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[Jeff D Johnson]

Hey Everyone,
I've been doing some brain cell crunching and I just can't figure out a real solution on this:

I work for a touring band that does primarily 500 - 2500 person venues.  24 inputs, 8 people on stage and an LS9 stereo stage IEM rig that they control (with a passive split out to the House and my mics). 

Now, I would LOVE to integrate Waves plugins into our setup; we used a ton in studio, and because of the fact that most people in this band switch instruments and so, in effort to reign in the channel count, multiple mics are doing double or triple duty.  The snap-shots would be SO helpful!  But we can't really afford the time or the cost of taking an SC48 out on the road - or something similar.  I own Waves Diamond Native and would love to use that for my outboard.  Waves has their Multirack Native product which would seemingly make life easy...

But, here's my question how in the heck do people ACTUALLY do this?  How do you integrate your outboard Waves Multirack "gear" (audio interface) with all these different formats now?  Analog is one thing, but we get a few M7s, Avid/Digi consoles all the time, Digico stuff.... and I have files for all of those, but how could a person have a consistent experience without buying cards for each desk or something? 

I would love some insight / pictures / critiques / good jokes, but mostly just some understanding of how this Multirack Native product is actually used in the field.

Thanks for your help,
-Jeff

[Scott Helmke]

Here's how you'd do it in the Yamaha world:
http://www.yamahaproaudio.com/global/en/products/interfaces/miniygdai/wsgy16/index.jsp

[Steve Payne]

here's how to do it in Soundcraft Vi world:

http://www.soundcraft.com/supporting_tools/

[John Chiara]

Are you headlinG these gigs. I can see as an opener how it would by a pita.

[Samuel Rees]

As mentioned, other consoles have waves option cards. Not all are expensive either. You could just get something cheap that will take the waves card, like an Allen Heath GLD or another LS9.

[Nitin Sidhu]

Yup, options cards, and for me, the best integration is with the Presonus SL24.

Straight to computer FW connection, direct out across all 24ch. with an FW return button on every channel.

Sidhu

[Samuel Rees]

Yup, options cards, and for me, the best integration is with the Presonus SL24.

Straight to computer FW connection, direct out across all 24ch. with an FW return button on every channel.

Sidhu

That would be pretty cool hooked up to waves multirack, right out of the box all you need is multirack software. Never done it myself, don't know why though, I've spent to much time on Presonus desks. GLD would be looking pretty nice to me as a cheap FOH BE desk for waves... 8 FX processors, a Waves card, VCAs, and a digital snake for less the $10k (not inducing computer)? That's kind of awesome.

[Jeff D Johnson]

Thanks everyone, couple follow-ups though. 

In all scenarios you are bringing in your own console, or buying $500+ cards (plus servers for the Yamaha, a specific interface for the soundcraft, etc) for each potential console.   I'm thinking a bit old school here - there really isn't a way to bring your "rack" into nearly every club and have it work unless you supply a console, is there?  I'm thinking of all the solutions with remote head-amps, to unbalanced inserts on the analog desk - there isn't a good setup apart from either bringing your own desk, or buying option cards and related for the desk you're on.  Right?  I haven't used the Presonus stuff, so are you saying running the direct outs into the house console, or using the SL24 for FOH? 

You guys are great. Thank you. 

[Fausto Prochet]

I started out this plug-in + virtual soundcheck thing with a Digi 002 back in the day, evolved to a Presonus Studiolive 24 and drive a X32 now.

I like the X32 A LOT and would recommend it to anyone trying to achieve computer interaction, it sends audio from the preamps to the computer and back into the correspondent channels so you can have everything you want on the channels plus DAW control on the control surface.

I think you'll probably spend just a little less money if try to achieve a solution with soundcards and cables (XLR and 1/4" out to the desk), but there's the hassle of connecting and troubleshooting everything - including the desk of the day. And you'll have "less" of a total recall scenario ...

[Samuel Rees]

In all scenarios you are bringing in your own console, or buying $500+ cards (plus servers for the Yamaha, a specific interface for the soundcraft, etc) for each potential console.   I'm thinking a bit old school here - there really isn't a way to bring your "rack" into nearly every club and have it work unless you supply a console, is there?  I'm thinking of all the solutions with remote head-amps, to unbalanced inserts on the analog desk - there isn't a good setup apart from either bringing your own desk, or buying option cards and related for the desk you're on.  Right?  I haven't used the Presonus stuff, so are you saying running the direct outs into the house console, or using the SL24 for FOH? 

Using the Presonus for FOH would be the suggestion.

You could also set up a rack with an audio interface with 8 ins and 8 outs for example, plus computer with Waves MultiRack. Hook inserts up to the interface and you'll have on any console with inserts. Problem is, latency will be more complicated than with any console Waves card + computer system, you'll be adding an A-D-A, and you'll be at the mercy of your best choice of audio interface and driver configuration. Consoles with Waves cards connect to the computer via Ethernet for and all digital signal path and are optimized for low latency. Consoles like the Presonus have FireWire built in, so you can send your audio to computer and back also all digital via FireWire with a pretty well established driver and latency setup. Berhinger is similar. Those are your choices essentially:

 1 - go pro and get a console, a card, and a computer (expensive, but obviously a lot of unrelated benefits. LS9 and GLD have Waves card. With VCAs and 8 FX GLD seems the best of the pair for FOH plus it's Waves card will do more channels),
 2 - Get a relatively inexpensive console with FireWire functionality built in plus waves multirack (limited to essentially to StudioLive, X32, and possibly Soundcraft Si series when their FireWire card hits shelves... but I'm in no mood to suggest Soundcraft to you).
 3 - Go DIY and set up your own rack with a computer and an interface. If you have the DIY spirit, some know-how with interfaces, and a computer already this could be the cheapest solution, but it doesn't sound very appealing to me personally.

Unless anyone else has an idea besides buying an Avid desk?

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