Westover Hills Church is located in San Antonio, Texas, and was founded in 1986. Its main building houses a 2,200-seat auditorium and has undergone several expansions and renovations over the years. The space features a large stage, tiered balconies, and a modern infrastructure designed to host an active and engaged congregation.
Just as the church has been updating its facilities over time, they also decided to upgrade their sound system, opting for a more powerful and precise solution for the main auditorium. The project was developed in collaboration with 5 Words Media —an integration company based in Phoenix, Arizona, that specializes in AV systems for houses of worship— and DAS Audio of America, under the direction of Michael Palmer, Vice President of Sales.
A space with reverberation issues and constant musical demands. “We had some issues with the old system, and it became increasingly clear that it had served its time. It had done its job, but it was time for an update”, explained Carlos Peña, Technical Director at Westover Hills. The auditorium posed a significant acoustic challenge: a large space with limited height, and a surrounding balcony that made sound control even more complex.
The low ceiling height led to unwanted reverberations, while the balcony made consistent coverage difficult and increased the risk of acoustic spill into areas where it wasn’t needed. To ensure clear and even sound throughout the room —including under the balcony and at the rear of the space— a technical solution was needed that could reduce reflections, control directivity, and prevent sound from bleeding between zones. Westover Hills’ services feature live music with full band and choir performances, making it essential to have a sound system capable of accurately reproducing both vocals and instruments.
In short, the challenge was to find a powerful and precise sound system that could overcome the architectural constraints of the space, eliminate unwanted echoes, provide uniform coverage, and maintain a high level of sound quality during worship services.
To meet the architectural demands of the auditorium and ensure uniform coverage across all areas, the team chose a compact yet powerful configuration led by SARA systems. A total of 16 units were installed, arranged in four line arrays of four systems each. This layout kept sightlines clear for the audience while providing consistent sound pressure levels throughout the room. “A traditional line array would have created visibility problems for the congregation. However, the SARA systems, thanks to their compact size, fit perfectly. And of course, they’ve delivered excellent coverage for every seat in the auditorium”, said Carlos Peña, Technical Director at Westover Hills.
To enhance low-frequency performance, six SARA-SUB units were flown, and four LARA-SUB subwoofers were placed beneath the stage, providing deep and balanced reinforcement without obstructing visibility or creating hot spots.
The setup was completed with nine ARA-P28.74 units for upper-balcony fill and ten ARTEC-506A systems as front fill, ensuring clarity in the front rows and precise coverage even in the most challenging zones.
The installation has brought a significant improvement to the listening experience for both the technical team and the congregation. “The SARA system gives us clear and defined highs, a full midrange, and powerful lows with more than enough output for our needs. We’re really happy with the results”, said Carlos Peña. The entire system is remotely managed via DAS Audio’s ALMA software, making monitoring and control much easier. “I really like being able to manage everything from anywhere in the building”, he added.
From the DAS Audio of America side, the collaboration was equally successful. “From planning to installation and system commissioning, it was a pleasure working with the 5 Words Media team. They are true professionals. And the ARA systems were a perfect fit for the space —they’ve definitely raised the bar in terms of performance”, noted Michael Palmer, Vice President of Sales.
