We have had a number of churches ask for a comprehensive list of misconceptions regarding the purchase of a new sound system. We aim to please, so here it is!
Number 1: The most expensive is always the best bet. There are many church audio installation companies out there that will try to convince you that you simply must spend at least "X" dollars to purchase the perfect system for your church. While it is true that spending too little can result in a substandard church audio system, it can also be a red flag indicating that that particular audio company has a primary aim of moving more expensive product lines, whether or not your church facilities require equipment of that caliber or not.
Number 2: I was told of the rule of thumb that states you must multiply the seating capacity of the church by $75.00 to arrive at an appropriate sound system cost. Ok, let us look closely at this. According to this myth, a church that seats 350 people should spend $26,250 on a new sound system for their sanctuary. This rule of thumb is for SOUND ONLY. You will still have thousands to spend on video projection and integration. This is a fallacy, pure and simple. We at Church Audio Template can provide you with a list of clients whose audio systems have far exceeded their expectations at a fraction of the cost of this "rule of thumb".
Number 3: Only "XYZ" manufacturer provides a product suitable to the needs of your house of worship. Not usually. Some manufacturers are on the cutting edge of loudspeaker design. These new designs feature speakers that can offer pinpoint coverage to reduce reflections off of hard surfaces. This, in turn, increases the intelligibility of the sound system by reducing slap-back and reverberation. In our present day and age, many manufacturers offer fantastic solutions to solve these audio issues, so you need not be tied to one specific manufacturer. As discussed above, this may be a ploy to attempt to sell the installers preferred brand of speakers.
Number 4: The church down the street bought a new system that consists of "XYZ" speakers and amplifiers, it sounds great, we need the same. Please don't make this mistake. As you well know, all church buildings differ as to size, layout, building materials, attendance and of course type of worship service (spoken word only, or full fledged praise band). Our experts will look specifically at the layout of your church and the type of worship service you engage in. Only then can we offer you a new system that will function above expectations for years to come.
Number 5: Our church has been told that NONE of our current sound system can be reused in our new audio system. This may or may not be true. When Church Audio Template designs a new sound system for your house of worship we view it as a living, breathing organism. All of the components should be designed to work together with all components working together in harmony. To put it another way, your new church sound system is designed as a team, with each piece of audio gear selected to work seamlessly with all the others in the signal chain. Sometimes, we can use items such as podium mics, wireless mics and CD recorders in the new system. Typically, we will want to replace all amplification, speakers and interface and / or DSP units to create a solid platform that will provide years of reliable service.
Number 6: A new sound system for a church must be installed all at once. While this obviously helps, our church audio system experts can work out a step by step plan to upgrade your system as funds allow. We will ascertain the needs of your sound system and work to correct any major flaws right away. Then we can work closely with you to formulate a plan that makes sense and fits within your long term budget. We have built Church Audio Template on helping churches of all sizes, but we have a special soft spot for small congregations in rural areas that really need to stretch their donation dollars. We have delivered complete sound systems to churches for as little as $2,100.00. Doing the right thing irregardless of the amount of money spent is what keeps us busy and growing. Call us no matter what your problems are, or how small your budget is. If it is possible to fix your churches audio issues within your budget, Church Audio Template will be there to make it happen.
Number 7: Our worship facility does not have a dedicated sound engineer to run the sound system, will we ever achieve a great sounding church service? Absolutely! While it does add cost to the system, we can design a system that runs on automatic mixers, which once set-up, require no human interface at all. Another option is to add a digital signal processor that can allow a member of the congregation to control the volume levels and sound sources via Wi-Fi from an iPad or laptop while sitting anywhere in the church!
Number 8: A person in our congregation was / is a musician and believes that they can design our new system with no problem. Well, maybe yes, maybe no. The background of a musician or band member differs greatly from the experience needed to design an integrated church audio system. In our opinion, you should take into consideration the needs and views expressed by those church members and then relay those on to us to create the perfect church sound system that incorporates the latest technology to satisfy all church members.
Number 9: Our small church can not afford professionals like Church Audio Template. Not true at all! Let us help you avoid the buy three, get one pitfall of church audio. Most churches accept the least expensive audio system that is proposed to them. After installation they find that the new system lacks a few minor things, and they throw some more money at the problem. Then, after the new problem solvers are installed, a few more issues come up requiring a little more money to solve. During this process they have probably expended enough dollars to have bought one of the midrange bids that would have perfectly suited their needs. Thus the church has bought three systems to arrive at the system they should have bought in the first place! This is usually the fault of the church. How is it the fault of the church, you ask? Well, for starters, they probably did not know how to adequately explain what problems or shortcomings their current audio system has. They simply contact a few local companies and ask for bids. Some come in high, a couple are grouped closely together and there will likely be a low ball or two. Ask the members of your church what bothers them the most about the current sound system. Make it a team effort to ensure that your church gets an audio system that all agree is far superior to the previous system, and is ready for any future additions your church may have in mind.
Number 10: A church sound system is the same whether it is for Liturgical or Contemporary service. Whoa! Hold on, don't even think that! Nothing is further from the truth. These two systems differ greatly in design, capability, function and flexibility. A system designed for the spoken word will never survive being introduced to a kick drum and bass guitar. Our experts at Church Audio Template can still solve your audio issues within a reasonable budget, but the system is much more complex and will require deeper consultations with your praise team and leadership to design a perfect audio system for your house of worship.
I hope this helps you understand the common myths surrounding the purchase of a new sound system for your church or house of worship. Take your time, do your research and your audio upgrade will be as painless and stress-free as possible! | 
