Inside NEXO: A Behind-the-Scenes Visit to France
- Katie Wagner
- 22 minutes ago
- 6 min read
This July, Pierson ProAVL design and sales engineer Ryan Murphy had the opportunity to travel to France for an inside look at NEXO, exploring the people, engineering, manufacturing, and technology behind the company’s professional audio systems.
As an AV integrator, Pierson regularly evaluates technology through specifications, system designs, prediction software, demonstrations, and—most importantly—real-world performance. But there is something uniquely valuable about going directly to the source: meeting the people who develop the products, seeing where they are built, hearing the systems firsthand, and experiencing the technology in real-world installations.
Ryan’s visit provided exactly that opportunity.
From touring NEXO’s factory and R&D facilities to experiencing multiple loudspeaker families, Sound xR immersive audio, and remarkable installations throughout Paris, the trip offered a deeper look at not only what NEXO technology can do, but the engineering philosophy behind it.
Going Behind the Scenes at NEXO
The visit began at NEXO headquarters with an introduction to the company’s history and its approach to loudspeaker design and system development.
One of the highlights was a tour of NEXO’s factory and R&D facilities.
There is a significant difference between looking at a finished loudspeaker and seeing the engineering, testing, manufacturing, and quality-control processes required to produce it. The tour gave Ryan the opportunity to see where NEXO products are developed and manufactured—and meet some of the people responsible for bringing those systems to life.
A behind-the-scenes look at NEXO loudspeaker cabinets taking shape during the manufacturing process A behind-the-scenes look at NEXO loudspeaker cabinets taking shape during the manufacturing process
That human connection became one of the biggest takeaways from the trip.
As impressive as the technology was, the people and culture behind NEXO stood out just as much. Conversations with members of the NEXO team provided insight that goes beyond a specification sheet. Instead of simply learning what a product does, Ryan was able to better understand why it was designed a certain way and the applications and challenges its engineers were working to address.
For an integrator, that knowledge can be incredibly valuable when determining how a technology fits into a client's environment.
Hearing the NEXO Product Line
A major portion of the visit was dedicated to technical presentations and listening demonstrations featuring several NEXO product families, including the ID Series, ePS Series, P+ Series, Alpha+, and GEO M12.
A listening demonstration on the lawn at NEXO, providing an opportunity to experience the performanc A listening demonstration on the lawn at NEXO, providing an opportunity to experience the performanc A listening demonstration on the lawn at NEXO A listening demonstration on the lawn at NEXO
Having dedicated time to hear and compare the systems helped demonstrate how each product family fits into NEXO’s broader audio ecosystem.
The compact ID Series was particularly interesting from an integration perspective. Many installed AV environments require excellent audio performance while also demanding that technology remain visually discreet. The ID Series demonstrates how compact loudspeakers can become part of a larger distributed system without visually dominating the environment.
Ryan also spent time listening to the ePS and P+ Series for installed and portable sound applications before moving into larger systems, including Alpha+ and GEO M12.
The GEO M12 demonstration offered a look at NEXO’s approach to scalable line-array systems designed for applications requiring greater output and coverage.
Specifications, drawings, modeling, and prediction software are essential tools in professional audio design, but ultimately, Pierson is designing systems that people will experience.
Hearing the products firsthand and discussing their intended applications directly with the manufacturer adds another important layer to the design process.
Experiencing Sound xR at the Conservatoire de Paris
Another highlight was a visit to the Conservatoire de Paris for a demonstration of NEXO’s Sound xR technology.
Immersive and spatial audio are becoming increasingly relevant within professional AV, particularly in performance spaces, entertainment venues, attractions, and experiential environments.
Sound xR demonstrated how loudspeakers, processing, and system design can work together to create an immersive sound field.
What made the demonstration especially valuable was the opportunity to actually experience the technology.
Hearing sound positioned and moved throughout the listening environment illustrated how dramatically an audience experience can change when audio becomes an immersive element rather than being limited to a conventional left-right system.
For integrators like Pierson, experiences like this help connect emerging technology with practical applications. They allow our team to better understand what may be possible when a client or project calls for something beyond traditional sound reinforcement.
From the Demonstration Room to the Real World
The trip didn't stop with factory demonstrations.
Ryan also had the opportunity to experience NEXO systems in real-world installations throughout Paris, providing an entirely different perspective on how the technology can be incorporated into unique—and sometimes challenging—environments.
One stop was the Atelier des Lumières, an immersive digital art center where NEXO helped create the audio experience using compact ID Series loudspeakers.
The installation demonstrated how a distributed audio system can complement a visually immersive environment without competing with it.
Rather than drawing attention to the loudspeakers themselves, the technology disappears into the space and the audio becomes part of the experience.
Thoughtful loudspeaker placement and system design allow the architecture and visual content to remain the focus while creating an engaging sonic environment around the audience.
Immersive AV Meets Historic Architecture at Les Invalides
Later in the trip, Ryan experienced Aura Invalides, an immersive production presented inside the historic Dôme des Invalides.
The experience combines projection, lighting, audio, and the building’s extraordinary architecture to transform the space.
From an AV integration perspective, one of the most interesting aspects was how the technology was incorporated into such a historically significant environment.
Working with the installation team, NEXO provided an immersive audio solution designed to remain hidden during normal daytime operations and move into position for evening performances.
Once deployed, the system delivers clear, immersive audio throughout the experience while allowing the architecture to remain the star of the show.
It is an impressive example of a challenge AV integrators encounter regularly: How do you incorporate powerful technology into a space without allowing the technology itself to overwhelm the environment?
Atelier des Lumières and Aura helped connect the concepts discussed during the factory presentations with their real-world applications. Compact loudspeakers, processing, distributed audio, immersive sound, and architectural integration were no longer simply technical concepts—they could be experienced working together.
More Than Technology
Although professional audio was the purpose of the trip, some of its most valuable moments happened outside the formal presentations.
Meals, travel, and conversations with members of the NEXO team and other attendees created opportunities to discuss the industry, projects, applications, and the challenges integrators encounter in the field.
Those relationships matter.
When Pierson specifies a manufacturer’s products for a project, we aren't simply selecting a piece of equipment. We are also relying on the engineering, technical support, product knowledge, and people behind that technology.
Spending several days with the NEXO team provided Ryan with a much deeper understanding of that side of the company.
And, of course, a trip to France wouldn't be complete without experiencing a little of the country itself. From Chantilly and Senlis to the Eiffel Tower, the Seine, and Paris, there were plenty of memorable moments along the way.
Bringing the Experience Back to Pierson
Ryan returned from France with much more than a better understanding of the NEXO product catalog.
Seeing the R&D and manufacturing processes, meeting the people responsible for the products, hearing multiple NEXO systems firsthand, experiencing Sound xR, and seeing those technologies operating in immersive installations provided valuable insight into the engineering and philosophy behind the brand.
It also provided plenty of ideas.
Experiencing these systems reinforces how important thoughtful system design is to creating memorable experiences.
It is one thing to discuss immersive audio, distributed loudspeaker systems, processing, or architectural integration on paper. It is another to stand inside a space and experience how audio, video, lighting, technology, and architecture can work together.
Ryan is now bringing that experience and perspective back to Pierson and our ProAVL projects.
Ultimately, opportunities like this help our team become better technology partners for our clients. The more deeply we understand the products and manufacturers we work with, the better equipped we are to recommend the right solutions, design systems appropriately, and explain why those solutions make sense for a particular application.
A special thank you to the entire NEXO team for their hospitality, education, demonstrations, and the opportunity to experience firsthand the people, engineering, and innovation behind the technology.
At Pierson, we believe great AV integration starts with understanding the technology and the people behind it.
Let’s Talk ProAVL
Planning an AV upgrade or looking for the right audio solution for your space? Pierson’s ProAVL team can help you design and integrate a system tailored to your environment, audience, and goals.
Contact Pierson ProAVL to start a conversation about your next project.
Email: designs@pierson.it
Phone: (717) 796-0493
Comments