Waves has long been known as one of the top plug-in developers in the world. From EQs to compressors, ‘verbs to channel strips, guitar amps to synthesizers, Waves has every category of plug-in covered. But now, the company has partnered with console specialists DiGiCo/Soundtracs to create a new family of hardware devices under the DiGiGrid moniker. The line includes networkable audio interfaces for native DAWs on Mac and PC, Pro Tools-specific I/Os, and MADI interfaces. In an interesting twist, some of the audio interfaces can also provide dedicated DSP power for running Waves and compatible third-party plug-ins (called the SoundGrid DSP server), taking the processing load off of your computer’s processor and also providing latency-free mixing and tracking. I had a chance to check out the DiGiGrid IOS, a two-rackspace unit that comprises eight microphone preamps, eight balanced line outputs, two independent stereo headphone outputs (with separate volume controls), digital I/O (S/PDIF and AES/EBU), MIDI I/O, word clock I/O, and more. The front panel sports LED meters to indicate incoming signal present and overload and the status of 48-volt phantom power for the eight inputs. The IOS connects to your computer via Ethernet, and multiple units can be connected using a simple Ethernet hub. Whether you need a streamlined one-box solution for working at home or a mega-I/O rig for a major post-production facility, DiGiGrid can scale to whatever you desire.
The DiGiGrid IOS comes with several software essentials: SoundGrid Studio, which manages the SoundGrid network on your computer; eMotion ST Mixer, which provides latency-free monitoring for tracking and also allows for standalone use of plug-ins; and StudioRack, which serves as a hub within your DAW for running chains of plug-ins, managing presets, and offloading DSP processing to the SoundGrid server in the IOS.
In use, the DiGiGrid IOS, with its software, fulfills its duties in perfect form, providing tons of DSP processing power, taking the load off of your computer, handling latency-free monitoring, and providing an easy way to deal with chains of up to eight plug-ins per rack, which can all be saved as a preset and moved from DAW to DAW. The whole thing installs easily. It’s a breeze to operate, and it sounds great: clean, clear, dynamic, and natural.
If you’re looking to up the interface and plug-in power in your studio, check out the DiGiGrid IOS and its brethren; you’ll get stellar audio quality, tons of flexibility, DSP processing power for plug-ins, easy expandability, loads of control and routing options, and so much more. It’s a great solution for any studio!
