Allen & Heath expands the capabilities of dLive with version 1.9

Conceived with feedback from live sound, recording, streaming and installation engineers, dLive version 1.9 is the “most significant firmware update to date” for the Allen & Heath solution.

New features that users of the dLive mixing system will be able to explore include powerful sonogram and RTA tools, new compressor and DEEP expander models, a 12-band PEQ option for mixing, and integration for Sennheiser wireless systems.

At the heart of the update, as we mentioned earlier, is the comprehensive overhaul of dLive’s RTA engine, which offers a number of new options for sound analysis. Two RTAs are now available, with dual-surface applications capable of using independent RTAs. Visualization is no longer limited to a 31-band bar display, as a new in-line and sonogram display is available, the latter with the ability to show differences between RTAs for system tuning.

Essentially, bar and line displays can be shown below the PEQ curve, allowing engineers to make quick equalization decisions. To provide the engineer with a complete picture, the new RTA tools can always be visible, either on a specific screen, on the PEQ screen and widget, on a specific RTA widget, or on an external monitor.

DEEP processing tools

dLive’s arsenal of zero-latency DEEP processing tools is greatly enhanced in version 1.9 with multiple additions. Two expanders offer higher gain before acoustic feedback is reached and improve audio separation in live applications. Source Expander offers faster and simpler control, while Dual Threshold Expander is available for complex environments where much more specialized tuning is required.

In addition, version 1.9 adds Bus, a new compressor, is based on a hardware unit known for its ability to compact mixes. Furthermore, the OptTronik compressor has been expanded to include a new model that provides an alternative character to classic compression.

Also, engineers working with IEM mixes will benefit from NEQ12, a 12-band parametric EQ with selectable high/low pass filters that can replace the GEQ on any of dLive’s 64 mix outputs.

Integration with Sennheiser

Version 1.9 of dLive opens the door to wireless integration of the Sennheiser 300/500, 2000 E 2050 microphones, which can now be monitored from the dLive surface or from the Direttore software. Key wireless information, including mutes, signal level and battery levels, is visible from the bench screen, with detailed information and control accessible via the Preamp tab. Tom Vollmers, head of the professional catalog of Sennheiser, has taken the opportunity to say that “we are delighted to see how our popular Evolution wireless microphones 300, 500 and 2000 series are integrated with dLive”, which “facilitates the work of sound engineers, which is exactly what you are looking for in a stressful live situation.”

V1.9’s long list of features also includes preamp sharing capability with automatic gain ttracking across multiple dLive systems, LCR + Main mode with divergence conrol, display markers, new display widgets and more.