NBCFC becomes one of the first churches in South Africa with KLANG immersive in-ear mixing

New Beginnings Christian Fellowship Church (NBCFC) in Boksburg, Johannesburg, started out with a congregation of just 30 members in 2004. Today, it hosts over 1,000 in its auditorium for Sunday services, and has upgraded its audio system to become one of the first in South Africa to enjoy an installation comprising a KLANG:vokal immersive in-ear mixing processor, along with seven KLANG:kontroller personal monitor mixers, and two DiGiCo SD9 mixing consoles.

Audio consultant, Victor Vermaak, worked closely with suppliers DWR Distribution to come up with a solution that would provide reliability and excellent sound for years to come. “The existing audio equipment was outdated, not serving the needs of the church nor covering the venue properly, and was starting to break down,” explains Victor. Having worked with the NBCFC over the past seven years, he lent them some of his demo equipment. It ended up being used by the church for a couple of weeks, and they soon realized that they could not go back to what they had before.

“The church broadcast team spoke about a positive change in the audio over those two weeks,” recalls Jaco Beukes of DWR. “The only thing different was the demo DiGiCo console.”

In 2021, the time seemed just right to take things forward. In fact, with the Covid-19 restrictions preventing people from physically attending church, it was ideal for the work to commence.

“It was the first KLANG processor installation DWR had worked on with the recently released KLANG:kontroller,” smiles DWR’s Kyle Robson. “We had fantastic support from KLANG when setting the system up for the first time. It was a great learning curve for everyone and incredible to experience the power hidden inside the units. The next step was to guide both musicians and engineers to change their mindset from traditional stereo in ear (some were also on mono) mixing to KLANG’s powerful immersive mixing.

“With a bit of training and experimenting the results were incredible. Nothing beats watching people get so excited and passionate about what they do. With many of the church’s technical team working on a volunteer basis, most of the training was held after hours or over weekends. They were so gracious, always made sure we were well looked after on site, and always welcoming. After the installation and training, everyone agreed they have the knowledge and tech to keep them going strong for many years ahead.’’

The full audio revamp includes two compact DiGiCo SD9 digital mixing consoles, one used at FOH with the KLANG system for in-house services, and the second with a Waves SoundGrid system used for their broadcast mix.

NBCFC is now also the first church in Africa to have the new L-Acoustics A15 system installed,” adds Victor.  The L-Acoustics system comprises six A15 wide, four KS21 subs with an LA12X amplified controller. The X8 delays and monitors, four of each, are powered by an LA4X Amplified controller.

“The new system is more than just a hearing difference,” he concludes. “It has made an emotional difference.”

About KLANG

Recently acquired by mixing console manufacturer DiGiCo, KLANG:technologies is the world’s first manufacturer of truly immersive in-ear monitor mixing technologies. Their mixing engine is specifically designed to be used with IEMs and provides musicians with individual, natural and three-dimensional sound. It enables the brain’s natural capability to sort and prioritize audio within the mix, not only providing transparency, but also lowering levels as sounds merge rather than conflict. For more details on the manufacturer, visit www.KLANG.com.