State College Friends Meeting recently updated the sound system in their meetinghouse. A new digital audio processor and six pendant ceiling speakers replaced hanging microphones that had been used for decades.
Ann Sidone, a member of State College Meeting, shared about the new system: “It became apparent that the range of the elderly hanging microphones was insufficient to pick up voices from around the meeting room, and that reverberation muddled the sound and interfered with the lift system.” She also shared, “Even using assistive listening devices, some Friends with hearing loss were considering leaving meeting because they still were not able to participate fully.”
The company the meeting partnered with was Morefield Technology. Morefield Technology installed the new system in late 2024. The 2024 addition included a digital audio processor and six pendant ceiling speakers. Earlier this year, State College Meeting added six wireless handheld microphones on microphone holders and two lavaliere microphones for presenters “The microphones are positioned around the meeting room in order to be within reach of all Friends,” Ann shared.
Ann shared about the discernment that meeting carried about the 2026 upgrade: “After spending more than $23,000 on the system in 2024, much of which was covered by generous donations from Friends, we needed to think carefully about spending another $13,000 to upgrade the microphones.” She continued, “The meeting quickly came to unity that spoken ministry, as well as meetings, programs, and other events in the meeting room, need to be accessible to all.”
“More donations from individual Friends covered much of the cost,” Ann shared on how they funded the latest project.
Ann also noted that the meeting, along with Upper Susquehanna Quarter’s Creative Hands group, is working on quilts to hang on the walls to reduce reverberation.
Friends have begun using the system. “There’s definitely a learning curve, though. We provided handouts with explanations of how to use the new system, and Friends have been willing to adapt, but they sometimes forget and begin speaking without a microphone,” she continued.
Ann also shared feedback from the first meeting for worship using the system: “Several Friends commented that they had heard all of the messages and announcements for the first time in years. Even those who don’t have hearing loss find it easier to hear everyone in the room and have expressed their appreciation.”
Ann shared what happens when microphones are not used: “This renders the message entirely inaccessible to those on Zoom and those using assistive listening devices, even if the speaker has a louder voice than most. We try to offer gentle reminders or take a microphone to the speaker, but it can be a little awkward at times.”
Ann shared, “The microphones and speakers are configured as a voice lift system to reproduce natural voice levels at opposite ends of the room. This provides some amplification, but primarily it is meant to restore natural voice levels and allow participants to speak at a regular volume.”
Ann mentioned what comes next as State College Meeting uses the system and care for it over time. “And of course as new Friends come into our midst, education on using the system needs to be an ongoing process.”
