NEXO takes Citylight worship to the next level

Citylight Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, has completed a major upgrade to its audio-visual infrastructure, centred on a new sound reinforcement system built around NEXO loudspeakers as part of a wider, networked audio environment.

The church, which draws a large student congregation due to its proximity to the University of Nebraska, previously operated with an improvised audio setup in a century-old building. According to production director Alex Neill, cabling and systems design had evolved in an ad hoc manner over time. “When you talk about a church being scrappy, we’re a very MacGyver church,” he said. “You make what you have work. We were running XLRs from the snake on the back of the stage through the floor into the basement. It was nuts.”

As attendance increased, the limitations of the existing system became more apparent. “They were maxed out; channel count, bus count – everywhere,” noted Zach Lahm of system integrator HouseRight, adding that reliability also became a concern with two of the church’s previous consoles blowing up. “It literally started smoking in the middle of the service,” he said.

HouseRight worked with the church on systems design and integration, delivering a networked AV solution incorporating a Yamaha DM7-EX console, Dante audio networking, Shure QLXD wireless systems and Q-SYS for building DSP. Within this setup, NEXO P+ loudspeakers form the core of the sound reinforcement system.

The loudspeaker selection followed onsite demonstrations and evaluation of multiple manufacturers. “NEXO was selected based on sightline concerns, the output they needed, the clarity they wanted and overall value. The church heard the demos and chose NEXO,” added Lahm.

Installed in a repurposed industrial building more than 100 years old, the system was designed to address coverage consistency, sound pressure levels and intelligibility across the room. According to Neill, the difference compared to the previous system is significant: “In our old building, we had two PA speakers and two subs. Now, people in the back get the exact same experience as the people in front. It’s night and day.”

The NEXO system operates within a broader AV ecosystem that includes RF-based in-ear monitoring and networked signal distribution. Dante networking has enabled more flexible routing and control, including the ability to duplicate inputs with different processing for individual performers. “We’ll put the same Dante input on another channel with a different EQ for that person,” Neill explained. “It blew our volunteers’ minds.”

The installation was also designed with volunteer operation in mind, with HouseRight providing system training for approximately 40 volunteers following commissioning.

Since the upgrade, the church reports improved consistency in sound coverage and greater reliability in day-to-day operation, supporting a range of services and events in the new space.