Japan-Based Sound Company LIVE DATE Chooses the Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer and Waves Plugins for Broadcast Streaming

Japan-Based Sound Company LIVE DATE Chooses the Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer and Waves Plugins for Broadcast Streaming

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Brie Clayton January 11, 2021

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Tokyo-based sound engineering company LIVE DATE chooses the Waves eMotion LV1 Live Mixer and Waves plugins for broadcast streaming. LIVE DATE provides services such as live sound mixing, on-stage computer/DAW setups and live streaming for many popular Japanese acts, including Yorushika, MY FIRST STORY, Survive Said The Prophet and Ms.OOJA, to name a few.

data-src=https://gcs.creativecow.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/11193531/Japan_livedate2_1200-768x1024.jpg alt= class=lazyload wp-image-2349771/>COVID-19 has seriously affected Japan's live music industry. Budgets for live entertainment have decreased drastically, as arena-class events have been replaced by smaller live music venues, and hall-class events by small clubs. Current restrictions on all live events allow a 50% maximum capacity. As a result, it is becoming extremely difficult for event organizers to be profitable in arena-class venues. As a recourse, concerts take place partially live, and partially via streaming. Concert organizers are now selling two types of tickets: expensive tickets for the live experience, less expensive ones for online streaming of the same live concert.

The growing demand for live streaming has also bolstered requests for better streaming sound quality. LIVE DATE has chosen Waves' eMotion LV1 Live Mixer as a key solution in their pursuit of improved audio for live-streamed productions.

COVID-19 has placed many restrictions on the number of staff members working in the studios and venues from which we stream, says LIVE DATE CEO Shigeo Aoki. Normally, just a few people would cover the PA, but now, we are sometimes limited to only one person at a time. This requires new solutions that are easy to operate. Also, performances by popular Japanese artists - MY FIRST STORY, Survive Said The Prophet, Tricot - are nowadays streamed live from non-traditional locations, such as rehearsal studios, restaurants, and even private homes. Traditional mixing consoles are often unsuitable for these sites.

He continues, To handle these new conditions, we were looking for a mixer that could be transported and operated by a small number of people, with the same (or higher) level of sonic quality as we're used to, but with a minimal footprint. Waves' eMotion LV1 was the first solution that came to mind. A complete LV1 system's footprint is less than half of a medium live console, so you can place the LV1 system in any space - say, a hallway or a dressing room. Our complete LV1 system includes the Waves Axis One computer, the Extreme Server-C plugin DSP server, and the SoundStudio STG-1608 and STG-2412 audio interfaces (40 in/20 out total). We also own a DiGiGrid MGB interface. The interfaces are connected to each other via a network switch and a digicom RED Link10 with a LAN cable. I chose a Dell P2418HT as the LV1's touchscreen display. And that's all! It's a very compact system that can go anywhere.

Since the live industry has shifted almost completely to computer-based digital consoles, switching to the LV1 was easy, says LIVE DATE FOH and monitor engineer Takuro Sawada. The LV1 is economical, but it's also very flexible in the way you can use custom layers and user keys.

LIVE DATE's first and foremost consideration, however, is sound quality. Our PA team uses Waves plugins to mix live shows anyway, Aoki says, so eMotion LV1 was the first choice enabling us to deliver the same great sound quality - only with the smaller footprint, and with the Waves plugins running inside the LV1 mixer.

LIVE DATE FOH and monitor engineer Masaru Sasaki adds, We had a case where the sound was coming out of the venue's PA system via the venue's regular console, while at the same time we were streaming live via the eMotion LV1. The sound quality was so good that the venue staff were surprised at the difference between the sound coming out of the PA, and the better sound quality mixed on the LV1. The sound resolution from the LV1 was significantly higher.

Waves plugins are an integral part of LIVE DATE's workflow. Sasaki remarks, I have many favorite plugins, but a few must-haves include the V-EQ4, an EQ modeled after the Neve 1081 - it works very well and gives you a very polished and pleasant sound. The CLA Classic Compressors, modeled after the Urei 1176, LA-2A and LA-3A - they enable me to use each color of the original hardware, which is quite different from the compressors offered in ordinary digital live consoles. There's the SSL E-Channel - I really like this modeling of the SSL console's EQ, and also the compressor, especially when used to add punch to my drums). Another must-have is the Primary Source Expander - a great expander for live mixing; it smoothly attenuates the sound of instruments leaked by vocal microphones and other instruments, and it processes with exceptional accuracy. Another favorite is the H-Reverb Hybrid Reverb - this is a super multi-functional reverb: you can do so many things with it, and it's amazingly three-dimensional. I own almost all of Waves' plugins, so of course I use additional plugins as well. Although many of the must-have plugins I mention are analog-modeled related, I've chosen those that are easy to use and extremely effective.

Sawada comments, about his favorite LV1 features, There are two things that are important to me: Bus-to-bus routing, and the ability to adjust th

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