Front-of-house engineer Ronny (Rompa) Bernström (Clawfinger, Candlemass, Hardcore Superstar), who has been working with Swedish rock band Europe since 2006, is employing the Waves eMotion LV1 live mixer platform joined by Waves plugins for the group’s 2022 tour.
“I was interested in something new, portable, with a small footprint, that sounds great,” Bernström explains. “After testing numerous small-size consoles, the LV1 offered all the possibilities I was looking for. I was very satisfied to be able to hear all the small details in the sound, which made it super-easy to set the mix.
“It was an easy choice for me when comparing sound quality. After trying out numerous brands, the eMotion LV1 is definitely a game changer. It’s not just the overall sound, it’s that it lets you make it what you want it to be. If you like a clean sound, just use Waves’ eMo plugins, or if you prefer an old school vintage sound, you can use Waves’ various analog modeled plugins.”
Bernström’s setup for the tour includes “A” and “B” kits — the A kit goes in the trailer and the B kit is for shows traveled to by air. In addition, the A kit includes a dolly for all wireless IEMs, microphones and stage boxes. All four LV1 mixers are packed in Peli Air 1637s, and they all have the same configuration.
“We use a FIT Controller for eMotion LV1, a Waves Axis One, a SoundGrid Extreme Server-C, DSPRO StageGrid 1000, Netgear ProSafe M4100-D12G Ethernet Switch and HANNspree HT 225 HPA Touch Monitors, all packed in a custom-made aluminum lightweight case,” he notes. “Stage boxes are DSPRO StageGrid 4000 shared between front of house and monitors connected by FIBERBOX connectors and an Optocore fiber cable, which are a must in big arenas. Setup is really easy, and you can see the channels or all the inputs and outputs on one screen.”
Waves plugins, integrated within the eMotion LV1 interface, are a key component of Bernström’s workflow. “The SSL E and G channel plugins,” he comments, “are my starting point. They are a very fast way to start, and they encompass everything I need in one plugin. I use them on almost all my inputs, except for vocals and some guitars. On vocals, my favorite is the F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ. It is fast and easy to use. I also use the F6 on inputs when I need some extra control or have some EQ issues. My go-to for guitars is the Scheps 73. It makes the guitars pop out just by adding some harmonics. Normally I use the HP filter, maybe adding some mid and taking out some HF, depending on what kind of guitar sound I’m looking for, and I normally check the preamp gain to add some harmonics.”
