From sold-out arena shows to major festival stages, a wave of Canadian country music is sweeping the continent—and behind the sound of some of its biggest stars is FOH engineer Jordan Waller and his trusted Allen & Heath dLive C1500.
The 31-year-old FOH engineer from Langley, British Columbia is the sonic force behind Josh Ross, the 2025 JUNO Award winner for Country Album of the Year. With a resume that now includes the Reklaws, Johnny Orlando, Jess Moskaluke, Dallas Smith, and Tyler Joe Miller, Waller has become one of the most in-demand engineers in Canada’s booming country scene.
At the center of Waller’s touring setup is Allen & Heath’s ultra-compact and ultra-powerful dLive C1500, a console that he says checks every box. “There’s no other console this small that does what it does,” said Waller. “I can run 128 inputs and mix monitors from FOH with a footprint small enough to squeeze into any festival or opener slot, and never sacrifice on quality.”
Waller was first acquainted with an Allen & Heath iLive console during his early years working in church productions, and quickly grew into a self-taught producer, musician, and live sound tech. After spending years developing his skills in Vancouver’s music scene, he broke into national touring in 2021 with Tyler Joe Miller, eventually mixing FOH for artists such as Jess Moskaluke and Powfu, before landing on the Josh Ross crew in 2024.
That same year, during a critical last-minute mix rescue at the Calgary Stampede, Waller stepped in and saved the headlining set for country star Josh Ross—earning the trust of the team and securing his current role. He immediately brought the dLive C1500 into the mix. “Once I got Josh and his crew on the C1500, they didn’t look back. We’ve been using it ever since,” he says.
The dLive C1500’s deep functionality has proven critical on tour. “I end up mixing monitors from FOH a lot, and that means I need precise control over every input,” says Waller. “The ability to tweak things separately for in-ears versus the PA—no other console does it like this one.” The onboard tools also impress Waller. “The built-in FX sound amazing. The Peak Limiter 76 compressor emulation is top-notch, the RackUltra FX Saturator and built-in pitch correction are incomparable—it’s a no-brainer for the kind of midsize touring I’m doing.”
Waller’s use of Allen & Heath consoles has also influenced others in the industry. After touring with the Avantis for Johnny Orlando’s U.S. and Southeast Asia run, he convinced a local audio provider to invest in a dLive C1500—which quickly became a go-to for other engineers. “Since I took it on the road, that console hasn’t been back in the shop for more than a week. The demand speaks for itself.”
As country music continues its rise in popularity across Canada, Allen & Heath is proud to power the creative professionals shaping its sound. With a musician’s ear, a sharp instinct for live sound, and the dLive C1500 at his fingertips, Jordan Waller is helping define the future of live country music—one perfect mix at a time.
