Allen & Heath M-DL-WAVES3-A Waves V3 SoundGrid 128x128 Card, dLive/Avantis

Allen & Heath M-DL-WAVES3-A: Waves V3 SoundGrid 128x128 for dLive and Avantis

The Allen & Heath M-DL-WAVES3-A is a Waves V3 SoundGrid audio networking card that connects a dLive or Avantis system to the Waves SoundGrid platform with 128 inputs and 128 outputs at 48 or 96 kHz. A single Cat5e cable on its etherCON connector carries all 256 channels, enabling real-time Waves plug-in processing, 128-track recording, digital mic splitting, and audio distribution. It brings the entire Waves plug-in ecosystem to a live console with the low latency SoundGrid is known for. Like every dLive/Avantis networking card, it is host-powered and installs in the standard I/O port. For engineers who mix on Waves, it is the bridge that puts studio-grade processing directly in the live signal path.

How SoundGrid Runs Waves Plug-Ins in Real Time

SoundGrid is Waves' Audio-over-Ethernet networking and processing platform, built to run plug-ins with the very low latency that live mixing requires. The card presents 128 channels each way to a SoundGrid network over Gigabit Ethernet, where a SoundGrid DSP server or a host computer applies the plug-in chains. Because processing happens on dedicated SoundGrid hardware rather than the console, adding Waves plug-ins does not burden the dLive or Avantis DSP. The single Cat5e connection keeps cabling minimal while carrying the full 128x128 stream at up to 96 kHz. This is why SoundGrid has become the standard route for bringing familiar studio plug-ins to live consoles.

Recording, Virtual Soundcheck, and Splits

The same 128 channels that feed plug-in processing can be streamed to a Mac or Windows computer for up to 128 tracks of 96 kHz multitrack recording. That makes virtual soundcheck straightforward: capture a performance, then play it back through the console to tune the mix with the band offstage. The card also enables digital mic splitting and audio distribution across a SoundGrid network, sharing sources with recording, broadcast, or a second console without analog splitters. All of this runs over the one etherCON link with the low latency that keeps live monitoring usable. It turns the dLive or Avantis into the hub of a Waves-based recording and processing workflow.

Who the M-DL-WAVES3-A Is For

This card is for dLive S/C Class and Avantis engineers who already work in the Waves ecosystem and want to run those plug-ins live, record multitrack, or build digital splits. First-time SoundGrid users get a single-cable path into the platform, while established Waves users gain 128x128 capacity at 96 kHz. The card is host-powered, fits the standard dLive/Avantis I/O port, and requires a SoundGrid server or host computer to run the plug-ins. Compared with a Dante or MADI card, it is specifically the choice for teams whose workflow is built around Waves. For live Waves processing and recording, the M-DL-WAVES3-A is the direct route.