Community Bible Church (CBC), has a leadership team that likes to be a technological trailblazer in San Antonio, Texas. Partnering with Nashville-based integration firm AVLX, CBC recently deployed a comprehensive d&b audiotechnik sound system featuring SL-Series line arrays and subwoofers, combined with a DS100M signal engine (Soundscape) featuring both the En-Space and En-Scene software modules.
“At Community Bible Church, innovation isn’t a buzzword—it’s a mindset,” says Joey Riggins, Director of Marketing and Technology at AVLX. “The leadership team believes technology, when used thoughtfully, can elevate every moment of worship. Their relentless pursuit of clarity ensured that they were willing to invest in the right solution from the start.”
With a weekly attendance of over 20,000 across five services, CBC required a solution that could serve their 3,500-seat main auditorium while bridging the gap between high-energy worship and intelligible spoken word. The church’s leadership, known for being early adopters, sought to replace an aging system that struggled with coverage and sightline issues.
The decision to move to an immersive Soundscape system rather than a traditional left/right stereo array was driven by the desire to fundamentally change the congregant experience.
“We realized that if we replaced the old PA with just another stereo system, it would be much of the same experience, just with newer boxes,” explains Chris Torri, Managing Partner at AVLX. “We wanted to flip the script. We wanted to give them immersive audio so that everyone who walks in immediately notices a sea change in sonic quality.”
The design philosophy leveraged Soundscape’s En-Space room emulation to solve a complex acoustic conflict common in modern churches: the tug-of-war between live acoustics and broadcast audio.
“We designed the room to be acoustically ‘dead’ to ensure pristine broadcast audio, which is a major priority for CBC,” continues Torri. “However, a dead room isn’t engaging for the congregation. With En-Space, we were able to add those reverberant characteristics back in while controlling the room's energy—giving the space a cathedral-like feel for the choir or tightening it up for the message—without compromising the broadcast mix. In addition, the choice of XSLi line arrays and KSLi subwoofers has also drastically improved the quality of their broadcast audio, thanks to reduced stage volume provided by their cardioid performance.”
For Eric Allen, CBC’s Head of Audio, the primary benefits of the new system are clarity and consistency. The system utilizes En-Scene object-based positioning software to accurately place audio sources within the 360-degree sound field, aligning what the eyes see with what the ears hear.
“With En-Scene, we’re turning the traditional concept of mixing on its head,” says Allen. “Instead of trying to create a wide stereo image that’s only perfect for a few seats, we’ve aimed the audience's focus toward the stage, and they can now pinpoint exactly where a musician or vocalist is standing, no matter where they are seated.”
“The creative freedom has also empowered the worship team to envelope the congregation, especially with sweeping pads and atmospheric sounds,” Allen adds. “By throwing those into the surrounds, it pulls the audience into the moment.”
The system is interconnected via the flexible Milan networking protocol, known for low-latency and superior bandwidth management while maintaining mission-critical, full redundancy.
“We went full Milan on this project due in part to the protocol’s superior bandwidth and low-latency management capabilities,” states Torri. “We run AVB from our mixing consoles straight into the DS100M and out to the amplifiers. Because security on a project of this scale is essential, redundancy is paramount which is why we implemented primary and secondary fiber pathways.”
“The initial impression from the congregation was that while they couldn't define what had changed, they knew something was significantly better. You can see it on their faces.” says Allen. “We have much more flexibility now to ensure everyone, in every seat—including those in the balcony—has a distinct, clear experience. The sonic clarity and spatialization we now have is just unbelievable. When combined with a redundant Milan network, we’re assured congregation will always hear the message.”
About the System Configuration
The installation by AVLX features a 360-degree Soundscape system. The main array consists of d&b audiotechnik XSLi8 and XSLi12 line array loudspeakers, supported by KSLi-Sub subwoofers flown for even low-frequency distribution. The system utilizes numerous point source fills, including xS-Series 44S, 24S, 24S-D, 10S-D, and 8S loudspeakers to ensure complete coverage. Low-end reinforcement is bolstered by Bi6-Sub and B22-Sub subwoofers. The entire system is powered by 38 x 40D installation amplifiers. Processing is handled by the DS100M Signal Engine utilizing Milan networking, running both En-Scene and En-Space software modules.
