Fellowship Bible Church Upgrades Multi-Purpose Gym

Fellowship Bible Church (FBC) in Sewell, New Jersey, which serves hundreds of families across Gloucester County, has upgraded the sound in its busy multi-purpose gymnasium with a Martin Audio TORUS system.

The venue supports a varied programme of worship services, youth activities, community wellness programmes and live music, but the previous loudspeakers were struggling to provide the required clarity and coverage.

"Large, open gymnasium spaces are known for poor acoustics," said Starlite's Nick Minieri. "Hard surfaces, exposed structure and high ceilings create reflections that make speech hard to understand and music difficult to control."

To address these challenges, local AV integrator Starlite specified a Martin Audio TORUS constant curvature line array, using its precise directivity to focus sound on the audience and limit energy hitting walls and the ceiling where reflections originate. "The constant curvature design of the TORUS system allows for even coverage across the listening area, which was critical in this space," said Minieri.

The project also included acoustic treatment to tame the room's reverberance, with impact-resistant absorption panels along the walls and additional hardware configured to reduce reflections from the exposed steel roof structure.

"We wanted something that would be relatively lightweight and easy to hang," said Nick Minieri, Starlite.

Practical installation needs further shaped the specification. "We wanted something that would be relatively lightweight and easy to hang, and we wanted it to be passive so we didn’t need to install new electrical boxes."

The new system features two flown hangs, each comprising 2 x TORUS T1230 and 1 x TORUS T1215 elements, supported by a Martin Audio SX218 dual-18in subwoofer. Four Martin Audio CDD15 loudspeakers provide delay coverage and enable the room to be split into multiple audio zones, while power and processing are handled by Martin Audio iKON iK41 amplifiers.

"The CDD paired nicely with the TORUS as delay speakers as their voicing is so similar," explained Minieri. "But we also used them in a divisible room configuration and a side configuration, giving the space three distinct stereo sound system options depending on how the client wants to use the space."

The SX218 subwoofer supplies the low-frequency extension required for contemporary worship and live performance. "This space is being used as a worship space with a live worship band, so the sub was a must-have to support the bass and kick drum," Minieri noted.

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