Chinese Bible Church of Maryland Worship Space Acoustics

The Chinese Bible Church of Maryland was having a range of sound issues in their large open worship space. After attempting a few fixes on their own, they contacted Acoustical Solutions to help guide them to an appropriate sound control solution.

The church knew they had a sound problem. The room is approximately 60 feet x 80 feet. In one area of the room, the ceiling has a pitch that goes up about 40 feet high. They had hung the speakers and they treated the beams with a spray-on solution. They also attempted to combat the room acoustics by using a combination of headset microphones and electronically equalizing (EQ) the room. None of these options produced satisfactory results. With the vast amount of bare drywall, sound continued to reverberate throughout the sanctuary. It was obvious the acoustics would need addressing before the room could reach its full potential. Their church services include a mixture of spoken word, presentations, and live music. Since these services are recorded and streamed online, the room acoustics would need to be addressed, as they would play a vital role in the production quality of the audio. The goals of this project were to reduce the noise to provide better acoustical performance and improve speech intelligibility. The facility managers contacted Acoustical Solutions to request proposals for acoustical material with an option for installation.

The Chinese Bible Church of Maryland opted to purchase both acoustic material and installation from Acoustical Solutions. Our installation team mounted approximately 2,100 square feet of AlphaSorb® Fabric Wrapped Acoustic Panels in bands around the perimeter of the room. The customer chose to have the panels covered in Guilford of Maine Anchorage Fabric (Angora color). Since standard sizes maximize the materials we use to make panels, the design incorporated the use of 4′ x 6′, 4′ x 8′, and 4′ x 10′ panels. We manufactured each group of Anchorage Acoustic Panels with a beveled edge around the perimeter and square edges where the panels met. This approach provided a finished look when covering large blocks of open space. Where required, Acoustical Solutions made the necessary cut-outs for lights and electrical boxes.