Sagebrush Church, one of the largest churches in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has a campus that features a worship center seating 2,000–3,000 in a theater-style layout. Weekly services have full bands, and the sanctuary hosts events and live-streamed productions, making clear and consistent audio essential. But despite investing in state-of-the-art LED video walls and lighting, the church’s existing sound system had reached its limits.
“We had a system in the room that wasn’t really performing,” says Ryan Peddycoart, Production Director. “We started seeing systemic issues like shorts, and tonally, the system just wasn’t giving us what we needed. Even at low volumes, there was distortion in the lows.”
The team’s approach changed after an experience with 1 Sound Tower Systems elsewhere on campus. Each Tower System combined three Tower LCC44s stacked on a horizontally deployed CSUB610, positioned just 11 inches from the wall. “We both really enjoyed that system and how it feels,” says Daniel Trillo, Systems Engineer. “If we could get that same experience in the Worship Center—where it feels impactful and good to actually listen to—then that’s what we wanted.”
The 1 Sound team worked closely with Sagebrush to troubleshoot the current setup before exploring a full redesign. “Lou (1 Sound’s Founder & Designer) wanted to take care of us more than he wanted us to have 1 Sound,” Peddycoart explains. “Even though it wasn’t his system, he wanted to see if there was any way to resolve our issue first.”
When it became clear that the existing system couldn’t meet the room’s needs, 1 Sound sent a demo system to the church “the next day” featuring four Contour CT212 mains and four SUB2112 subs, plus two CT28s to address delay coverage. “The main concern was that it was a point source in a room that needs to throw about 110 feet and still remain clear, intimate, and impactful—without overwhelming the front rows,” Peddycoart explains. “We listened to the Contours, and it was transparent and really natural.”
“A secondary concern was an odd low-end build-up in our space that was apparent in the previous system. This deployment with the SUB2112s really helped us control that and keep the coverage where it needed to go and not excite parts of the room,” says Peddycoart. He says utilizing multiple Contour point sources allowed Sagebrush to achieve even coverage throughout the space while keeping the stage and screens unobstructed.
The final design uses six CT212 flown as main left, center, right clusters, seven CT28s as delay fills, and six SUB2112 subs near the stage to provide controlled low-end energy without muddying the mix. Eight Cannon C8i loudspeakers mounted along the front edge of the stage deliver the energy and clarity needed for the first rows, matching the presence of the Contours to ensure each seat has the same experience. Powersoft Unica amplifiers power the system, giving precise control over every element.
“The system has been much easier to mix,” Trillo says. “I don’t feel like I’m fighting the system anymore. I can push things up, and it already feels right. It doesn’t feel like I have to do as much to get the sound that I want.” Trillo adds, “I can hear what the engineer is doing in real time, and it doesn’t feel like the system is pushing back,” mentions Peddycoart.
Pastors, musicians, and worship staff all noticed a difference. “During tuning, the pastor stepped on stage and asked, ‘Is this everything that’s on?’” Peddycoart recalls. “He said he could hear himself clearly and had never experienced that before. Saying he doesn’t have to yell to be heard. It feels super natural even behind the boxes,” says Peddycoart. “Worship staff also reported more consistent on-stage energy, which makes their in-ears feel better. Having been here for years, I see the energy is definitely coming back up,” says Trillo. “We’ve gotten a lot of compliments saying it's really nice that we now have coverage everywhere. And everything feels the same everywhere, which was one of our main goals,” said Trillo. “The worship staff mentioned seeing a lot more hands up, and I think that’s reflective of engagement with this new system,” says Peddycoart
Sagebrush also added 1 Sound’s new Panorama 65 in their live video studio. Using proprietary Panorama Technology, the single speaker delivers mono, stereo, and sub information across the full field. “The Panorama 65 has been other-worldly,” Trillo says. “Our video director can pick out individual instruments, hear the full bandwidth of services, and feels like he’s part of the room again—all without needing extra volume.”
For Sagebrush Church, this project wasn’t just about equipment—it was about partnership. “Lou has always said the relationship starts now, not ends with the final result,” Peddycoart shared. “We’re still getting check-ins and support. This is the only company that’s ever treated us anywhere near this level.”
With even coverage, controlled low end, and unmatched clarity, the Sagebrush leadership team says they now have an audio system that fully supports the scale, energy, and impact of its worship experience.
Products Used: CT212, CT28, SUB2112, C8i, Powersoft Unica amplifiers, Panorama 65, Tower LCC44, CSUB610
Video Case Study Link: https://youtu.be/FkOCKt2tZ60
