Church speaker placement in a corner will excite the greatest number of room modes (standing waves), while speakers placed in the locations indicated will excite the least number of room modes. Listeners will experience the smoothest response when the speakers and listening location are placed away from room modes.
Give additional consideration to same frequency cancellation (“suck-outs”) by ensuring that the speaker’s distance from the sidewall is not the same as its distance from the front or rear wall. Keep in mind that it is rarely possible to set up speakers in the ideal position for all three-room dimensions. Therefore, try to position them in at least one of the recommended church speaker placement locations by room dimension mentioned above.
Another weapon in the standing wave knowledge arsenal is the conservative use of equalizers to help flatten system response. However, equalizers are not a cure-all, just another potential tool when used properly. Always exercise caution, as equalizing a particular frequency from one listening position can cause a severe dip or boost in another, severely altering the overall frequency balance. The potential also exists to blow up amplifiers and woofers by trying to apply excessive bass boost to compensate for a low frequency suck-out or cancellation point. Before applying any equalization, first invest time in determining the best physical speaker placement. A qualified “sound consultant” will have the necessary test equipment to take level measurements from several listening positions and average your results by frequency before making adjustments.
Fortunately, the wide popularity of subwoofers can be a blessing when dealing with standing waves. Separating the bass driver from the mid and high frequency drivers allows placement flexibility. Also, the ability to separately adjust woofer phase can help tame excessive standing waves to a dull roar.
Standing waves can be the most problematic audio dilemma to solve. A combination of all the above mentioned methods for church speaker placement may be necessary to achieve the flattest possible frequency response in a room. With some time invested, you can immensely improve the sound and the entire listening/worship experience through wise church speaker placement.
