Clayton Acoustics Group is an acoustics and sound system consulting firm with a wide range of experience, specializing in projects for houses of worship and the performing arts. We offer a full scope of architectural acoustics consulting services, and specialist areas of our work are room acoustics and speech-reinforcement sound system design and pipe organ acoustics.

Our projects include new construction, renovation, and historic preservation and restoration for churches, synagogues, theatres and auditoriums. We provide a broad range of project work which typically runs from stand-alone sound systems to complex, full-scale, multi-discipline facilities. For houses of worship, our emphasis is on churches and synagogues with traditional liturgies and strong music programs. Performing arts facilities include a wide variety of building types, such as multipurpose high school and community auditoriums, college theatres and music facilities, plus historic vaudeville, music hall and theatre renovations.

We have provided worship space acoustics consulting for many congregations across the spectrum of Christian and Jewish denominations, and are equally at home in a small parish church, neighborhood synagogue or large city cathedral. Bringing both music and speech to life in a worship space is an exciting challenge and our passion.

A performance space is probably the most complicated and costly part of any school or public arts building, and as such requires experience, creativity and a thorough understanding of the theatre and musical arts on the part of the design team. In particular, our role as specialty acoustic consultant is of critical importance in advising the architect and client from the earliest stages of design. Our staff has worked professionally in various aspects of the performing arts and we bring this considerable experience to the design table on every project.

Clayton Acoustics Group was founded by Dan Clayton in 1992 to provide speciality sound system design and engineering services, architectural acoustics consulting, project management and supervision, and acoustics consulting for pipe organs. Initially a part-time endeavor, projects and workload evolved into a full-time business by the beginning of 1996. The first full-time employee was hired at the end of 2001, and a second in 2003. Growth has intentionally been slow yet steady—focusing on building a solid client base, training of personnel, and investment in appropriate acoustic design tools and technology—with expansion carefully planned and carried out.

Sound system design projects are typically focused on providing optimum electro-acoustic performance with the goal of achieving excellent speech intelligibility and music clarity completely within the context of the natural room acoustics. Seamless integration of loudspeakers and other components into the architectural fabric of each building, and identification of appropriate end-user control are hallmarks of our innovative designs.

Architectural acoustics is a more recent addition to our roster of consulting services. Establishing a proper acoustic environment for talkers, musicians and listeners, isolation from external noise sources, and elimination of noise and vibration inside a building all contribute to superior worship and performance spaces.

In addition, Dan Clayton’s strong background in music and pipe-organ building frequently leads to projects helping clients with a range of organ-related issues in both religious and secular settings.