You’ll likely find that the smooth, frequency-dependent quirks of the original unit are accurately, if not uniquely, represented by the Waves plugin. There’s just a lot of them that you should consider trying yourself! As its name and look suggest, the CLA-2A is based on Teletronix’s LA-2A leaving amplifier developed in the early ’60s. It sure seems like it, but Waves doesn’t only model fantastic compressors. Try it out on a drum buss or an entire mix. Like the two previously mentioned hardware emulations, the SSL buss compressor has an optional “analogue” switch to add or remove noise generated by the devices. You’ve likely heard a hundred engineers talk about the compressor’s ability to “glue” elements together, which Waves’s SSl G Master Buss Compressor has sought to reproduce. SSL entrusted Waves, under license, to develop a replica of their renowned 4000 G console master buss compressor. Overall, the API’s parameters are extremely musical, making it a go-to for engineers. The dual channel 2500 can be run as two mono channels with a single compressor setting. The API 2500 dynamics processor is no exception, letting users carefully craft the punch and tone of their mixes with accuracy.

Waves has worked very closely with API to faithfully reproduce each plugin’s hardware counterpart. There’s also an included 50 or 60 Hz analogue hum for some added flavor, if desired! API 2500 Waves offers two revisions inspired by the mid-1960s compressor, including both a “Blacky” and a “Bluey.” With attack settings as fast as 50 microseconds and the famed “all buttons in” mode, the Waves CLA-76 is an excellent choice for in-the-box mixing.

UREI’s original 1176LN compressor/limiter is one of the most used and desired pieces of hardware ever produced.

The following are some of the best and most practical effects that any engineer should include in their plugin cache. From analogue hardware emulations to one-of-a-kind processors, audio professionals and enthusiasts use hundreds of Waves plugins to shape their mixes. Today, Waves is one of the top plugin manufacturers in the industry. Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: My top 10 favorite plugins – Warren Huart: Produce like A Pro ()

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