How to Reduce Feedback and Echo in Church Audio
Updated: Oct 12
Feedback is not usually fixed by finding the offending frequency and cutting 15 dB out of it.
That's treating the symptom.
Feedback happens when enough sound from the speaker gets back into the microphone and travels around the loop again.
So start with the physical system.
Where are the microphones?
Where are the speakers?
How loud is the stage?
How much gain does the microphone actually need?
Is the microphone appropriate for the application?
Then look at system tuning and EQ.
Echo is a different problem.
Sometimes what people call echo is excessive room reverberation. Sometimes it is an improperly delayed speaker. Sometimes it is a monitoring or routing issue.
Identify what you're actually hearing before trying to fix it.
Guessing with EQ can make a system sound worse without addressing the cause.
Need help making Sundays easier?
Identify where the problem starts with Ignite's church AVL evaluation and consulting and build a clear plan for your equipment and team.
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About the author
Chris Eslinger is a founder and partner at Ignite Sound + Stage and Creative Production Director at Greenwood Christian Church. A contributor to Technologies for Worship Magazine, he helps churches improve audio, video, lighting and volunteer workflows through practical, hands-on training.
Read Chris's Yamaha DM7 mixing console review in Technologies for Worship Magazine.
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