Woodlands goes wireless with Audix
Woodlands goes wireless with Audix
To streamline rapid Sunday morning room changeovers and solve stage safety challenges, The Woodlands First Baptist Church has integrated Audix Wireless MicroBoom MBW50B microphones into its primary 1,200-seat sanctuary production setup.
Hosting three distinct weekly services – from traditional with full choir and orchestra to contemporary with a praise band, as well as a Spanish-language service – the multicampus ministry required flexible miking for specialty ensemble moments. Technical arts Director Clinton Moore deployed the wireless versions to eliminate cable hazards and line-of-sight issues on the church’s 12m-deep stage without sacrificing audio quality.
Integrating the tech involved pairing the MicroBooms directly with existing wireless belt pack transmitters. This setup allowed the production team to deploy micro-boom stands at the very edge of the stage, an area previously lacking direct audio inputs.
“We frequently feature specialty moments in our services, such as a children's choir or a small ensemble performing a song or two,” explained Moore. “Naturally, we want to position the kids right at the front edge of the stage so parents can clearly see them and take pictures. However, our stage is 40 feet deep and we don’t have any audio inputs at the very front. In the past, miking these groups meant running 50-foot cables across high-traffic walkways, which created significant tripping hazards.”
Moore credited the Wireless MicroBooms to solving these challenges: “We simply connect them to our wireless belt pack transmitters and drop the stands right in place. Once the performance is over, two volunteers can easily pick up the stands and walk them off the stage without any cable tangles to manage, keeping the area clear for the sermon.”
Beyond rapid teardown, the ultra-thin profile prevents visual obstruction for live attendees and broadcast cameras, whilst the cardioid pickup pattern provides coverage across groups of 20–30 performers with minimal EQ required. Having relied on Audix D-Series –D6, D2, D4 – and i5 dynamic microphones since the late 1990s, Moore found the wireless MicroBooms matched the fidelity of their wired counterparts.
“The frequency response and overall sound quality are exactly the same, but having the wireless capability makes them significantly more flexible,” he confirmed. “They sound fantastic, require very little EQ, and provide excellent volume. We use the cardioid version, which offers a nice, wide pickup pattern. If I place it in front of a group of 20 or 30 children, I don't get any localisation issues; it evenly captures the entire group.”
He also appreciates their visual appearance, citing their small and thin profiles which allow them to be hidden onstage, ensuring there are no line-of-sight issues for the congregation or the cameras.
“Audix produces top-notch equipment at a very reasonable price point,” Moore concluded. “Their microphones sound phenomenal, they are incredibly durable, truly built to last a lifetime and they cover a massive spectrum of applications. The Audix Wireless MicroBooms are a perfect example. They give us the flexibility to quickly set up and capture performances where we don't have access to other equipment, while keeping the high level of sonic quality we rely on from Audix.”
