The acoustic requirements of modern places of worship are quite demanding. Speech clarity and quality are critical, with or without amplified sound. Likewise, congregations demand high quality distortion-free sound reproduction of instrumental and choral music. Religious centres cater for a variety of faiths and have many functions and forms of interaction and music - from traditional choral and organ music to more contemporary amplified band music.
Some worship centres are used for social purposes as well, such as conferences, family gathering and performances. The audience experience in places of worship is also extremely important for spoken word or congregational singing, and acoustics pAtays a large part in optimising these experiences. Attention to acoustics will help achieve the right balance of performance and aesthetics.