Rebuilding the PA from the Ground Up with d&b audiotechnik

Venue Church, Airdrie

When Venue Church moved into a new location in Airdrie, the project went far beyond a change of address. A new room brings new acoustics, new sightlines, and new expectations. Most importantly, it exposes weaknesses that portable systems can hide.

Rather than carrying old compromises forward, Venue used the move as a reset. The goal was clear. Design a permanent PA system that matched the scale of the space, supported a volunteer-driven team, and delivered a consistent experience from the front row to the back of the room. This wasn’t about making it louder. It was about making the room work.

From Portable to Permanent

Years of operating as a portable church teaches efficiency, but it also introduces limits. Weekly setup and teardown puts wear on equipment. Workflows change depending on who is serving. Consistency becomes difficult to maintain.

Moving into a permanent facility changes that equation completely. Infrastructure can be designed properly. Coverage can be predicted. The system can be tuned once and relied on week after week.

That shift is what made this PA project possible.

Why d&b audiotechnik

The foundation of the system is built around d&b audiotechnik, a manufacturer known for predictable performance and system consistency. d&b systems are designed to behave as modeled. That matters in rooms where intelligibility, clarity, and repeatability are critical, especially for spoken word and worship vocals.

Key advantages of the d&b approach in environments like Venue include:

• Controlled dispersion that keeps energy where it belongs and off reflective surfaces

• Consistent voicing across product families, allowing systems to scale without tonal mismatch

• Integrated system processing where loudspeakers, amplifiers, and control software are designed as one ecosystem

• High intelligibility at lower SPL, which reduces fatigue while maintaining impact

  
  

Rather than chasing volume, the system was designed for balance and even coverage.

Designing the System for the Room

One of the primary goals was making sure every seat experienced the same mix. That meant thinking beyond simple left and right hangs.

The PA design focused on:

• Even horizontal and vertical coverage across the seating area

• Expanded front-fill coverage so the front rows feel connected rather than detached

• A low-frequency approach that delivers both impact and consistency

  
  

Venue Church runs a dual-sub strategy. Forward-facing subs provide physical impact and energy, while additional omnidirectional subs help fill the room evenly with low end. The result is bass you feel without losing control or clarity.

Front fills play a major role as well. Bringing sound down to listener level in the front rows creates a more immersive experience and helps spoken word feel direct rather than overhead.

Infrastructure, Signal Flow, and Reliability

A strong PA is only as good as the infrastructure supporting it. This system was supported with updated digital signal flow, including a digital snake and stage connectivity designed to reduce failure points and simplify workflows. Clean routing and predictable signal paths matter in volunteer environments where reliability is non-negotiable. The infrastructure also allows guest inputs and additional sources to be integrated easily, something Venue has already benefited from when hosting conferences and external worship teams.

Front of House Control with Allen & Heath Avantis

Control at front of house is centered around an Allen & Heath Avantis console.

Avantis strikes a strong balance between power and usability. It provides the depth needed for modern worship production while remaining approachable for rotating volunteer operators.

The system allows:

• Independent control of front-of-house, livestream, and monitoring mixes

• iPad-based mixing for specific applications without affecting the house mix

• Clear separation between sources so changes stay intentional and contained

This separation is critical in modern church workflows where livestream, in-ears, and room audio all have different needs. The room stays consistent while broadcast and stage mixes can be tailored independently.

As Venue continues to grow, the console and digital stage box setup also allows additional inputs to be added without reworking the system from scratch. The foundation is already there.

Monitoring and the On-Stage Experience

One of the most immediate improvements came from upgraded monitoring.

Clear, reliable in-ear mixes allow musicians to focus on playing and singing rather than fighting the system. Reduced stage volume also helps the PA work more efficiently, improving clarity in the room.

When musicians feel connected and confident, the entire experience improves for both the platform and the audience.

Visuals That Match the Audio

The room also features an impressive LED wall that anchors the visual experience and elevates the overall production value of the space.

While Sapphire was not responsible for the LED installation, its presence reinforces an important point. As visuals grow, expectations rise. Audio has to keep pace.

A strong PA ensures that sound never becomes the bottleneck in an otherwise high-impact environment.

A System Built for People

What makes this project successful isn’t just the equipment. It’s how the system supports the people using it.

Volunteer teams rotate. Skill levels vary. The technology needs to be predictable, forgiving, and consistent. When the system behaves the same way every week, teams can focus on serving rather than troubleshooting.

That’s when technology disappears and the experience takes over.

The Result

Venue Church’s new PA system reflects intentional design rather than incremental upgrades. It’s a system built for the room, the team, and the long term.

This project is a strong example of what’s possible when sound is treated as a foundational element, not an afterthought.