Front-of-House Engineer Wil Madera Chooses Waves LV1 Classic Console for Pitbull

	Wil Madera

Front-of-house engineer Wil Madera has chosen the Waves eMotion LV1 Classic console for rapper Pitbull. Madera has built a reputation for delivering consistently high-caliber mixes for some of the biggest names in music, including Lil Jon, Travis Scott, and Gunna. For the past seventeen years, Madera has served as Pitbull's engineer, a steady, long-term position that reflects a deep professional rapport and mutual trust. Speaking to us as he was wrapping up the European leg of Pitbull's current arena world tour, Madera described how the LV1 Classic is meeting his sonic and workflow needs.

"The LV1 Classic delivers exceptional sound quality," Madera says, "the best I've heard. We're talking about top studio-grade audio, in a demanding live environment, which raises the bar for live mixing. On top of that, all the Waves plug-ins are fully integrated into the system, which means zero stress and seamless control during every show."

He says, "I absolutely love the LV1 Classic because it allows me to create any mix style I want without overcomplicating things -- it really puts everything I need right in front of me. The interface feels natural, and having access to all the Waves plug-ins makes the process smoother. It runs the same plug-ins we use in the studio, so I can share settings with our studio engineer and keep everything aligned. That makes the workflow familiar and reliable for me. From the moment I started using this console, it felt intuitive, and I got super-comfortable using it very quickly."

"When it comes to workflow," he adds, "I love how the LV1 Classic streamlines our work with plug-ins, which has become such an integral part of live mixing. The plug-in integration is very streamlined and powerful now -- it just allows you to reach results more quickly."

Describing his must-have Waves plug-in workflow within LV1 Classic, Madera comments, "The SSL E-Channel is my go-to plug-in for everything. I love the character it brings to my drums, bass, guitars and vocals. I tweak a couple of settings, sometimes boosting slightly to add body, warmth, and that analog feel I love. The PuigTec EQP-1A has a beautifully musical sound that enhances vocals, drums, bass and my master buss with ease. Whatever I boost on the high end, I smooth out with the PuigTec to avoid harshness and keep the mix clean. It gives me a really clear vocal. I also rely on the BB Tubes plug-in to add rich, warm saturation across vocals, bass, drums and the master buss. The SSL G-Master Buss Compressor is essential on my drum buss and for parallel compression, and it's always present on my master buss to glue the mix together with a smooth finish. For vocals, I love using the Waves CLA-2A Compressor/Limiter. Its warm, smooth and natural compression makes it a standout. I use it to control any peaks that escape the mix and to glue the vocal together. In my vocal chain, after compression, I always reach for the CLA-2A to keep everything smooth and sitting perfectly in the pocket."

He concludes, "The LV1 Classic is already in my setup for future tours and projects. I like the faders, the shape, and the screen. You can see everything very well. The tilt is perfect. I don't want to get up, I just want to keep mixing. Its portability and seamless plug-in integration with our studio setup make it incredibly reliable and easy to use. The intuitive interface, consistent plug-in performance, and compact design make it an ideal choice for sound engineers looking to craft any mix style with ease while delivering high-quality sound at every show. It's a system I genuinely trust and would recommend to any engineer who values flexibility, efficiency, and studio-grade results in a live setting."

Video: Mixing Pitbull Live in 2025 - Inside Look: www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1vXYM2Yadw