Florida’s Antioch Missionary Baptist Church Upgrades with ISP

MIAMI GARDENS, FL — Antioch Missionary Baptist Church has built a new 2,500-seat Dwelling Place sanctuary, conceived to meet the needs of a growing congregation as they face the challenges of the pandemic. Currently led by Pastor Arthur Jackson III, the Antioch Missionary Baptist church in Miami Gardens was established in 1957 and has been expanding its reach ever since, with a 20-fold explosion in membership since its inception. Rising to meet the challenge of finding an audio system right for the sanctuary’s 5,500 square foot-space was ISP Technologies, a leader in loudspeaker technology and manufacturer of pro audio systems with 38 patents under its belt.

OVERCOMING OBSTACLES

For Antioch, impediments like the unpredictability of the pandemic and the temperamental Florida weather were barriers to maintaining a consistent schedule for construction and services. The necessity of remote viewing options for congregants meant that delivering Antioch’s message of worship through quality systems was of the utmost importance. “Building during the Covid-19 pandemic was extremely difficult – tariff charges, product increases, product availability and not being able to get supplies in a timely fashion made this a stressful process,” says Kimbrick Jordan, Antioch’s sound engineer. “However, while we were waiting for the new facility to open, we relied on online streaming which we’d started back in March 2020 when Covid-19 forced us to move online. Through our ministry via Zoom and live streaming, we’ve been able to reach people locally as well as abroad.” In addition to the new sound system, new lighting and video systems were also installed. The new systems in the sanctuary were designed to provide clear sight and sound for congregants attending in person and at home.

Jordan worked with Calvin Seymour to design the audio, lighting, and video systems, relying on ISP Technologies to provide the audio products. “I was introduced to ISP Technologies by Scott Pederson from Remote Production Group around 2015 and had the opportunity to meet Buck in Vegas in 2016,” says Jordan. “After that, I went to visit him for three days in Michigan and listened to every box they make. All their boxes are powered and the amplifiers are better than anything I’ve heard of before. Buck helped design our new system, but Seymour complains sometimes because when I really turn everything up, it rocks the cameras!”

Detail of the flown main arrays

THE SYSTEM

Jordan chose a flown FOH system comprised of 24 ISP Technologies HDL3312 high-definition line array modules augmented by six ground-stacked and two flown XMAX218 dual 18-inch subwoofers. A wedge monitoring system of six VM110 floor monitors, four HDM112s, four HDM115 stereo pairs, four ProWedge 212s and six OVP-1s ensures that performers’ musical talents will be amplified and steal the show. The front and under-balcony fills include eight HDL2208 cabinets. The cabinets are housed in Baltic Birch, with all of the gear being made in Michigan.

The ISP equipment is tailored for large spaces with cost efficiency in mind, but doesn’t compromise on quality. When detailing ISP’s patented Dynamic Adaptive Amplifier (DAA) technology, CEO Buck Waller highlights the equipment’s sound design and energy use. “We don’t integrate Class-D topologies into our designs, as they exude a brittle, shrill tone compared to our much warmer Class-A/B amplifier,” explains Waller. “We get almost the same heat, but we also pull less current than Class-D. This makes them much more efficient and cost-effective for the electricity bill.”

The considerable size of the sanctuary also made vocal clarity a top priority. Waller says that the ISP equipment is particularly designed to achieve a vocal quality that cuts through the noise. “We also pay particular attention to the midrange, so the vocals can always be heard clearly, which is imperative for the church market,” he continues. “It is no good if the music is loud and then the pastor speaks, and you can’t understand him.”

With the Dwelling Place sanctuary now completed, congregants both at home and in person can worship with high-quality sound, video and lighting systems that do justice to the message and the artistic mediums complementing each service. Despite the challenges Antioch experienced as they labored to build the sanctuary, Jordan commends the work done by ISP Technologies to meet their needs at every juncture throughout the process. “From a buyer’s perspective, Buck and the ISP family went above and beyond exceptional customer service,” Jordan finishes. “Everyone went to such extreme measures to make sure everything went according to my vision. They paid close attention to every detail regardless how large or small – if it mattered to me, it mattered to them. From an end user perspective, after over 30 years in the production field, I’ve now had the opportunity to mix on and listen to what I consider to be the best sound system in the industry and I promise, you won’t find a better built or a better sounding versatile box in its class.”

For more info, visit: isptechnologies.com