When a band stands out for its powerful guitar sound and devoted audience, the last thing it needs is to get lost in its own mix. Thanks to its ultra-low latency FPGA processing power, KLANG:vokal+ provided the Swedish heavy metal band Avatar with the perfect solution to keep their in-ear mixes open and natural.
Their engineers upgraded the system to KLANG:vokal+ with new MIDI integration, fully compatible with their Allen & Heath dLive monitor console. By making full use of the increased channel count and in-console control, they were able to process every instrument and microphone through KLANG, achieving a spacious mix that keeps the band connected to their music and audience.
Since 2022, Tim Bickford and Niklas Dahlstrand have been in charge of front of house (FOH) and monitors respectively for Avatar, adopting KLANG during their 2023 tour. They are currently touring with Iron Maiden before launching their own headline tour, In the Airwaves, which will begin in November with dates across the USA, Mexico, Europe, and the UK to promote their new album.
The switch to KLANG was a leap of faith for Dahlstrand, who had never used it before—but now the band can’t imagine working without it.
Moving from 24 to 64 channels with the vokal+ software upgrade was straightforward; I didn’t face any major issues getting it running. The new MIDI integration with dLive has been a real workflow improvement. Going from touchscreens to physical faders makes my work during the show faster and more confident. My whole setup feels smoother. Avatar is an instrument-heavy band—we’ve got two drum kits, pianos, and a trombone—so when we return to headline shows, it’ll be great to have everything running through KLANG, recalls Dahlstrand.
It was Bickford who first introduced the band to the world of KLANG. During a visit to friends in the audio team of Electric Callboy, another metal band, he listened to their mixes and was impressed. It didn’t take long for him to convince Avatar to include KLANG on their equipment purchase list.
“I remember being blown away by the difference KLANG made for the Electric Callboy band members, especially for a metal band where you need to feel the guitars and drums”, says Bickford. “When the discussion came up about new audio gear for the next tour, the band was eager to try it. I’m not the one managing our KLANG system, but I told Niklas, ‘You’re going to have a lot of fun with this!’ It also makes a difference at front of house—when the band feels comfortable on stage, everything sounds better”.
Dahlstrand and Bickford both use Allen & Heath consoles: an S5000 with DM32 at front of house, and a CTi1500 with DM32 for monitors, accessing KLANG via Dante. The FOH system is supplied by Clair Global, while the monitor rig is owned by the band. Both consoles share gains, and KLANG receives the signal via the direct out of every channel. The mix is then fine-tuned in KLANG and sent back to the band through their IEMs.
 |
 |
Dahlstrand participated as a beta tester for the new MIDI integration, allowing him to test the features before their official release. After experiencing the workflow improvements even in the beta version, he was confident the final release would be completely stable. The combination of clear visual feedback of the mix and the tactile response of the faders is something the engineer truly values.
It’s always a pleasure to try out new features before they’re officially released, especially when you know they’ll make your daily work smoother. For me, KLANG is the perfect finishing touch. Previously, perfecting the panning could be tricky, but now, with the visual interface, you can see and feel exactly where everything is. Everything becomes much clearer with a KLANG mix, so you don’t have to crank your IEMs to the max to feel the sound properly. It’s been fantastic for me and the band, especially for the drummer, who has noticed a big improvement in his pack gain, he adds.
The spatialized content of a KLANG mix offers a much more natural way to listen. Instead of relying solely on panning and EQ, engineers can position instruments and microphones as objects within the space—around, above, or below the listener. This affects how the brain processes sound, making it less fatiguing than a traditional stereo mix. By reducing listening fatigue, it also lowers the need for additional gain or EQ.
That’s why the KLANG environment has quickly become an essential tool for Avatar, accompanying them at every show, wherever they perform.
“Even when we went to the studio to record the new album, the band brought the entire KLANG setup”, continues Dahlstrand. “If I go back and bypass KLANG, or do shows without it for other acts, it feels like something’s missing. With KLANG, the mix sounds much clearer; you place each source where you want, and it feels complete”.
As the band prepares for the next leg of their tour—which will continue well into 2026—they confirm that every show will feature the support of KLANG.
“The band loves their KLANG mixes”, says Bickford. “Even when we make quick trips and have to choose only the essential gear, KLANG is always part of the package. It’s definitely a vital part of the show today”.
“KLANG has proven to be completely reliable”, concludes Dahlstrand. “Over the past few years on tour, almost every piece of equipment has needed a reboot or cable adjustment at some point to get back up and running. But since I installed KLANG in my rack two and a half years ago, it hasn’t failed once. I plug it in and forget about it—it just works”.
