KLANG:vokal+ provides Avatar’s live immersive mixes

Built on ultra-low latency FPGA processing, KLANG:vokal+ was utilised by Swedish heavy metal band Avatar to keep their in-ear mixes sounding open and natural. Their engineers upgraded to KLANG:vokal+ with brand new MIDI integration, compatible with their Allen & Heath dLive monitor console. By taking full advantage of the additional channel count and in-console control, they ensured every instrument and microphone could be processed through KLANG, delivering a spacious mix that keeps the band connected to their music and audience.

Tim Bickford and Niklas Dahlstrand have handled front of house and monitor duties respectively for Avatar since 2022, switching to KLANG during their 2023 tour cycle. Currently, they are on tour supporting Iron Maiden, before their autumn headline tour, In the Airwaves. The tour will promote their new album and begins in November, with dates in the USA, Mexico, Europe and the UK. The change to KLANG was a leap of faith as Dahlstrand had never used it before, but now the band would not consider working without it.

“Going from 24 channels to 64 with the vokal+ software upgrade was straightforward and simple, I didn’t run into major challenges getting it going,” Dahlstrand recalled. “The new dLive MIDI integration is a real workflow improvement. Going from touch screens to physical faders has made my work during the show both quicker and more confident. My whole rig feels more seamless. Avatar is instrument heavy, we’ve got two drum sets, pianos, and trombone, so when we return to headline shows it'll be nice to have everything running through KLANG.”

It was Bickford that first introduced the band to KLANG. He was visiting friends in the audio team of fellow metal band, Electric Callboy and listened to their mixes. He quickly made the case for adding KLANG to the list of equipment purchases the band were planning to make.

“I just remember my mind being blown by the difference KLANG made to the Electric Callboy band members, especially for a metal band where you need to feel the guitars and drums,” Bickford said. “When the question came up about audio gear for the next tour, the band were keen to try it. I’m not the one managing our KLANG system, but I said to Niklas, ‘you’re going to have a lot of fun with this!’ It makes a difference at front of house, too. When the band are comfortable on stage, it makes everything better.”

Dahlstrand and Bickford are both using Allen and Heath consoles, front of house runs an S5000 with DM32, while monitors use the more compact CTi 1500 with DM32, accessing KLANG via Dante. The FOH setup is supplied by Clair Global, the monitor rig is owned by the band. Both consoles share gains and KLANG is fed via the direct-out on every channel. The mix is then perfected in KLANG and fed back to the band via their IEMs.

Dahlstrand beta tested the new MIDI integration, giving him the opportunity to try out features before general release. “It’s always a treat to try out new features before they’re officially released, especially when you know they’ll make day-to-day work smoother,” he continued. “For me, KLANG is the perfect finisher, previously, perfecting the panning could be a bit hard, but having the physical screen means you can see and really feel it where it is. Everything becomes much clearer with a KLANG mix, so you don't have to crank your IEM belt-packs to the max to get a feeling for the sound. It's been great for me and the band, especially the drummer, who has really noticed a difference in his pack gain.”

The spatialised content of a KLANG mix is a much more natural way to listen. Instead of trying to pan and EQ sound, engineers can place instruments and microphones as objects in the mix, either horizontally around the head or above and below it. This has an effect on how the brain processes the sounds, making it less fatiguing to listen to than a tight stereo mix. Because the brain is more comfortable, the requirement for additional gain and EQ is reduced.

“Even when we went to the studio to record the next album, the band took the whole set-up for recording,” Dahlstrand continued. “If I go back and bypass KLANG, or if I do shows without KLANG with other acts, I feel like something is missing. When you use KLANG, the mix is that much clearer. You place your source where you like and it feels like a complete sound.”

As the band look forward to the next leg of this tour cycle, they are also thinking about their headline tour, an epic schedule which continues well into 2026. Every show will be powered by KLANG, and as the engineers conclude it is a partnership that they are very happy to continue.

“The band love their KLANG mixes, even if we are doing a fly-in and we have to select only the gear we need and ditch the rest, KLANG is always part of the package we bring. It’s definitely an essential part of the show today,” said Bickford.

“KLANG has been seamless,” Dahlstrand concluded. “Over the last few years on tour, I would say that pretty much every piece of equipment has needed a power cycle or a cable wiggle to get it back up and running. But since I put KLANG in my rack two and a half years ago it has run without fail. I put it in the rack and forget. It just works!”