ALLEN & HEATH M-Waves V1 User manual

Allen & Heath
M-Waves Card
User Guide

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
2
Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................................. 3
HARDWARE AND CONNECTIONS ................................................................................................................................... 4
GETTING STARTED........................................................................................................................................................... 5
Connect the Hardware ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
One I/O......................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Add I/Os ....................................................................................................................................................................... 6
Download and Install Software ........................................................................................................................................ 7
Configure the System ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
Manual Device Configuration ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Automatic Device Configuration with SoundGrid Studio .............................................................................................. 9
Device Firmware ........................................................................................................................................................ 10
Identify a Device on the SoundGrid Network.............................................................................................................. 10
M-WAVES CONTROL PANEL .......................................................................................................................................... 11
Clock Page .................................................................................................................................................................... 12
System Info Page and About Page................................................................................................................................ 14
Presets........................................................................................................................................................................... 15
USING AN I/O DEVICE WITH A DAW .............................................................................................................................. 16
Waves Inc
2800 Merchants Drive, Knoxville, TN 37912 USA
1-865-909-9200
www.waves.com

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
3
Introduction
The Allen & Heath M-Waves expansion card is an audio networking option that links an Allen & Heath dLive or Avantis
console I/O port to a SoundGrid network.
M-Waves cards are available in three versions:
•M-Waves V1 or V2 for Allen & Heath iLIVE and GLD consoles - M-Waves V1 and V2 cards provide 64 channels.
•M-DL-Waves3 for Allen & Heath dLIVE consoles - Each M-DL-Waves3 card provides 128 channels of bi-
directional audio to SoundGrid.
Please note: You can use M-Waves V1 and V2 by using M-DL-ADAPT card adapter with dLive consoles.
A SoundGrid I/O device is part of a SoundGrid network. SoundGrid is the Waves high-speed networking protocol for
moving audio, clock, and other information between a host system and I/O devices—and between I/O devices
themselves. A SoundGrid host configures the network, assigning servers and I/O devices to mix, process, or record,
depending on the host. SoundGrid I/Os link to the SoundGrid network with standard Ethernet cable.
SoundGrid is scalable. Connect one I/O device to a DAW and you have a high-quality sound card. Add more I/Os and
your system becomes more flexible and powerful. Depending on the host application, a SoundGrid host can assign up to
sixteen I/O devices. Complete SoundGrid systems can be networked together to share devices.
Add a server to a SoundGrid system to offload plugin processing from the host CPU to a SoundGrid DSP server. This
dramatically increases processing power and enables greater plugin counts—it also provides very low system latency.

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
4
Hardware and Connections
The Allen & Heath M-Waves expansion card has three SoundGrid Ethernet ports.
Each port has a Network Activity LED.
•Flashing amber LED - GigE connection
•Solid green LED - Link/Activity
M-Waves V1 and V2 additionally have a SoundGrid
connection indicator on the SoundGrid 1 Port.
You can use M-Waves V1, V2 (using M-DL-ADAPT card adapter) and M-DL-WAVES3 cards together in a dLive setup.
iLive setups can use M-Waves V1 and V2 cards. M-Waves V1 cannot be an Ethernet clock (SOE) slave. It must provide
clock sync to an M-Waves V2 or M-DL-WAVES3 card. Setting up the clock master for the network is done in either
SuperRack SoundGrid, QRec, SoundGrid Studio, or eMotion LV1.
M-Waves has three SoundGrid Ethernet ports. This enables you to connect the M-Waves card to a host computer and
two other devices, (e.g., SoundGrid I/Os, SoundGrid host computers, SoundGrid server) without needing an Ethernet
switch—each port can connect to one SoundGrid device or computer. It is not important which of the three Ethernet ports
is used to connect to the SoundGrid network.
For installations that include more than three additional devices, a SoundGrid compatible Ethernet switch is necessary.
For further instructions, please refer to your console’s user guide.
SoundGrid Ports 1, 2, and 3
Network Activity LED

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
5
Getting Started
Configure SoundGrid and assign your devices as follows, however large or small your system.
Connect the hardware
Install the software
Configure your system
Connect the Hardware
One I/O
In this example, one Allen & Heath M-Waves expansion card is used to connect a console to the SoundGrid host
application SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver for plugin processing and/or DAW playback/recording. The interface is
connected directly to the host using a Cat 5e Ethernet cable or better.
SoundGrid host computer
A&H console with SoundGrid I/O
The host computer’s LAN port that’s connected to the SoundGrid network should be used for SoundGrid only. Do not
share this port with the internet or other networks.
In this configuration, all plugin processing is carried out on the host computer. The speed and power of the host defines
overall latency.

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
6
SoundGrid Host computer
A&H console with SoundGrid I/O
Additional SoundGrid I/O
1GB Ethernet switch
See this support article for a list of supported switches.
Add I/Os
Adding I/O devices not only increases the number of I/O channels, but lets you have separate devices for stage and FOH,
or live room and control room. Use a "star" network configuration with a 1GB Ethernet switch when you need more network
ports than the interface card provides. Only use switches tested and approved by Waves.
You can connect and assign up to 16 SoundGrid I/O devices to the network, depending on the SoundGrid Host
Application. All SoundGrid I/O devices, hosts, and servers are connected through the Ethernet switch. You can also add
more computers to enable streaming among hosts.
ADD A SERVER
To add a server to your SoundGrid system, just connect it to the Ethernet switch and configure it in your host application.
This moves all DSP processing from the host computer to the server, which provides a higher plugin count and enables
the eMotion LV1 and ST mixers. Visit the waves.com hardware pages to learn more about SoundGrid servers. Consult
your SoundGrid host application’s user guide to learn about using servers.

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
7
Download and Install Software
INSTALLING A NEW SOUNDGRID HOST SYSTEM
Installing the Waves SoundGrid host application will also install applicable device drivers and ASIO/Core Audio drivers.
Your devices will appear in the Inventory of your host system. If a device is not visible in the Inventory, you may need to
install a specific driver from Waves Central—please see below. First, however, check the device’s connections and
power.
ADDING AN I/O DEVICE TO AN EXISTING SOUNDGRID HOST SYSTEM
If you are already using a Waves SoundGrid host application and your device does not appear in the Network Devices
list, use Waves Central to update the host application, which also updates the device drivers—or install just the missing
device driver from Waves Central.1
Waves Central
All Waves software is downloaded and installed via the Waves Central application. To install a specific device driver,
launch Waves Central and follow these steps:
Choose All Products
Search for the driver by name
Choose the driver and click Install
If you are new to Waves products, begin by downloading the Waves Central installer from the Waves Download
Page. See the Waves Central User Guide for instructions on how to install drivers, plugins, and applications.
LICENSES
You do not need a license to use this device. However, many hosts or specific host configurations do require a license.
Refer to your host’s product page for details.
1The SoundGrid QRec host is installed with any I/O.

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
8
Configure the System
A SoundGrid network is configured and devices are assigned in a host’s Setup window. At the heart of this window are
racks where devices are assigned. Any compatible device that’s part of the host’s SoundGrid network will be available for
assignment. This collection of devices is called the Inventory. Setup is similar with all hosts: identify the host’s LAN port,
select a device slot, and use the drop-down menu to choose an available device.
Please consult the user guide of your host application for specific instructions.
All SoundGrid devices are configured in a similar manner. Throughout this section, we show DiGiGrid IOS as an example.
SoundGrid QRec
SoundGrid Studio Setup Window

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
9
Manual Device Configuration
You can assign, remove, and manage a device manually. Click on the plus or arrow
symbol in a device slot to open the Device Menu, then select a device.
Any device not already used will be available for assignment. If no other
devices are assigned, the current device will become your clock master.
Drivers and servers are assigned in the same manner.
See the user guide of your host system for specific instructions on device
assignment and I/O channel patching.
Automatic Device Configuration
Certain SoundGrid hosts—including SoundGrid Studio, eMotion LV1 or SuperRack SoundGrid—offer an Auto-
Config tool. Once your devices are connected and powered up, click Auto Config to start the configuration.
Auto-Config chooses the correct LAN port on the host computer and scans the SoundGrid network for devices. It then
patches the devices to the host. We recommend that you let Auto-Config take care of things, at least when you are
getting started. If later you add, remove, or swap a device, Auto-Config will reconfigure your inventory and re-patch.
Note that SoundGrid Studio assigns the SoundGrid driver automatically. SuperRack SoundGrid and eMotion LV1 require
that the SoundGrid ASIO/Core Audio driver is assigned manually.
SoundGrid QRec
SoundGrid Studio

Allen & Heath M-Waves / User Guide
10
Device Firmware
An I/O that is using outdated or incompatible firmware will not work properly in a SoundGrid network until its firmware is
updated. The color of the FW button in a device slot indicates the current firmware status.
If a device requires updated firmware, click on the FW button to start a hardware scan. Do not disconnect the device or
turn off the computer before Done appears. Once the update is ready, turn the device off and on to reset.
Identify a Device on the SoundGrid Network
Click on the ID button to activate a hard-to-miss LED on the front panel of
the corresponding hardware device. You can also activate the front panel
from the top bar of the device’s control panel.
Grey Compatible firmware
Blue Compatible firmware, but a newer version exists
Red Firmware not compatible and must be updated in order to use
SoundGrid Studio
SoundGrid QRec
SoundGrid Studio
SoundGrid QRec