As one of Greece’s top pop stars, Antonis Remos has shared stages with the likes of Julio Iglesias, Gloria Gaynor, Dany Brillant, Željko Joksimović, and the Gypsy Kings. His latest album, Spasmena kommatia tis kardias, (The Broken Pieces of the Heart), achieved platinum status within a week of its launch, and now sees Rmos on the road with monitor engineer George Panolaskos in support.
Panolaskos has been working with Remos since 2017 and began using the Klang immersive IEM system in 2019, choosing the Klang:konductor for the singer’s recent tour.
Previously, he used two Klang:fabrik units for Remos’s band four years ago, which also marked the first time a Klang system had been used in Greece. ‘I chose Klang because I wanted to combine the quality and sound of DiGiCo consoles with the capabilities of a great personal monitor system,’ he says. ‘Having Klang in my signal chain provides me with a powerful FPGA controlled via a DiGiCo console.’
This hybrid approach means Panolaskos can use the consoles cueing, and listen to the musician’s mix, adjusting it when needed. ‘By using Klang, I’ve achieved a high-quality personal mixer system without the need for any unnecessary AD/DA conversion.’
One of Klang’s advantages lies in the system’s processing: ‘With Klang’s immersive soundstage, musicians no longer feel confined within their headphones,’ Panolaskos asserts.
Panolaskos also values the mobility that Klang provides. ‘Mobility is important due to constant touring,’ he states. ‘Our previous set-up required extensive equipment. Now, a simple 4U rack and some cables suffice. All of this comes with 100 percent better sound quality and the great user interface. Paired with the new DiGiCo Quantum engine, which is just a beast, I’ve achieved an ideal set-up.’
One of the primary challenges Klang has helped overcome pertains to the large size of Remos’ band, requiring a considerable number of channels. ‘For years, I’ve recognised a persistent issue with other personal mixer systems, which is the limitation on channel count,’ Panolaskos says. ‘When channels are limited, it becomes necessary to create aux groups. This presents significant drawbacks. Not only does it impede a musician’s full control over the channels, it also mandates routing effects through buses. As a result, you don’t have the detail to manipulate the effects according to individual mix.
‘This is not the case with Klang. Our set-up incorporates a DiGiCo Quantum 338 console, a Klang:konductor with 64 inputs including all the FX returns, and the system accommodates all 16 musicians at 96kHz.’
‘Recognising Klang’s potential, I was eager to demonstrate its capabilities to the band, to ensure they could leverage its full potential and understand Klang’s philosophy,’ he adds. ‘The system’s versatility was just too valuable to miss out on.’
Since adopting Klang, Panolaskos says the band has experienced a lot of positive changes. ‘What everyone loves is that they can now hear with greater resolution and a fantastic image,’ he concludes. ‘Klang has also resolved a common issue with personal monitor systems by balancing the band’s dynamics. I find that the musicians are much happier now because they no longer need to constantly adjust their mix.
‘Overall, I’m very pleased with Klang. The ease of using Snapshots and the convenience of multiple patches for Klang’s outputs have revolutionised my work. Klang represents an entirely new realm of in ear monitoring. It’s a complete solution that truly sets you free.’
More: www.klang.com
