Waves
Gold Native is truly the Rolls Royce of plugin software for
mastering and effects processing on the Mac and PC. There is
no question that Waves has had their share of acclaim from the
professional recording and mastering segments of the music industry,
and we too just can't help adding a little more praise to their
portfolio.
Not
an inexpensive bundle, Waves Gold Native 3.6 retails for $1,300.
and has a street price of around $900 to a $1,000. While at
first glance the price may seem high, in reality the vast array
of plugins included in this bundle really makes Waves Gold Native
3.6 quite a value. Granted, in this day and age of free and
low cost DirectX and VST plugins, it may be difficult to part
with your hard earned cash just to grab some new toys, but Waves
Gold Native 3.6 is far from an ordinary bag of toys. Included
in this comprehensive software bundle are some of the most essential
plugins for recording musicians and engineers who desire to
obtain professional results from their computer recording systems.
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Plug-In
Formats Supported by Waves Gold Native 3.6
TDM
Mac:Yes Windows:Yes
RTAS Mac:Yes Windows:yes
(with v3.2)
AudioSuite Mac:Yes Windows:Yes
VST Mac:Yes Windows:Yes
(with v3.2.1)
MAS Mac:Yes Windows:No
DirectX Mac:No Windows:Yes
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Now,
also included in the Waves Gold Native 3.6 bundle are the new
C4 Multiband Parametric Processor and Renaissance Reverberator!
This ups the ante and makes the bundle even more of a value.
The
Waves Gold Native Bundle comes packaged with: Renaissance Compressor,
Renaissance Equalizer, L1 Ultramaximizer, MaxxBass, Q10 Paragraphic,
S1 Stereo Imager, C1 Parametric Compander, Enigma, Supertap,
MondoMod, Doppler, UltraPitch, MetaFlanger, TrueVerb Room Emulator,
DeEsser, AudioTrack and PAZ Psychoacoustic Analyzer. It comes
in a hefty box with printed manuals for each of the plugins.
It weighs more than a phone book and looks nice tucked away
on a shelf. Very pleased at the thorough printed documentation.
Help within the plugins are also only a click away, plus PDF
files are included with the installation.
Wow!
What a bundle! That's a ton of stuff! In fact when you pull
up the Direct X Menu or the Waveshell Menu for the VST effects
list in Cubase you come upon a long list of plugs that continues
on past the first page of on the menu! There are variations
on many of them as well such as stereo and mono versions, 1
band, 10 band etc. This makes it easy to lighten the load on
your CPU if necessary. But don't worry, the latest 3.6 version
seems to run more efficiently than ever, with SSE optimizations
and such to reduce processing stress.
OK,
that's a lot of plugins... What exactly do they do? First off
a quick note about my previous experience working with Waves
products. Originally I became familiar with Waves when I got
the Waves Power Pack for my Mac back in 1997 or so... I soon
became hooked on it's L1 Ultramaximizer which is the ultimate
brick wall limiter and a much respected tool of professionals
to get the hottest sounding tracks possible (without annoying
coloration). It became a staple on all my final mixes. I just
can't rave enough about the L1 Ultramaximizer! In fact, I'd
say that the price of admission for the Waves Gold Native bundle
is justified alone by this one incredible plugin!
Fast
forward a few years to more recent times and I have moved most
all of my music production from my G3 450 Mac to a Windows Pentium
4 1.7 PC. Initially I found it difficult to work without Waves
on my PC. I found myself mastering on the Mac (using Bias Peak).
But now that I have Waves Gold Native on my PC I no longer find
the need to even boot up my old friend the G3. (Now if only
Pluggo would go PC!)
The
new Gold Native Bundle includes so much more than my old Power
Pack with a mind bending assortment of Plugins for both tweaking
and mutilating pleasures. I'll go down the list and give a brief
description of each plugin. There are no duds and almost all
of the Waves Gold Native plugins find their way into my recordings.
And of course the L1 Ultramaximizer is utilized on every single
final mix.
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L1
Ultramaximizer

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The
L1-Ultramaximizer from Waves combines lookahead peak limiting
with advanced requantization. This gives maximum level and
highest resolution for all audio applications, from CD mastering
to multimedia. L1 can be used as a mono or stereo limiter,
with or without IDR processing, as well as the 'original'
L1. TDM users can place the L1 limiter on a vocal track,
for instance. You can also place the IDR plug-in at the
end of a chain of plug-ins or on your master fader.
Features:
48bit double precision, dithered to 24bit output for TDM,
Lookahead peak limiter for maximum level, Two types of
dither Three noise-shaping curves for optimal control,
Maximum peak control with minimum distortion, Requantize
to 24, 20, 16, 12, and 8-bit output, Sample-accurate peak
hold metering, Adjustable release time
Applications:
Create maximum levels for CD's and multimedia, Use as
final audio processor in mastering, Maximize audio level
and resolution, Minimize quantization noise, Create 20-bit
files with 23-bit perceived signal to noise, Create 16-bit
files with 19-bit perceived signal to noise, Create 8-bit
files with 11-bit perceived signal to noise.
The
L1 Ultramaximizer is a monster! It truly creates hot yet
pleasant sounding final masters that will put your songs
in the league of the big boys! It is a must have plugin!
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C4
Multiband Parametric Processor

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The
C4 Multiband Parametric Processor has 4 band up and down
expansion, limiting, compression, plus dynamic and standard
EQ. Compress the bass, expand the mid, De-ess the highs,
EQ the air, all with complete understanding and control.
No tiny LCD screens or confusing menus. Pure multiband
power. Instant gratification. Each band of the C4 includes
threshold, range, attack, release, and gain. Crossover
has independent bandwidth control and global Q adjustment.
This unmatched flexibility allows highly different functions
in each band simultaneously. For example, you can compress
the lows, expand the low-mids, add fixed gain to the upper
mids (with no dynamic change), and limit the highs, all
at once. The combinations are staggering and give you
the ultimate in tonal control.
Features:
4 fully-parametric bands for any combo of compression,
expansion, limiting or EQ, ARC--Waves patented Auto-Release
Control TechnologyTrue Parametric control including independent
threshold, range, gain, attack, release and bandwidth
per band, DynamicLine display shows all parameters
simultaneously, with exclusive Waves select-and-drag capabilities,
Global variable slope (Q) control.
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Renaissance
Reverberator

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The
Renaissance Reverberator. Classic sound and controls for
the demands of everyday production. Designed to be musical,
not technical, Renaissance processors have clean and simple
interfaces that are ultra functional with minimal clutter.
The Renaissance Reverberator is the newest addition to
the series, and is as easy to use as any classic processor
with just a few straightforward controls and simple interfaces.
It features rich reverb tails, plus a second generation
early reflection system, providing density and texture.
Renaissance
Reverb is a sweet reverb with lots of great presets! A
great addition to this bundle!
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Renaissance
Compressor

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Exceptional
compressor with Opto and Electro modes, plus ARC
auto-release, and L1 style limiter on output. When you
use Renaissance Compressor, you can: Get a hard punch
from any solo track using Opto compression-mode. Get in-your-face
vocal and instrumental processing using Electro compression-mode.
Add up to 6dB or more to the output, maximizing levels
with minimum distortion using a new no-clip 'brick-wall'
internal limiter. Produce a warm rich sound using a 'Warm'
character setting that adds low frequency harmonics to
the original signal. Designed to be musical, not technical,
Renaissance Compressor has a clean and simple interface,
rather than an emulation of hardware controls.
Features:
56bit
precision dithered to 24bit output for TDM, Opto-compression-mode
- emulates opto-coupled hardware compressors. Ideal for
mastering or submix compression. Electro compression-mode
- allows deep compression by increasing release times
at high attenuation levels. Ideal for in-your-face vocal
or instrument processing! No-clip 'brick-wall' internal
limiter - add up to 6dB or more to the output, maximizing
levels with minimum distortion. Warm character setting
- add low frequency harmonics while approaching deeper
compression to produce a warm, rich sound. ARC (Automatic
Release Control) technology delivers greater RMS levels.
Comprehensive factory presets.
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Renaissance
Equalizer

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Renaissance
Equalizer. Vintage EQ for rich, clear equalization. It
has Michael Gerzon and Baxandall filter-curves that emulate
the warm sounds of analog vintage-style EQ filters. If
you have a slightly dull or flat track, during final mastering
you can tweak the edges and really breathe some life into
it.
Waves
innovative standard functions allow simultaneous multi-parameter
adjustment, so if you design a filter-curve that you like,
you can select all bands and adjust them all together
while maintaining the curve. It includes real-time graphing,
preview, bypass functions and all with just a few intuitive
clicks.
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MaxxBass

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MaxxBass.
An unparalleled (and patented) mixing and mastering tool.
Maximum bass response from any system is in your hands.
Now 88.2/96kHz-ready for many native platforms!
Push
the low-end capabilities of your speakers to the maximum.
Creatively add bass harmonics to extend perceived bass
response. For mastering or mixing, MaxxBass delicately
sharpens the bass without blurring other musical instruments.
MaxxBass patent pending technology takes your bass to
the maximum on more speaker sizes, from any source, by
adding a series of harmonics to the signal.
These
harmonics stimulate a psychoacoustic bass-enhancing effect
a phenomenon that small speakers rely on to play
audible bass. MaxxBass simply maximizes this known acoustical
phenomenon.
Thus
bass frequencies are greatly enhanced without traditional
EQ or bass compression. Taken to the extreme, you can
actually remove the original bass signal completely and
the ear will still "capture" the fundamental
from the added harmonics.
MaxxBass
helps you hear better bass on all speakers, from your
full-range to your laptop. Whether for mastering enhancements
or site-specific mixing, your ears will perceive an amazing
low end.
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Q10
ParaGraphic EQ

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Q10
ParaGraphic EQ: The world's most powerful equalizer, even
used by other designers to design their EQs. 200+ audio
effects and processes in the setup library, from SuperNotches
to precision mastering.
The
Q10 provides precision control of equalization from subtle
adjustments to extreme complex filters. Ideal for any
aspect of audio production. Q10 works in mono/stereo,
and with 1 to 10 bands of equalization. For instance,
place 2 bands of mono parametric EQ on 30 tracks.
Setup
library with over 200 setups including: PseudoStereo,
Brickwall bandlimiting, SuperParametric, SuperNotch, Baxandall,
Psychoacoustic noise filters, Telephone, AM, Multimedia
and many more!
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S1
Stereo Imager

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S1
Stereo Imager: True Blumlein shuffling, MS/LR procesing,
four unique stereo-image tools, unequaled anywhere. Now
88.2/96kHz-ready for many native platforms and 48bit double
precision, dithered to 24bit output for TDM! The S1 is
a unique set of tools for remastering stereo mixes by
enhancing and altering the stereo effect, designed for
whenever the best stereo effect from a stereo track, mix
or recording is required for mixing, mastering or remix
applications.
Enhances
stereo spatial effect, Remixing and rebalancing existing
stereo mixes for remastering, Retains mono compatibility,
Avoids phasiness effects, No alterations of tonal quality;
no unwanted added effects, Simply brings out what is already
there in the stereo mix
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C1
Parametric Compander

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C1
Parametric Compander: The ultimate one band dynamic equalizer,
and father of the C 4. Select any frequency range, then
compress, expand, limit, or gate those frequencies. Simply
an astonishing dynamic EQ, with phase compensation for
transparency and quality.
The
C1 is a frequency-selective dynamic processor allowing
two simultaneous dynamic processes. It is an expert tool
for any application requiring compression, expansion or
gating. Select any frequency range, then apply a dynamic
process to that range, or use as a traditional wideband
device. C1 offers mono and stereo capabilities of the
compressor and/or the gate. Now the C1comp and C1gate
also offer 88.2/96kHz support!
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Trueverb

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Trueverb.
One of the best room emulations in existence, with exclusive
distance control. Define the room, choose your seat!
TrueVerb
combines two separate modules - an Early Reflections simulator,
and a Reverb - to produce a high quality, natural-sounding
room effect. The user can define the room size, its decay
time and frequency response, and, most uniquely, the distance
(beyond the speakers!) to the sound source.
A
design driven by psychoacoustic research gives TrueVerb
its very convincing, yet uncolored sound. TrueVerb is
specially designed for the multi-channel mixing environment.
It will not change the original signal's stereo image,
and will not alter the perceived level balance of the
mix.
Creates
more natural sounding rooms. Will not distort stereo imaging
information. Will not alter mix balance. Position sounds
in space according to psychoacoustic rules. Enhanced control
over reverb characteristics. Simple and persuasive control
over sound distance illusion. Informative & convenient
interface. Wide range of frequency characteristics. Convenient
storage and recall of setups. New types of reverb sounds.
Allows for dense audio effects.
Low
coloration reverberation and early reflection. Stereo
compatibility. Constant perceived sound level. Novel distance
control. Separate distance & reverb controls. Linked
distance & reverb mode. Editable time response display.
Editable frequency response display. New setup filing
mechanism. Space dimensional control. Variational control.
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DeEsser

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DeEsser.
Precision high frequency dynamic processor, modeled after
vintage gear for fast, easy de-ess ing/HF limiting. Now
88.2/96kHz-ready for many native platforms!
Isolate
and attenuate specific high frequencies. Can be applied
lightly to a wide variety of mixes producing great sounding
results. The ideal audio plug-in for attenuating high
frequency ess sounds - perfect for editing
solo vocal takes and instrumentals. Using simple controls
and dynamic graphic interface, either BandPass or HighPass
SideChain filter-modes can be selected to isolate specific
'ess' sounds for attenuation. Factory presets are included
for male and female voices, including wide and narrow
focus for "ess" and "shh" sounds.
DeEsser's
low CPU requirements make it super-quick and easy to use.
It includes sharp filters in the SideChain, an energy
detector hard knee compressor and a crossover filter.
DeEsser features wideband or split audio-modes for attenuating
either the entire audio or just high range frequencies.
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AudioTrack

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AudioTrack.
The original channel insert with 4-band, fully parametric,
EQ, compressor, and gate, all in one space-saving window,
now 88.2/96kHz-ready for many native platforms! This is
ideal for multimedia producers, voiceover, project studios,
and more. Unbelievably efficient on any system, with undeniable
quality!
AudioTrack's
EQ is a true fully parametric 4-band EQ, with bell, shelf,
and highpass/lowpass filters, all taken from the design
of our famous Q10 equalizer. AudioTrack's Compressor includes
expander ratios, plus a "one-hand" Autogain
feature. The noise-gate removes background noise from
voiceovers and more. And as a cherry on top, AudioTrack
has excellent factory presets for producers in a hurry
(who isn't?).
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PAZ

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PAZ:
Realtime analyzer based on our hearing, shows 52 or 68
bands, with RMS, peak, weighting, variable integration
time, and much more. Built on the math that the ear uses...See
what you've been hearing!
Perfect
for mastering, trouble-shooting, environmental analysis
and more. See more of what your audio is really made of.
See peak or RMS frequency content and levels quickly.
Includes a Stereo Position Display for evaluating the
'spread' of the source. PAZ uses wavelet techniques (as
opposed to FFTs) to provide users with optimal graphic
accuracy. Individual bands update independently for the
fastest response and consequently increased accuracy and
resolution.
PAZ
offers two distinctive real-time audio-analysis displays
in addition to Peak/RMS metering: A distinctive continuous-graph
Frequency Display - showing 52 bands most closely resembling
the ear's constant Q critical frequency bands. A wavelet-based
real-time analysis including RMS or Peak modes with dual
channel or total-stereo-energy graphing from DC to Nyquist,
and unweighted, C- and A- weighting modes. Optional resolution
in 10Hz steps can be shown for precise analysis below
250Hz for a total of 68 bands. The display can be zoomed
into any area of the graph, all the way to -80dBFS. Level
analysis can be saved to a text file.
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Doppler

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Doppler.
Create real-time doppler effects, both realistic and "outside
the box".
Waves
Doppler gives you auto and manual triggering modes, plus
full control of air damping, panning, pitch, path curve,
gain, start/stop points, and reverb tail.
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Enigma

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Enigma.
Somewhat mysterious, totally innovative, Enigma is a completely
new tool.
Ideal for creation of creative filtering, it combines
a complex notch filter system, short delay feedback loops,
and modulation. Absolutely distinctive.
Definitely
Enigmatic.
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MetaFlanger

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MetaFlanger
produces vintage tape-flanging, phaser-emulation, and
special effects like no other flanger, ever.
Create
gentle choruses, sharp phasing effects and a variety of
true dual-delay flanging sounds quickly. The wet signal
includes filters so you can flange or phase just part
of the signal (and they are FIR filters for absolutely
perfect harmonic alignment). Wow. Harmonic Convergence
in a plug-in.Also
features phase inversions at all key points, extensive
factory presets of vintage emulations (Mutron, MXR, Itchycoo
Park) and more.
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MondoMod

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MondoMod.
A very unique combo of linked modulators: AM, FM, and
Rotation (stereo panning), for gentle wandering guitar
solo panning or bizarre destructive effects, all in one
plug-in.
A
single LFO drives all modulators with independent phase
offsets between the modulator signals. Wacky, pulverizing,
but still sensitive and totally unique, MondoMod throws
a wrench into the works just when you need it.
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SuperTap

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SuperTap.
Six taps with up to six seconds of mono or true stereo
delay. Each tap includes independent Q10-style filtering,
rotation (stereo panning), gain, and precision time control.
Global LFO modulation and 2 feedback modes greatly expand
the possibilities. Waves unique Rotation control on the
feedback section can make each repetition progressively
shift through (and outside) the entire stereo image.
Set
either the tempo or pattern using the Tap Pad; set your
delays using standard note values or milliseconds. Precision
Ampex 440 head spacing delays, killer factory presets,
etc. It's the Mother of Delays. (And Native users have
the full 6 second delays *with* modulation).
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Ultrapitch

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UltraPitch.
An incredible formant-corrected pitch shifter with 6-voices
(yes, *six*). All pitch shifting is done with optional
formant-correction to avoid the old chipmunk effect, or
for excellent gender-bending.
Make
a guy into a girl, or an alto sax into a tenor, etc. Each
voice has independent stereo panning and delay, plus a
little Animator delay-randomizer. Set the pitchshift by
musical intervals (with 5 cent resolution), plus the formant
mapping can be fully manual or you can use the presets
that perfectly match instrumental formant responses.
UltraPitch
can create huge and thick stereo chorusing, doubling,
parallel harmonies, excellent vocal slap/spread effects,
and much more! The factory presets include classic setups
for instruments, voices, plus some rather "outside
the box" effects.
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Conclusion:
Waves 3.6 plugins handled admirably in both VST and DirectX
within host program Cubase VST. Also the plugins worked well
within Sound Forge. We exprienced much greater CPU efficiency
than with earlier versions. Waves 3.6 is a free update to registered
3.0 users and is a must have upgrade.
Mastering
with Waves is a dream come true, with so much control over the
finished product. A great many presets made chores very easy.
Also when it comes to sound mangling, we were very pleased with
the plugins Ultrapitch, Mondo Mod and Enigma. A great variety
of sonic mutilation is possible, and a perfect weapon to spice
up audio loops. Even some of the mastering type plugins can
be utilized to mangle loops. Exploration is key to find new
ways to mutilate.
For
the money Waves Gold Native serves up a healthy dose of effect
processing power. Though not inexpensive, the value overall
is very high. Considering the power of L1 Ultramaximizer combined
with all the other plugins this bundle is a must have for any
serious computer recording enthusiast. You'll have all your
bases covered and will be competing with the best studios in
the world with many of the same tools they utilize. From post
processing and mastering, to effects mangling, Waves Gold Native
delivers the goods. Save up your money and get in on the action!
Beat
Mode gives Waves Gold Native 3.6 a 10 out of 10 star rating!
"Indispensible.
Must have. Cream of the crop."
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Check
out some of our loop manglings with WAVES on some Rebirth
Loops.
Files
that are dry and uneffected are designated as ORIGINAL.
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Some
of the plugins included with the Waves Gold Native bundle
are perfect for mutilating loops. Check out some of our
manglings.
If
you'd like to snag WAV versions of any of the mp3 files
for this set visit our FREE
LOOP PAGE.
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Beat
Mode Waves Gold Native Links
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