The Waves LV1 Classic is powered by a double-precision 32-bit floating-point mix engine, operating at up to 96kHz sample rates to ensure clarity and headroom. The console's pristine audio is further enhanced by 16 onboard Waves Signature Preamps, featuring fully discrete analog circuits, incredibly low noise floor, and the ability to switch between pure transparent preamp sound and rich harmonic enhancement. And respecting the original concept, the LV1 Classic can be expanded with Waves IONIC stageboxes that also include Waves Signature Preamps.
The console's software and hardware architecture is designed for maximum intuitiveness. Any operator, from seasoned professionals to volunteers in charge of house of worship sound, can quickly control what they need. The console boasts a large 21.5-inch multi-touch screen, 17 all-new 100mm faders, and a smart Quick-Access UI that guarantees speedy control of all important mixer functions. The console also allows customization of user-defined actions and views, via both the screen and the tactile surface.
Important for those who always recognized the value of Wave's original processing technologies, the LV1 Classic comes equipped with 16 built-in Waves processors, including tools favored by the live sound industry such as Dynamic EQ (F6), live vocal pitch correction (Waves Tune Real-Time), feedback & mic bleed elimination (X-FDBK and PSE), plus compression, de-essing, gating, EQ, effects, analog saturation and more (via powerful plugins such as the LV1’s channel strip eMo D5/F2/Q4 plugins, H-Delay, R-Comp, Magma, and more).
Up to eight plugin inserts are available flexibly on every single channel (every input channel plus all other channels included in any bus/group), so that users can shape their processing freely without being locked into any pre-determined processing setup. The console’s processing is powered by a robust internal Waves DSP engine (with the option of easily adding more DSP if needed).
In addition to the onboard processors, users can upgrade seamlessly to the brand's full portfolio of over 160 live-optimized Waves plugins, including analog emulations of SSL, API, and Abbey Road processors, surgical and creative mixing tools, Dugan auto-mixing, and much more.
Also available as an upgrade is the new eMo IEM plugin for immersive in-ear mixing. With eMo IEM running in the LV1 Classic, no external hardware or complicated routing is required to mix immersive in-ears. With a simple click of the button, the LV1 Classic can send immersive in-ear monitor mixes, providing performers with a more natural and comfortable monitor sound (which they can control themselves via the LV1's personal monitor mixing mobile app, MyMon).
And benefiting from its industry experience, Waves designed the LV1 Classic systems to be easy to scale up with easy expansion into systems of all sizes, from small systems with a single console with IO and DSP expansions, to mega systems with multiple consoles at different mix positions (FOH, monitors, broadcast). Up to 14 SoundGrid-compatible IO devices can be added to any LV1 Classic, including Waves IONIC and other SoundGrid stageboxes, Dante and MADI converters, and more.
Waves partnered with experienced sound engineers to define the whole design and workflow architecture, including FOH engineer Ken "Pooch" Van Druten (Iron Maiden, Jay-Z). As Waves Senior Product Manager Yaniv Litmanovich comments, "The eMotion LV1 Classic console makes Waves’ sonic capabilities and tools accessible for all in a familiar yet innovative form factor. This robust yet compact desk blends all Waves audio and UX expertise, marking a new era in Waves’ product offerings for the live sound industry."
Premium stagebox expansions are available with the Waves IONIC 16 and IONIC 24 stageboxes. The IONIC 16 is a 16-in / 12-out SoundGrid 2U stagebox with Waves Signature Preamps. Connections also include two independent headphone outs, stereo AES input/output. The IONIC 24 stagebox is a 24 mic/line in and 18 out SoundGrid stagebox, with the same Waves Signature Preamps in a 3U chassis.
The Waves Signature Preamps are an original ground-up design by Rich Cabot, Waves Senior Research Fellow, and one of the founders of Audio Precision. "Attaining audio perfection means paying attention to every nuance. Whether you’re capturing the subtle details of a quiet moment or the full intensity of a dynamic performance, the caliber of your equipment is crucial. To achieve this, the front end of the Waves Signature Preamps was designed for a very wide dynamic range: the mic input (XLR) can handle +27 dBu before clipping. Equally important, it can handle massive common mode interference without driving the input into misbehavior. The front end incorporates very-low-noise discrete transistors to ensure that the other end of the dynamic range equation was optimized. A user will appreciate the headroom in that the transients will not clip, and one can choose between a super-clean tone or a warmer, more analog sound like in a classic console," he commented.
"The unique advantage of Waves Signature Preamps," Cabot adds, "is that they handle bigger signals. They do not have restraints. The user can be confident: as long as you adjust your input gain, you are good to go. We made certain that every link in the chain is designed carefully so that no segment is weaker than others, and the signal makes its way through each stage. This ensures that these preamps have enough dynamic range to handle your audio correctly."
Powered by Waves Signature Preamps, the interfaces' analog-modeled HMX harmonic enhancer delivers timeless analog warmth without compromising punch or clarity – a rich, full-bodied sound usually found only in classic high-end mixing consoles. The harmonic enhancer can also be turned on or off per input, with "off" providing a more neutral sound.
"Selectable input impedance and digital distortion modeling allows these interfaces to mimic the sound of a wide range of consoles and preamps, or to behave like the proverbial ‘straight wire with gain. High-input impedance mode offers another benefit— it’s not uncommon in live sound to have the FOH and the monitor engineers demand their own completely independent signal chains. Putting a Y cable on each mic and driving two inputs can result in the mic seeing too heavy a load. The high impedance mode also allows interfaces to be paralleled with consoles or other input devices without affecting the sound of the mic. Furthermore, this unit enables your mic the option of sounding like your cherished console. Or you can just turn the enhancement processing off. The beauty of it is that if you were to use plugins to reach this result, it would burn resources," Cabot elaborates.
"Furthermore, the interfaces also enable users to get more out of their stage mics: their preamp section’s analog impedance selector allows you to choose the mic reaction you want – between a classic 2kΩ and a modern 7kΩ – for greater sonic flexibility," Cabot concludes.
Waves SuperRack LiveBox
Waves Audio also offers dedicated MADI and Dante units as part of its line of SuperRack LiveBox native live processing engines. The Waves' SuperRack LiveBox systems enable access to studio-grade VST3 plugins from Waves and all other manufacturers, all running natively in a simple and robust turn-key solution. The latest SuperRack LiveBox MADI supports up to 128 channels (64 coaxial and 64 optical at 48kHz; 32 optical and 32 coaxial at 96kHz), and features unrivaled low latency and PSU redundancy — all in one 2U unit.
Each SuperRack LiveBox MADI purchase also comes with the Waves Live bundle, which includes over 50 plugins for live mixing. The Waves SuperRack Performer plugin host included in the SuperRack LiveBox systems is the same proven, rock-solid live plugin control software used by live sound engineers in shows and broadcasts of all sizes and with the same familiar features.
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