When working with media in a church setting you are always
faced with an ever-changing technological market that you can’t necessarily
keep up with because of budgets and fear of change. But when the church has
growing needs especially in the area of sound you find that you need to upgrade
your sound gear without breaking the bank. The question is what are needs now
and in the future? We are finding that with the direction our worship is going
that maybe we should look into going towards the digital route with the
soundboard. Upgrading to a digital board can be expensive especially when you
consider the additional accessories and plugins that would be needed to work
with any existing or new equipment.
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| X32, courtesy of Behringer.com |
The key to determining what kind of upgrade you are willing
to do is research. Research is vital when dealing with media and technology
because it gives you the knowledge you need to determine what is going to fit
with the needs and budget. Our Youth Pastor recently was at Guitar Center and
had chatted up the Pro Sound salesman about soundboards. The salesman was
telling our Youth Pastor about the new Behringer Digital Mixer X32 that has all
the features that we are looking for without the bank-breaking price tag. Of
course as a team we have to look at all the specs of the board and compare it
to other digital boards to see if this is the board that will work.
Whether your church is considering an upgrade or a major
over haul in your audio/video department, having the needs of the church
figured out especially the future needs will help determine what equipment
should be purchased. Don’t hesitate to research products, ask other churches,
and seek out professionals who work with the equipment. As they say, “knowledge
is power,” and it is true because knowledge can save you money and keep you
from settling with less than par equipment.
