15 pages, every number computed
Church Sound System Specification by Sanctuary Size
The complete first-pass AV specification for every common sanctuary size, from a 50 seat chapel to a 2,000 seat auditorium: amplifier watts, loudspeaker count, console channels, wireless channels, monitor mixes, screen size and ADA receiver counts, all computed from the seat count.
- What Sound System Does a 50 Seat Church Need? A 50 seat sanctuary needs about 3 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 6 watts of amplification across 2 main boxes, for speech and teaching only at 75 dBA with 10 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 400 square feet with a 20 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 16 channel console, 2 wireless channels and 2 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 75 Seat Church Need? A 75 seat sanctuary needs about 5 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 10 watts of amplification across 2 main boxes, for speech and teaching only at 75 dBA with 10 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 600 square feet with a 26 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 16 channel console, 2 wireless channels and 3 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 100 Seat Church Need? A 100 seat sanctuary needs about 7 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 13 watts of amplification across 2 main boxes, for speech and teaching only at 75 dBA with 10 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 800 square feet with a 30 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 16 channel console, 2 wireless channels and 4 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 150 Seat Church Need? A 150 seat sanctuary needs about 302 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 605 watts of amplification across 2 main boxes, for blended, piano and small band at 88 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 1,200 square feet with a 36 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 24 channel console, 4 wireless channels and 6 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 200 Seat Church Need? A 200 seat sanctuary needs about 392 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 785 watts of amplification across 2 main boxes, for blended, piano and small band at 88 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 1,500 square feet with a 41 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 24 channel console, 4 wireless channels and 8 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 250 Seat Church Need? A 250 seat sanctuary needs about 473 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 945 watts of amplification across 2 main boxes, for blended, piano and small band at 88 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 1,875 square feet with a 45 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 24 channel console, 4 wireless channels and 10 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 300 Seat Church Need? A 300 seat sanctuary needs about 583 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 1,750 watts of amplification across 3 main boxes, for blended, piano and small band at 88 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 2,250 square feet with a 50 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 32 channel console, 6 wireless channels and 12 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 400 Seat Church Need? A 400 seat sanctuary needs about 785 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 2,355 watts of amplification across 3 main boxes, for blended, piano and small band at 88 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 3,000 square feet with a 58 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 32 channel console, 6 wireless channels and 16 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 500 Seat Church Need? A 500 seat sanctuary needs about 4,791 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 14,372 watts of amplification across 3 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 3,750 square feet with a 64 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 32 channel console, 6 wireless channels and 20 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 600 Seat Church Need? A 600 seat sanctuary needs about 5,896 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 17,688 watts of amplification across 3 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 4,500 square feet with a 71 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 32 channel console, 6 wireless channels and 24 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 750 Seat Church Need? A 750 seat sanctuary needs about 6,756 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 27,023 watts of amplification across 4 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 5,250 square feet with a 76 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 40 channel console, 10 wireless channels and 28 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 1,000 Seat Church Need? A 1,000 seat sanctuary needs about 8,853 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 35,411 watts of amplification across 4 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 7,000 square feet with a 87 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 40 channel console, 10 wireless channels and 36 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 1,250 Seat Church Need? A 1,250 seat sanctuary needs about 11,005 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 44,019 watts of amplification across 4 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 8,750 square feet with a 97 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 40 channel console, 10 wireless channels and 40 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 1,500 Seat Church Need? A 1,500 seat sanctuary needs about 13,391 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 53,563 watts of amplification across 4 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 10,500 square feet with a 107 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 40 channel console, 10 wireless channels and 45 assistive listening receivers.
- What Sound System Does a 2,000 Seat Church Need? A 2,000 seat sanctuary needs about 17,984 watts per loudspeaker , or roughly 71,936 watts of amplification across 4 main boxes, for contemporary worship band at 95 dBA with 12 dB of peak headroom. The room runs about 14,000 square feet with a 124 foot throw to the back row, and needs a 40 channel console, 10 wireless channels and 55 assistive listening receivers.
Researched, not professional advice. Every figure on these pages is computed from standard audio and video engineering formulas, which are shown on each page so you can check the working. They size equipment; they do not design a system. For a permanent installation engage a qualified integrator, have any flown loudspeaker signed off by a structural engineer or certified rigger, and have all electrical work done by a licensed electrician to your local code. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.