MultiRack

Please note: The last Waves plugin version supported in MultiRack is v10. Learn more.
MultiRack (Native / SoundGrid) is no longer available for online installation via the Waves Central application. To install MultiRack, an offline installer file must be downloaded and installed via Waves Central. Learn more.

RUN WAVES PLUGINS LIVE ON YOUR CONSOLE
MultiRack is a software host that lets FOH and monitor engineers run multiple, simultaneous instances of the same award-winning Waves plugins used in recording studios and mixing rooms the world over. The world’s best-sounding reverbs, equalizers, compressors, limiters and delays are at your fingertips, without the limitations of hardware and at a fraction of the cost.

MultiRack application is ideal for live sound, broadcast, post-production facilities and more. With easy setup and advanced preset capabilities, MultiRack delivers all the flexibility and portability of software, with sound quality and convenience that beats hardware.

MultiRack is discontinued and replaced by SuperRack
Take studio sound to the stage and back again
Quick and simple setup
A fraction of the cost of hardware
Full recall, full control
Set and save presets, snapshots and Hot plugins per song and song sections
Advanced side-chaining capabilities
Windows- and OS X-compatible
Run plugins live in real time and low latency (MultiRack SoundGrid only)
Simultaneous processing and recording capabilities (MultiRack SoundGrid only)
Plugin chain presets saved on MultiRack can be loaded in StudioRack, and vice versa
Supports 5.1 and 7.1 Surround plugins and plugin components (NEW)
Hot Plugin Panel with individual gain reduction meters for each plugin (NEW)

Apr 26, 2018

The Sound of Coachella 2018

At the heart of Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival stand the top live mixing engineers who sculpt the event’s spectacular sound. We talked to some of the world’s best to find out how Waves Live tools power their mixes.

Sep 16, 2015

How to Mix Your Shows with Plugins Using MultiRack

Learn how you can take your live sound to the next level by mixing your shows with the same cutting-edge plugins used in top recording and mixing studios.

Jan 02, 2018

Behind the Live Sound of Red Hot Chili Peppers

We caught up with FOH engineer Sean ‘Sully’ Sullivan behind the mixing desk of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2017 Getaway World Tour, to find out about his #1 goal when mixing the legendary band and which mixing tools help him get there.

Apr 10, 2016

Inside the Grammy Broadcast Mix Truck

Learn which audio tools and technologies remote broadcast company Music Mix Mobile uses to deliver its live broadcast mix of the annual Grammy Awards.

Mar 22, 2018

Waves Powers the KN-DSP100 Kramer Network Server

Waves is pleased to announce that Waves plugins and the MultiRack plugin host are now integrated in the KN-DSP100 Kramer Network Server from pro AV leader Kramer Electronics, to power the server’s audio processing capabilities.

Apr 26, 2018

Once in a Lifetime: David Byrne at Coachella 2018

FOH engineer Pete Keppler has mixed tours for music’s biggest icons, from David Bowie to ZZ Top. We asked him about his unconventional setup for legendary ex-Talking Heads frontman David Byrne’s live show at Coachella 2018.

Apr 26, 2018

Mixing MØ at Coachella 2018 with eMotion LV1

FOH engineer Jon Schumann (Mew, Lykke Li) has been mixing Danish electropop singer/producer MØ on her recent U.S. tour. We met Jon at Coachella to discuss how he mixes the shows with plugins running via his eMotion LV1 live mixer.

John Cooper Music Mixer, FOH Engineer

Bruce Springsteen, Keith Urban, Sheryl Crow

“I don’t leave home without my MultiRack. Since I’ve started using it, the consistency of the processed inputs — vocals, kick, snare — have improved dramatically. MultiRack brings the vocal in particular to the front of the mix in a whole new way. ”

Ken "Pooch" Van Druten Mixer, FOH Engineer

Linkin Park, Kiss, Justin Bieber, Jay-Z

“I used to worry about what console I was going to use at my shows. Now I take my Waves MultiRack and have my favorite Waves plugins on ANY console, in a format that’s familiar and easy to use. MultiRack improves my mix, giving me consistency from day to day. I know I’m always going to have the same great sound, regardless of what front end I’m on. That kind of uniformity is invaluable when I am asked to use a different type of console every day. Amazing.”

Greg Nelson FOH Engineer

Pearl Jam, Eddie Vedder, Goo Goo Dolls, Incubus

“I mix Pearl Jam with Waves MultiRack SoundGrid. It runs Waves plugins so seamlessly that I often forget they’re not just part of the console!”

Paul David Hager FOH, Recording & Mix engineer

Miley Cyrus, Goo Goo Dolls, Jonas Brothers

“Waves Multirack gives me access to my Waves plugins in any situation. Whether I’m mixing on an arena tour or on a one-off club date, I can now use my favorite plugins on any console, digital or analog.”

Dave Aron FOH & Studio Engineer

Snoop Dogg, 2Pac, Sublime

“I love MultiRack. It makes me feel as though I were in the studio every time I mix live. And all I bring is my laptop – no racks to carry that have to be set up. It offers me unlimited instances of my favorite gear: I can put a CLA-76 on every single channel if I want to. Love it!”

Music Mix Mobile Recording, Broadcast, Live, Mixing Engineers

John Harris, Jay Vicari, Joel Singer, Mitch Maketansky

“Running plugins on MultiRack is a true life-saver. Our engineers, and many others worldwide, have come to rely on Waves plugins as their go-to audio tools. With MultiRack, you can take your favorite outboard gear anytime, anywhere, in your small 4U rack that fits neatly into a Pelican case and can be deployed on any given mixing console.”

Chris Stephens FOH Engineer

Jason Aldean

“Over time, I’ve changed almost everything in my rack to Waves products. Since switching to the standalone MultiRack SoundGrid system, I’ve been very impressed with how robust it is and how easy it is to use.”

Brett Dicus FOH, Post Production Sound Designer

Norah Jones, Bruce Springsteen, Ringo Starr

“I’m so pleased with MultiRack — tone, feel and performance. It helps me deliver the dynamics and FX we all expect out of any performance. For me, carrying around a set of reverbs in MultiRack has proven to be worth every dollar.”

Michael Abbott NBC Audio Engineer & Producer

The Voice, Shark Tank

“The exciting thing about MultiRack is that it enables me to use plugins live to warm things up. I’ve only scratched the surface with what the MultiRack SoundGrid system can do.”

John Perez FOH Engineer

Jimmy Kimmel Live

“For a long time I wanted a simple way to insert Waves plugins on my shows. I’m very happy with the way MultiRack works. Now I get to use my favorite live mixing tools!”

Paul Ramsay FOH Engineer

The Who, Annie Lennox, Kasabian

“Working with MultiRack and Waves plugins, I can now find an effect or insert to emulate any sound without having to call my sound vendor or bring out a vast array of outboard units in a number of racks. So the artist is happy, I’m happy, and the production manager is happy as he saves on truck space and freighting costs.”

Graham Pattison FOH Sound Engineer

David Gray, Tindersticks, Gomez

“With my MultiRack, a Waves bundle, a server and a laptop it’s become feasible for me not to take out my hardware rack when I go on tour.”

Gerard Albo Live Mixing Engineer

Corinne Bailey Rae, Anastacia, Patti Smith, Amy Winehouse

“Since I program all my shows using Waves plugins, it made sense for me to acquire my own MultiRack application.”

Garry Brown FOH Engineer

Phish, Blondie, Gnarls Barkley, Cyndi Lauper

“With MultiRack running Waves plugins, my live mixes have become more complete.”

Bodo Schulte FOH Engineer

Nena, Schiller

“MultiRack benefits me in all kinds of ways. In club shows, you can add what’s missing to the house racks. In shows that you fly in and out of, you always have your vocal strip with you.”

System Requirements

Mac

Model/CPU
Mac Pro (4,1) or higher
MacBook Pro / iMac / Mac Mini with Intel i5 CPU or higher
MacBook Air laptops are not supported

Memory
8 GB RAM

Operating System
10.11.6 - 10.14.5
* MultiRack V9 will not be supported on macOS 10.15 and above

Screen Resolution
Full HD

Windows

Model/CPU
Intel i5 or higher

Memory
8 GB RAM

Operating System
Windows 8.1 / Windows 10 64-bit

Screen Resolution
Full HD

Tablets
Windows 8.1 / Windows 10 64-bit with Intel i3 and up CPU

Windows for Apple via Boot Camp
Mac mini 2014 and up, i7 8 GB RAM, Windows 10

More helpful information about MultiRack:

MultiRack Support Notes
MultiRack Installation Instructions includes download links
MultiRack Download Page
All MultiRack Support Articles

Important Notes:

Please consult the MultiRack Support Notes page for all updates about known issues, fixes, etc.
SoundGrid is a ‘private’ network: in order to have a clean network stream, the SoundGrid network should not be used to run any non-SoundGrid applications. Using non-SoundGrid protocols on the same network that carries SoundGrid audio might result in audio drops, application freezes, and other unexpected results.
Bucket View in the CLA MixHub plugin is currently not supported in MultiRack.
Compact servers are supported under MultiRack SoundGrid up to version 9.5 only.
We highly recommend using the following qualified systems:
- Mac mini 2014 and up, i7, 8 GB RAM, minimum 256 GB SSD, Windows 10 via Bootcamp.
- HP EliteDesk 800 G3, Customized with i5-7600 CPU @ 3.5Ghz, 16 GB RAM, 128/256 SSD, Intel HD Graphics 630, 3 display ports, Ethernet port (Intel I219-LM), Windows 10.
- Waves Axis One.
OS X users: For best performance of audio transport from the SoundGrid Core Audio Driver to the SoundGrid network, new Apple computers featuring Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C connectivity should use one of the following adapters:
- Sonnet Solo 10G Thunderbolt 3-to-Ethernet Adapter
- OWC Thunderbolt 3 10G Ethernet Adapter
Mac OS El Capitan and later: When multiple GUI actions are performed on MultiRack, memory may gradually become full and the computer might freeze. We advise to restart the computer occasionally to clear the memory cache, or to restart it prior to the show.
Touch and Multi-Touch Screens:
- Multi-touch support for Windows 8.1 and up, with touchscreens supporting 10-point touch.
- Single-touch support for Mac (using compatible drivers).
Windows Users: For best performance of audio transport from the SoundGrid Core Audio Driver to the SoundGrid network, Windows computers featuring USB-C connectivity should use the following qualified adapter:
- Plugable USB Type-C Gigabit Ethernet Adapter USBC-E1000
VPN software can alter network settings to meet its requirements.
These changes can the affect the network ports used for SoundGrid and may compromise performance of the SoundGrid network.
We strongly advise that you remove, disable, or turn off all VPN software while working with SoundGrid.
Waves Plugins and applications are supported and tested on operating systems installed on the built-in system hard drive. Operating systems installed on external hard drives are not tested and may not be fully functional with our software.

SoundGrid Hardware

Tech note – Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid Systems
SoundGrid Certified Network Switches
SoundGrid Certified Network Servers
Ethernet Cables for SoundGrid Systems
Please note: The DiGiGrid DGS-XL server (not sold by Waves) is not certified or supported for use with MultiRack.

Downloads

Licenses

Waves plugins and MultiRack Native require activation to hard disk or USB Flash Drive.

Plugins

Technical Support & Sales

Contact Technical Support & Sales

There are four basic components in a MultiRack setup:

MultiRack Native

MultiRack Native relies on the power of a host computer to process the audio and uses an ASIO/Core Audio interface to connect to a console.

What you need:

PC or Mac Host Computer – The main brain and controller for the system that runs the MultiRack live plugin host application. Refer to the system requirements page when choosing your computer.
ASIO/Core Audio Interface – A variety of standard ASIO/Core Audio interfaces are supported:
- Multichannel analog interface to connect to analog consoles.
- Built-in FireWire/USB interfaces to connect to Behringer X32, PreSonus StudioLive, Midas Venice, Mackie Onyx-i, etc.
- Waves SoundGrid interfaces to connect to Yamaha, A&H and MADI-enabled consoles.
MultiRack Native Application – The host software required to run Waves Native plugins.
Plugins – Waves MultiRack Native-compatible plugins for audio processing, hosted by MultiRack Native.
USB Flash Drive (optional) – The USB flash-drive key holds the licenses for Waves V9 plugins and provides activated licenses on the go. When using MultiRack, the USB flash drive must be connected to the computer at all times. Check USB Flash Drive compatibility. Alternatively, you can activate the Waves V9 plugins and MultiRack software licenses on your host computer's hard drive through the Waves License Center.
Optional MIDI Controller – A MIDI controller can be used to control Plugins in real time, without using the mouse or keyboard.

MultiRack SoundGrid

MultiRack SoundGrid uses an external SoundGrid DSP server to achieve low-latency performance and run multiple plugins in real time.

What you need:

PC or Mac Host Computer – The main brain and controller for the system that runs the MultiRack live plugin host application. Refer to the system requirements page when choosing your computer.
SoundGrid I/O Interface – The SoundGrid I/O interface pipes audio in and out of the console. MultiRack SoundGrid supports dedicated SoundGrid interfaces for DiGiCo, Yamaha, A&H, and any MADI-enabled console.
MultiRack SoundGrid Application – The host software required to run Waves SoundGrid plugins.
Plugins – Waves MultiRack SoundGrid-compatible plugins for audio processing hosted by MultiRack SoundGrid.
USB Flash Drive (optional) – The USB flash-drive key holds the licenses for Waves V9 plugins and provides activated licenses on the go. When using MultiRack, the USB flash drive must be connected to the computer at all times. Check USB Flash Drive compatibility. Alternatively, you can activate the Waves V9 plugins and MultiRack software licenses on your host computer's hard drive through the Waves License Center.
SoundGrid Server – The SG server acts as the main “number cruncher” for all plugins used in the application. It is also possible to connect a second “redundant” server working as a backup. Check the list of qualified servers.
Network Switch – Check the list of qualified switches.
Optional MIDI Controller – A MIDI controller can be used to control Plugins in real time, without using the mouse or keyboard.
Optional Secondary Computer – The secondary computer may be used for connecting a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) application to your network for simultaneous recording and/or playback.
CAT5E/6 STP – Check the updated list of qualified cables.