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SoundGrid is a networking and processing platform for real-time professional audio applications. It is a product of Waves Audio.

The SoundGrid system consists of a server that runs the SoundGrid environment, compatible plugins, a Mac or Windows control computer, and a digital-analog interface for input/output (I/O). It is used for live sound, broadcast, post production facilities, and provides low latency environment for audio processing on certain hardware audio mixing consoles, e.g., DiGiCo, Allen & Heath, and Yamaha.

Key benefits

Provides low latency (less than 1ms) for SoundGrid-compatible plugins
Runs on standard Intel CPUs and 1Gbit/s Ethernet networks
Uses standard computers and switches
Integrates with analog and digital mixing consoles
Provides redundancy and recovery
Splits output to record on a standard digital audio worksation (DAW)
Comprises network infrastructure for sound installations

Audio transport and system control

SoundGrid is a proprietary Ethernet Layer 2 protocol and EtherType. It routes audio between networked I/O devices and processes it on plugin servers connected to the same network. The I/O device converts SoundGrid packets to standard and proprietary audio protocols.

Audio processing

Using native processing, SoundGrid runs on standard CPUs under an optimized Linux operating system (OS). Waves Audio says this provides predictability, stability, and low latency that was previously exclusive to dedicated DSP-based systems. Consequently, SoundGrid can run large numbers of plugins, as well as CPU-intensive plugins.

Separate computers provide SoundGrid processing:

One or more SoundGrid Server are dedicated to audio processing in a customized Linux OS that is optimized for audio processing.
A standard Windows or Mac computer runs SoundGrid Host, the host application and user interface.

Waves Audio says this division of labor between audio processing CPUs and host application CPUs is key to high performance, stability, and low latency.

Audio interfacing

Audio interfaces with SoundGrid by integrating a SoundGrid-programmed FPGA (Xilinx Spartan 3) into a mixing console’s I/O ports. The FPGA receives I2S or other audio signal formats and converts them to the SoundGrid format. The FPGA also transfers control messages between control nodes external to the SoundGrid network and the SoundGrid control application.

Control software

SoundGrid audio processing, connections, system configuration, and monitoring are controlled by the MultiRack SoundGrid control application, which runs on standard Windows and Mac computers, including embedded systems. MultiRack SoundGrid displays rows of virtual plugin chains, named Racks, each of which chains up to eight Waves plugins. A Rack processes audio from a user-selected input and sends the processed output to a user-selected output. MultiRack SoundGrid offers remote parameter control and navigation over MIDI, or over an inter-application API by integration with the console’s host application.

System configuration

To configure a system, the user:

Connects and routes audio between system components
Configures I/O devices
Configures plugin servers
Sets system sample rate, block size, and latency
Monitors and controls system and component status
Sets redundancy and recovery modes

Scalability

Users can configure SoundGrid systems for optimal effectiveness per channel-count, processing capabilities, routing, and sample rate—and expand them by adding I/O or processing devices.

External links

SoundGrid audio networking for applications of SoundGrid networks
MultiRack SoundGrid for the host control software
[1] for dedicated SoundGrid IO and processing solutions for Live, Broadcast, Post Production and Recording Systems
SoundGrid servers for what servers are used for the audio processing
DiGiCo for SoundGrid systems for DiGiCo
Yamaha, for SoundGrid Y16 card for Yamaha consoles
Allen&Heath for SoundGrid M-Waves solution for Allen&Heath consoles

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 {{unreferenced|date=December 2013}}
-'''SoundGrid''' is a networking and processing platform for real-time professional audio applications, developed by [[Waves Audio]].
+'''SoundGrid''' is a networking and processing platform for real-time professional audio applications. It is a product of [[Waves Audio]].
-The SoundGrid system consists of a server, SoundGrid-compatible plugins, a Mac or Windows control computer, and an I/O, and is used for live sound, broadcast, post production facilities, and more, and provides an extremely low latency environment for high precision audio processing on selected consoles, e.g. of [[DiGiCo]], [[Allen & Heath]], and [[Yamaha]].
+The SoundGrid system consists of a server that runs the SoundGrid environment, compatible plugins, a Mac or Windows control computer, and a [[digital audio|digital]]-[[Analog recording|analog]] interface for [[input/output]] (I/O). It is used for live sound, broadcast, post production facilities, and provides low [[Latency (audio)|latency]] environment for audio processing on certain hardware audio mixing consoles, e.g., [[DiGiCo]], [[Allen & Heath]], and [[Yamaha]].
 == Key benefits ==
-* Extremely low latency platform (less than 1ms) for SoundGrid-compatible plugins
+* Provides low latency (less than 1ms) for SoundGrid-compatible plugins
-* Runs on standard Intel CPUs and 1Gbit/s Ethernet networks
+* Runs on standard Intel [[CPU]]s and 1Gbit/s [[Ethernet]] networks
-* Uses standard computers, switches, and servers
+* Uses standard computers and switches
 * Integrates with analog and digital mixing consoles
-* Provides a complete Redundancy & Recovery system
+* Provides redundancy and recovery
-* Split to recording on a standard DAW
+* Splits output to record on a standard [[digital audio worksation]] (DAW)
 * Comprises network infrastructure for sound installations
-* Includes MultiRack SoundGrid control software
 == Audio transport and system control ==
-SoundGrid is a proprietary Ethernet Layer 2 protocol and [[EtherType]]. Audio is transported and routed between networked I/O devices and is processed on plugin servers connected to the same network. The I/O device converts SoundGrid packets to standard and proprietary audio protocol schemes.
+SoundGrid is a proprietary Ethernet Layer 2 protocol and [[EtherType]]. It routes audio between networked I/O devices and processes it on plugin servers connected to the same network. The I/O device converts SoundGrid packets to standard and proprietary audio protocols.
 == Audio processing ==
-Taking advantage of CPU power and the memory capabilities of native processing, SoundGrid runs on standard CPUs under custom optimized Linux OS, resulting in predictability, stability, and low latency that was previously exclusive to dedicated DSP-based systems. Consequently, SoundGrid can run large numbers of plugins, as well as extremely CPU-intensive plugins that are beyond the capabilities of DSP-based systems.
+Using [[native processing]], SoundGrid runs on standard CPUs under an optimized [[Linux]] [[operating system]] (OS). Waves Audio says this provides predictability, stability, and low latency that was previously exclusive to dedicated DSP-based systems. Consequently, SoundGrid can run large numbers of plugins, as well as CPU-intensive plugins.
-Separate computers form the basis of the SoundGrid processing ability:
+Separate computers provide SoundGrid processing:
-* SoundGrid Server(s), CPUs dedicated exclusively to audio processing running a customized Linux OS that is optimized for audio processing.
+* One or more SoundGrid Server are dedicated to audio processing in a customized Linux OS that is optimized for audio processing.
-* SoundGrid Host, a standard Windows or Mac computer that runs the SoundGrid host application and GUI functions.
+* A standard Windows or Mac computer runs SoundGrid Host, the host application and user interface.
-This division of labor between the audio processing CPUs and the host application CPUs is the key to the high performance, stability, and low latency achieved by SoundGrid.
+Waves Audio says this division of labor between audio processing CPUs and host application CPUs is key to high performance, stability, and low latency.
 == Audio interfacing ==
-Audio is interfaced with SoundGrid by integrating a SoundGrid-programmed FPGA ([[Xilinx]] Spartan 3) into a mixing console’s I/O ports. The FPGA receives [[I2S]] or other audio signal formats and converts them to the SoundGrid format. The FPGA is also used to transfer control messages between control nodes external to the SoundGrid network and the SoundGrid control application.
+Audio interfaces with SoundGrid by integrating a SoundGrid-programmed FPGA ([[Xilinx]] Spartan 3) into a mixing console’s I/O ports. The FPGA receives [[I2S]] or other audio signal formats and converts them to the SoundGrid format. The FPGA also transfers control messages between control nodes external to the SoundGrid network and the SoundGrid control application.
 == Control software ==
-SoundGrid audio processing, connections, system configuration and monitoring are controlled by the MultiRack SoundGrid control application, which runs on standard Windows and Mac computers, including embedded systems. MultiRack SoundGrid displays rows of virtual plugin chains, named Racks, each of which chains up to eight Waves plugins. A Rack processes audio coming from a user-selected input and sends the processed output to a user-selected output. MultiRack SoundGrid offers remote parameter control and navigation over [[MIDI]], or over an inter-application API by integration with the console’s host application.
+SoundGrid audio processing, connections, system configuration, and monitoring are controlled by the MultiRack SoundGrid control application, which runs on standard Windows and Mac computers, including embedded systems. MultiRack SoundGrid displays rows of virtual plugin chains, named Racks, each of which chains up to eight Waves plugins. A Rack processes audio from a user-selected input and sends the processed output to a user-selected output. MultiRack SoundGrid offers remote parameter control and navigation over [[MIDI]], or over an inter-application API by integration with the console’s host application.
 == System configuration ==
+To configure a system, the user:
-System configuration data is part of the SoundGrid protocol, allowing the user to:
-* Connect and route audio between system components
+* Connects and routes audio between system components
-* Configure I/O devices
+* Configures I/O devices
-* Configure plugin servers
+* Configures plugin servers
-* Set system sample rate, block size, and latency
+* Sets system sample rate, block size, and latency
-* Monitor and control system and component status
+* Monitors and controls system and component status
-* Set redundancy and recovery modes
+* Sets redundancy and recovery modes
 == Scalability ==
-SoundGrid systems can be easily configured for optimal effectiveness per channel-count, processing capabilities, routing, and sample rate, and are scaled and expanded by adding I/O or processing devices as required.
+Users can configure SoundGrid systems for optimal effectiveness per channel-count, processing capabilities, routing, and sample rate—and expand them by adding I/O or processing devices.
 == See also ==