HK Audio breathes new life into Valparaíso’s restored Church of San Francisco de Asís

The historic Church of San Francisco de Asís, one of the most significant National Monuments in Chile’s V Region, has reopened with a complete sound reinforcement upgrade featuring HK Audio’s SI Series P10j column loudspeakers. Installed by Audio Integra in collaboration with HK Audio, the system delivers outstanding intelligibility and discreet aesthetics – meeting the complex acoustic and heritage requirements of the landmark space.

First constructed in 1845, the church has long been an emblem of the city – so iconic that early sailors used it as a visual reference point when approaching Valparaíso, earning the city its nickname, El Pancho. After suffering three major fires in 1983, 2010 and 2013, the building has now been fully restored, with the 2024 renovation marking a new chapter for the historic site.

For this latest restoration, Audio Integra and HK Audio worked closely on detailed acoustic simulations to determine the most suitable loudspeaker solution for the church’s two main areas. According to Alfonso Verdugo, Media Manager at ProSound Chile, the SI Series P10j proved to be the ideal choice.

“Two major factors influenced the decision,” says Verdugo. “The church needed a solution that was elegant and compact enough for a protected heritage building, while still delivering consistently high audio performance. After three fires in 20 years, it also required a system with a robust security rating for clear emergency warnings.

The P10j, a passive installation column speaker featuring ten 3-inch drivers, provided the perfect blend of power, detail and architectural discretion. “The acoustic simulations from HK Audio were extremely accurate,” Verdugo continues. “They precisely predicted the final results and according to three independent studies, this system is considered the best tested among Catholic churches in Chile to date.”

Like many large, historic churches, the main challenge at San Francisco de Asís was excessive reverberation impacting speech intelligibility. The P10j successfully overcame these issues, providing focused coverage and exceptional clarity while maintaining a natural listening experience throughout the space.

Beyond performance, durability and safety were essential. The SI Series P10j meets IP55 environmental standards and is certified to EN 54-24:2008, ensuring suitability for both humid conditions and emergency-use scenarios. The model is also available in white, allowing it to integrate cleanly with the church’s interior.

Since reopening, the system has been met with enthusiastic feedback. “Being part of something this meaningful for the city of Valparaíso is truly special,” says Verdugo. “Users love the sound and the look of the speakers – it’s rare to find a solution that is elegant and acoustically impressive at the same time. It perfectly reflects the level of respect required for a renovation like this.”