Princeton University Chapel, recognized as one of the largest university chapels in the U.S., has recently upgraded to a Renkus-Heinz sound system featuring advanced beam-steering technology. This installation includes 13 self-powered Renkus-Heinz IC Live Gen5 loudspeakers strategically placed throughout the chapel's main sanctuary, such as beside the altar, on columns, sidewalls of the balcony, and at the Marquand Chapel.
The initiative, driven by the need to enhance speech intelligibility and musical acoustics within the chapel’s reverberant environment, was carried out by Washington Professional Systems (WPS) based in Maryland. The chapel, built with sandstone walls, limestone details, and 80 ft-high ceilings, seats close to 2,000 worshippers but faced challenges with sound clarity due to its grand architectural design.
Key features of the new system include the OmniBeam algorithm, enabling tailored sound coverage designed to match the unique spatial geometry of the chapel, and a distinct set-up that allows each loudspeaker to be controlled individually, thereby simulating sound emanation directly from the altar.
The design incorporates an Allen and Heath Avantis digital mixing console and utilizes a Dante-based audio network facilitating efficient signal routing across various zones including the sanctuary, choir, and altar with minimized latency.
Sam Berkow from SIA Acoustics and John V Fish, senior project engineer at WPS, emphasized that the beam-steering capabilities crucially control the sound's vertical dispersion, enhancing speech clarity and creating an impression of direct sound origin from speakers. This update enables Princeton University Chapel, built in 1928 and renowned for its English Gothic architectural style, to maintain its historical integrity while meeting modern acoustic standards.