DiGiCo and Klang find balance at Good Shepherd

USA:

Good Shepherd Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, has upgraded its audio system with the installation of a DiGiCo Quantum 225 FOH console and an enhanced KLANG:vokal+, supporting both in-room and online worship services.

Founded in 1991, the church now hosts four Sunday gatherings – three in English and one in Spanish – alongside a global online audience. The update follows the need to replace an ageing console that had been in use for more than a decade.

“Our previous console was about 16 years old and definitely showing its age,” said worship arts pastor Chris Macedo. “It was an early-generation digital console, quite large and cumbersome, and limited in both input count and functionality. It also lacked some of the capabilities we wanted, such as virtual soundcheck, automation features and easy integration with external processing, so it was ultimately time for an upgrade.”

The church evaluated several replacement options before selecting the Quantum 225. While initially assuming the brand would be outside its budget, the model provided an accessible entry point into the platform. “Our technical director saw it and it immediately stood out as a unique opportunity,” Macedo added. “Without the Q225, we would not have been able to make that move.”

The system was supplied by Charlotte-based integrator World-Class Acoustical Visual Elements, which also carried out acoustic improvements and retuning of the existing PA system. Installation of the console was completed by the church’s in-house technical team.

Following the upgrade, the church reports improvements in sound quality and workflow. “There was a noticeable increase in overall fidelity and clarity,” added Macedo. “The mix now feels more detailed and articulate, and the way frequencies sit in the room feels more balanced and controlled.”

The Quantum 225 now manages FOH duties, typically handling 48 inputs, while the Klang system is dedicated to monitor mixing. Much of the church’s audio network is Dante-based, incorporating components such as a DMI-DANTE64@96 card, a DiGiCo DQ-Rack and an A168D stage rack. Additional sources include Dante Virtual Soundcard and wireless microphone systems.

Rather than building a separate broadcast suite, the church opted to improve its main space and rely on a single mix for both live and online audiences.“Now, when someone watches on YouTube or our website, they are essentially hearing the same mix that is coming through front of house,” Macedo explained. “In other words, it’s more or less the same mix – just slightly optimised for streaming – and it works very well.”

The upgrade to KLANG:vokal+, building on a system first installed in 2021, increases input capacity from 24 to 64 mono channels across 12 immersive in-ear mixes. “They can put exactly what they need on their KLANG:kontroller or their iPad, set it and forget it,” the pastor noted.

The immersive monitoring environment is used by vocalists, drummers and other musicians, with users able to manage their own mixes via dedicated controllers or tablets. “Before Klang, we didn’t really use a lot of stereo inputs inside of our monitoring setup,” Macedo reported. “It let them translate what they imagined into a reality in their ears.”

He added that the updated workflow has also reduced the need for dedicated monitor engineers, allowing FOH staff to focus on the main mix: “The user experience is far superior and it really allows us not to be limited by what’s available on the console. Week to week, we sometimes never even touch the mixes.”