarkable experience. While the previous system maintained the high-quality sound we had come to expect from L-Acoustics, the size of the new setup and its ability to deliver consistent, top-notch sound to every seat in the auditorium was a game-changer.”