The challenge of finding the budget to invest in new audio and video systems can be daunting for small and mid-sized houses of worship For US integrator 5 Words Media, however, it is the inspiration behind #FreeChurchAV.

Now in its fifth year, #FreeChurchAV is an annual competition that has awarded more than a million dollars in free audio and video systems to churches across the US. Now DAS Audio has joined with 5 Words Media as a gold sponsor of the event, beginning with Season Four’s winners, Blue Ridge Chapel in Rocky Mountain, Virginia.

‘When we heard about #FreeChurchAV we knew right away it was something we wanted to be involved with,’ says DAS Audio VP of Sales for Pro Audio, Michael Palmer. ‘This was a company doing something truly special, and we knew we could support them and help make a difference for some lucky congregations.’

Due to the church sanctuary’s dimensions – being a deep room as opposed to a wide room – Blue Ridge Chapel’s has installed a centre array of three DAS Vantec-20A self-powered constant curvature line arrays and a Vantec-118A subwoofer, along with two further Vantec-118A subs on the floor. Action-508 two-way systems provide delays to a few shaded areas, as well as to the upstairs mix position.

‘The space has relatively low ceilings and a video wall, so line of sight was a consideration,’ Palmer observes. ‘The Vantec system is compact enough to not be in the way, but powerful enough to cover pretty much the entire room.’

Looking ahead, the winners of Season Five of #FreeChurchAV have been announced as CityView Church in Phoenix, Arizona. ‘We’re excited to see what the 5 Words Media team comes up with for the CityView sanctuary,’ says Palmer. ‘And we’re looking forward to working with them on #FreeChurchAV for many years to come.’

For the 5 Words Media team, DAS Audio is a natural fit: ‘DAS Audio has this amazing demo room at their Miami headquarters,’ says 5 Words Media CEO, Daniel Gourley. ‘When we walked in there I was like Gordon Ramsay when he comes in and orders every item on the menu – I just wanted to hear everything. And the Vantec system was perfect for the kind of jobs we do – small-to-mid-sized churches where a full line array is too much.’