Laurin Schafhausen Audio

They thought we were out of our minds.

That was the reaction from manufacturers when Laurin Schafhausen told them what he wanted to build for Blitz Club Munich. Four custom Void Incubus systems in the corners of the dancefloor, plus the Blitz Horns – 360-degree high-frequency units suspended directly above the dancers, spatially moving the sound at the DJ's command. David Muallem, Creative Director of Blitz, has called him "DJ's Soundguy" ever since. The name stuck.

What sets Laurin apart from conventional sound engineers: he doesn't listen to frequency response. He listens to the room. To the expectations of the owners, the energy of the crowd, the genres being played. Then he sets everything so it feels right. Sounds simple. It isn't.

New York, a principle, a credo

This approach was shaped by New York DJ George Morel, who showed him that DJs use the sound system as an instrument. And by legendary NY sound engineer Gary Stewart, whose knowledge became the foundation of his work. The credo he took from it:

When it sounds right, it is right.

Laurin sees everything from the dancers' perspective. Not from the measurement microphone's perspective. Because in the end, only one thing matters: what arrives on the dancefloor.

From the Blitz to his own manufactory

With his company event-corp (founded by Kai Mosdzen), Laurin spent years equipping clubs, festivals and listening rooms across Europe – from East Westphalia to Ibiza, from DJ Harvey sessions to C2 OST in Karlsruhe, where two of the world's most uncompromising sound philosophies meet: KV2 Audio and Funktion-One in one club, two rooms, two paths, one vision.

But at some point, setting up other people's systems wasn't enough. Laurin wanted to build his own. Smaller than standard club speakers. Modular. Transportable. With the signature sound and look. That's how AVA was born.

The same setup that powers a pop-up event as a mini bass wall on the weekend can serve multiple members as a DJ monitor or hi-fi box at home during the week. On a wheeled dolly. Set up in 15 minutes. Dubstep approved.

18mm birch, no compromise

Every AVA module is handcrafted from birch plywood. Heavier than MDF, but significantly more rigid and less resonant. CNC-milled for precise fitment, PU-glued under pressure, acoustically measured. No plastic. No shortcuts.

Short transport routes. Fair wages. Local manufacturing in Germany.

owls – where you hear what sound means

In Bielefeld, Laurin runs the owls listening bar together with Kai Mosdzen – a piece of Japanese jazz kissa culture, adapted for Germany. The listening room houses custom KV2 Audio towers with horn tweeters, horn midrange drivers and 12-inch woofers. Alongside them, a Thorens turntable, a Line Magnetic tube amplifier and a Pioneer reel-to-reel.

Not a place to show off. A place to listen. Wednesday listening sessions, Thursday chess nights, cocktails and kitchen. On the YouTube channel "Auftrag Sound!" Laurin takes his community behind the scenes.

Sound culture belongs to everyone

Laurin runs FLINTA soundsystem workshops. Because the world urgently needs people who understand the technology and own their own systems – independent of existing power structures. Lowering barriers. Creating freedom. Sharing knowledge.

And for what it's worth: someone who listens to blues, bluegrass and roots reggae at home, while cooking, not on a high-end system – that's someone who builds speakers for the right reasons.