Behringer AoIP-WSG Quick Start Guide

1. Introduction

The WING SoundGrid module transmits up to 64 input and 64 output channels at 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz and 24 bits over either of the Ethernet ports on the rear panel in the CONTROL/AUDIO NETWORK section. Interconnected devices are also synchronized over the Ethernet connection.

2. Installation

Waves plug-ins can be used on the WING by installing a SoundGrid module inside the console. Note that the installation procedure must only be performed by certified service centers. Check behringer.com for your closest service provider.

To activate the module, hold down UTILITY while turning on the console. The CONSOLE OPTIONS dialog will open automatically. Enter "MOD-WSG" and click on APPLY.

After the internal module has been installed, the two Ethernet ports on the rear panel act as a dual-redundant connection. Each port transmits 64 input and 64 output channels.

3. Network Setup

Different network setups are possible, depending on the user's needs. The simplest setup can be seen below, consisting of WING console connected directly to a computer with an Ethernet cable.

In this setup, the Waves SoundGrid software must allow the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) to be carried out by the host computer without the need for a Waves DSP server. Please refer to the documentation provided by Waves to compare SoundGrid software specifications.

Multiple SoundGrid-compatible devices like Waves servers and interfaces can be added by configuring a "star" network in which all devices are interconnected by a 1 Gigabit Ethernet switch. Please refer to Waves' documentation for a list of compatible switches.

4. Direct routing of Sources to SoundGrid

After connecting the devices in one of the configurations described above, the WING console and all other devices in the network are shown in the SETUP tab in the SoundGrid software.

The source and output groups "WSG" in the ROUTING screen of the WING console allow any source to be assigned to any of the 64 channels sent from the console, as well as assign any of the 64 return channels to any channel on the WING. In the image below, local inputs 1 to 8 have been assigned to WSG outputs 1 to 8. Thus, the signal from the preamps 1 to 8 are sent to the SoundGrid network before channel processing.

To send a WING channel to the SoundGrid network after some or all of the channel strip processing has been applied, a USER SIGNAL can be created on the ROUTING screen. The USER SIGNAL can be taken at the TAP point or POST fader. The signal can contain both left and right channels (L+R) or just one of them (L or R). Please refer to the WING console Quick Start Guide for more information on creating a USER SIGNAL.

In the SoundGrid software, the 64 channels coming from the console are routed to "racks" where the desired plug-ins are loaded. The output of each rack is then routed to one of the 64 channels sent back to the console.

5. Inserting SoundGrid as EXTERNAL FX

Waves plug-ins can be assigned to an insert point on any channel of the WING using the EXTERNAL effects unit within WING. When loaded on single channels, SoundGrid software processes the signal of that single channel. Alternatively, multiple channels can be sent to a single plug-in instance when the effect is loaded through an insert point on a bus.

In the example below, the EXTERNAL EFFECT has been loaded on Slot 1 of the 16 WING effect slots and then loaded on Insert Point 1 of Bus 1.

On the ROUTING screen, the SOURCE GROUP FX SENDS contains send channels for all 16 slots of the FX rack. EXTERNAL EFFECT is selected for Slot 1, FX SEND 1L and 1R must be sent through the desired channels to the SoundGrid software. In this example, FX SEND 1L and 1R are being sent via channels 9 and 10.

Channels 9 and 10 are routed through the SoundGrid software to the desired rack, where plug-ins are added. SoundGrid rack's output is sent back to the console through any available channel. In this example, the rack's output is sent back through channels 9 and 10, which are then selected as the EXTERNAL EFFECT RETURN signal.