Waves is no stranger to plug-ins, hardware and software systems for pro audio applications, and since 1992, the award-winning company has been a leading supplier of DSP solutions for pro users in studios, venues, broadcast facilities and tours worldwide. In fact, for the past quarter century, anywhere quality audio is being created or reproduced, chances are that at least one Waves product was involved somewhere in the signal chain.
So perhaps it’s no surprise that just over a year ago, Waves began shipping its revolutionary eMotion LV1 live digital mixing console that promises to do for traditional hardware console designs what its legendry plug-ins did to racks of heavy outboard processors. Providing real-time audio mixing for front of house, monitor and broadcast users, the system is based on Waves SoundGrid technology, delivering the sonic quality, convenience and speed needed in a demanding live environment.
Enter the Waves eMotion LV1
A mixer system consists of the eMotion LV1 application, a SoundGrid server and one or more SoundGrid I/O’s. There are three mixer configurations — 64, 32 or 16 channels — with up to eight stereo groups, 16 stereo auxes, L/R/C/M main buses and an eight stereo channel matrix.
The system is very scalable, offering a complete solution for live mixing, from the smallest gig to the largest production. The mixer is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems. It supports industry-standard control surfaces and multi-touch devices, and can run on multiple screens. This lets users design their work environment to fit their particular needs or requirements. Whether using a single laptop with a mouse or multiple touch screens and control surfaces, the eMotion LV1 user interface is familiar and intuitive.
The eMotion LV1 is powered by low-latency Intel-based Waves SoundGrid DSP servers, utilizing Waves’ proven SoundGrid network to connect to stage boxes, I/O interfaces, playback/recording hosts and all other SoundGrid-compatible devices.
This platform provides for flexible configurations with standard network components. With eight inserts on each channel for SoundGrid-compatible Waves and third-party plug-ins, eMotion LV1 sidesteps the need to use outboard gear for top-tier processors.
The eMotion LV1 gives live engineers unprecedented control over their sound. Each of the mixer’s channels has its own plug-in rack capable of running up to eight Waves and third-party plug-ins. This lets users mix live with hundreds of instances of their favorite plug-ins, all running within the mixer itself. All plug-in presets and chains saved in eMotion LV1 can be shared with the Waves MultiRack and StudioRack plug-in hosts, allowing engineers to move seamlessly between live and studio situations.
The mixer’s channel strip — its standard EQ, filters and dynamics processing — is provided by Waves eMo plug-ins: eMo D5 Dynamics, eMo F2 Filter and eMo Q4 Equalizer. All eMo plug-ins are designed for maximum clarity and efficiency in a live environment.
Select Your Flavor
The eMotion LV1 comes in three software versions, with 64, 32 or 16 stereo/mono input channels. The mixer can be controlled by hardware control surfaces and multi-touch devices, ranging from four touch screens to a single laptop or tablet.
Aside from the number of channels, there are differences in the number of buses for each version of the software. For example, the top-end $1,699 LV1-64 software offers 16 auxes, eight groups L/C/R/mono mixing and eight matrixes; while the $1,499 LV1-32 supports half the number of inputs and has no matrix capability. The $1,299 LV1-16 is more basic with no groups or matrix functions, and its main output bus is L/R stereo.
From a structure standpoint, an eMotion LV1 system can be thought of in the same terms as a traditional console design, with up to 16 auxes, eight (stereo/mono) audio groups, L/R/C/Mono outputs, eight matrixes, 16 DCA faders, eight mute groups and eight user-assignable function controls. And “under the hood,” no corners were cut, providing a full 32-bit floating-point mix engine that handles sample rates of up to 96 kHz.
A SoundGrid Server provides the audio networking infrastructure of any eMotion LV1 system. A selection of SoundGrid Servers offers varying price points and corresponding DSP power. Standard on all are 32-bit, floating-point audio processing at up to 96k Hz, which takes place on the server; these are essentially plug-and-play with little configuration required. A second SoundGrid Server can be added to a LV1 system for redundancy, and Waves offers benchmarking information on how many plug-ins can be run on each to assist users in selecting the right model for their system.
All About Flexibility
The SoundGrid configuration can be created as a portable or stationary setup, and can connect to any SoundGrid-compatible I/O or server. The system is all about flexibility and expandability, with the mixer accommodating one, two or more computer displays — and/or a hardware controller, like Crest Audio’s Tactus.Control. On a more complex production, simply add more screens for more real estate. Or when working on a simpler show, such as a basic industrial (or operating in cramped quarters), scaling the footprint down to a single touch screen or just a simple laptop or tablet is a no-brainer.
Additionally, live sound engineers can easily take their mixer with them and run it anytime, anywhere — at home, in a hotel room, on the tour bus or at the live venue. This way, they can have all the time they need to work on their sessions, whether offline or with full-on audio, and make sure they are 100% ready for the show — anywhere, anytime.
For more information, go to www.waves.com.
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