Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has been training its students to deliver an inspirational message for over a century. And without the right loudspeakers the music and spoken word echoing off the walls of the Ft. Worth seminary’s auditoriums, chapels, and rehearsal rooms could have easily become more piercing than inspiring.

Which is why Idibri (formerly Acoustic Dimensions) the acclaimed Addison, TX based acoustical design firm, turned to EAW loudspeakers when they were tasked with upgrading the audio-video systems in the 100,000-square foot facility.

Ford Audio-Video Systems, according to the Idibri specification, installed EAW QX Series, AX Series* and UB Series loudspeakers in key spaces within the seminary, including its 3,500-seat auditorium. Additional EAW systems were installed in the chapel building’s choir and orchestra rehearsal rooms.

“This was a very substantial project, and a lot of this chapel was built around the audio-video systems,” says Ford AV project manager Jon Pidgeon. “The EAW loudspeakers supplement the auditorium’s main left-right arrays.”

“We have a total of five QX units hanging in one cluster, covered with a fabric orb,” said Pidgeon. “There are two QX side fills and five upper balcony delays that are also QX speakers. The center QX cluster is being used for vocal reinforcement only, but they have the option in the DSP to also use it for live performances.”

The full range, three-way model QX564 and QX596 speakers respectively provide coverage over a 60-degree by 45-degree and 90-degree by 60-degree dispersion pattern.

The installation included two-way, full range UB52i speakers for the under balcony and for front fill and AX Series units for choir monitors and in rehearsal rooms.

The seminary’s chapel building is primarily used as a training venue for expository preaching, but also hosts musical performances, such as the School of Church Music’s yearly performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” With the upgrade, SWBTS will now be able to accommodate graduation ceremonies and other large events.

“The seminary’s top priority was speech reinforcement,” says Idibri senior consultant, Casey Sherred. “The EAW QX speakers allowed us to design a speaker cluster that delivered natural speech reinforcement with great pattern control.”

*Since installation, AX loudspeakers were succeeded by QX loudspeakers.