No photograph can adequately portray the aesthetic beauty of Saint Mary’s Cathedral in Lafayette, Indiana. The liturgical intricacies and historical design features must be experienced firsthand to be fully appreciated. Understandably so, Saint Mary’s did not want to sacrifice any of the 1866 facility’s aesthetic features when they began planning solutions to their acoustical issues and updates to their audio system.
The acoustical problems were complex. The long reverberation time created a great environment for listening to choral selections and musical solos, but it made the Priest’s spoken voice unintelligible. Several solutions were recommended to make the space ideal for both types of sound sources. Acoustical absorption treatment along with new digitally steerable loudspeakers were recommended to reinforce the Priest’s voice and to enhance intelligibility. Our precise measurements enabled us to make specific acoustical recommendations that fit with the aesthetic priorities of the space while achieving the desired acoustical goals.
