System Designer Ben Phillips chose Waves eMotion LV1, Waves plugins and Waves SoundGrid Servers for the current Phil Collins Not Dead Yet Tour.
The Phil Collins tour is mixed on an Avid Venue|S6L. In addition, the FOH setup includes a Production Console (AKA Matrix Console) which is connected to the PA. This tour chose the Waves eMotion LV1 as the production console which acts as a buffer between the PA and the show’s mixing desk, as well as between the guests’ consoles belonging to support acts that play before the main show.
In addition, some of the smaller support acts, DJs and solo artists, are mixed on the Waves eMotion LV1 while also utilising the DiGiGrid IOCs’ microphone pre-amps. This not only saved production the hire-costs involved but also having to find additional space for another desk at FOH as well.
Phillips commented, “After considering our options, we decided to move to the Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer and Waves dedicated servers and IO. There was no huge decision-making process; it was quite an obvious choice. We wanted a compact rack-mounted Waves plugin solution, and the eMotion LV1 offered just that. Here at The KSG Group, we use Waves and SoundGrid as part of our recording systems, which made it easy to modify one of our recording systems to suit this live application.”
He added, about his setup, “We have two Waves SoundGrid Extreme Servers with two DiGiGrid IOC and two Lenovo ThinkCentre M Series allowing for a system that has a high level of built-in redundancy. One IOC takes analogue, with the other AES, and both then feed an L’Acoustics P1 via analogue and AES, which is our input to the PA system. There is an Icon Platform M Controller, so we have some faders for local inputs.”
Regarding Waves plugins, Ben remarked, “We run the LV1 (64ch) and LV1 integrated Waves plugins: the Waves eMo F2 Filter; eMo Generator, eMo Q4 Equalizer and the eMo D5 Dynamics. In addition, we mainly use the Waves F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ for cosmetic EQ on the S6L input and to enhance the incoming audio. Nothing complex. Other favourites are the Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor for selective buss compression used on additional inputs, Waves LoAir, for subtle and selective use as an effect for certain outputs at various parts of the show and the Renaissance Compressor, configured to act as a ducker for pre-show music and video content.”
The LV1 Mixer can be as you would want it to be, from a laptop with one or two I/O devices and a server packed to fly, or a big four-screen rig with several I/O devices racks. You can control eMotion LV1 using industry-standard hardware controllers, multi-touch screens and diverse portable devices, from four touchscreens to a single laptop or tablet. Whichever device you are using, the LV1 has the same intuitive workflow, with a user interface built for flexibility and speed.
Phillips added, “We take the Phil Collins desk and any support desks and provide routing for these to the PA. Other inputs are for walk-in music, VT feeds and other ancillary inputs as required. The Waves LV1 Mixer offers us a level of functionality and quality that is difficult to find in such a compact and easily reconfigurable form. With such a high-profile artist, reliability and sound quality are a premium concern for us; and we are able to maintain a high standard of audio that our audiences have come to expect.”
Phillips summarised, “We like the fact that it is easy to use and simple to configure, it is straightforward to increase the input and output count and vice versa, the system can be made to be very compact, it has great scalability, competitive pricing, DSP redundancy, universal acceptance and last but not least – industry standard plugins and processing.”