Waves plugins

[BigMike]

I have been using quite a few of the Waves range of plugins in my DAW for quite a few years now. Once you get past their 'intense' sales techniques and annoying upgrade plans, they do make some good and useful stuff for the 'in the box' mixer. About 12 months ago they brought out the Abbey Road Studio 3 monitoring plugin which basically makes your headphones sound like you are listening in a room, not just any old room but Abbey Road Studio 3. Anyway, I have resisted buying it because in my experience with Waves, the price will drop to a realistic level eventually. That seems to have happened to the said plugin because its going for $50 now as opposed to the $99 it has been priced at more or less since release. So I got the demo to try it out. It is actually very good and does what it says on the box. You have 3 different sets of studio monitors to work with and it will also cater for 5:1 and 7:1 surround if that's your kind of thing.
But be careful if you get the demo then upgrade, which I haven't done yet. The demo version comes with NX Head Tracker software, very sexy and so clever but I am wondering if I really need it. There is a wheel on the main studio console which rotates around the studio manually anyway. Also, $50 only appears to be for the actual Abbey Road plugin, if you want NX as well its $129 all in. So will I upgrade and actually buy it? It is tempting. To be able to listen to your mix in a consistent top class environment like that would definitely have its benefits. If, like me, you have limited space to create a made to measure studio with A1 acoustics, this could be the answer.
I'll let you know which way I go with this.

 

[Cowboy Bob]

Waves makes some great stuff that is for sure. Like you did I typically wait until what I am after goes on sale. Audio Deluxe usually has Waves plugs for about $29 when they go on sale.

The WUP can sometimes be a killer, but unless I do a major update of the OS, I typically let it slide for a few cycles. Waves lets you jump right back in where you left off, which is good.

I got NX years ago for like $12 when it first came out. It is an interesting plugin for sure. If you were to mix solely on HPs I can see the usefulness.

Listening to your mix through a great room plugin is nice, but really you need to know how those HPs and or monitors are actually responding to the various freqs of that plugin. Typically, I have found, it won't translate to other forms of monitoring equally well. My biggest suggestion is one has learned therieHPs sonic characteristics well, (same with room and various monitors).

Enjoy the plugin and make music!

 

[BigMike]

They now have another sale whereby you get a free plugin if you spend $50 or more. Think that may have swung it for me

 

[CaptainMoto]

I've heard lots of good reports on Abbey Road.
I also have plenty Waves plugins and use them frequently.
I'm trying hard to control my Plugin Acquisition Syndrome.

 

[BigMike]

Couldn't control mine unfortunately, bought the Abbey Road and got a free one as well. Didn't go for the NX thing though, but The F1 dynamic EQ I got for free will definitely up my game I reckon.

 

[BigMike]

Quick update on this. I bought the Abbey Road plugin and even though the trial period has run out the NX software still works. So maybe it was the NX for the hardware you can buy to attach to your headphones that was the extra cost. I also got the F6 floating band dynamic EQ for free (not F1 as I previously reported!) and that is pretty impressive. Probably the best plugin I have come across for sidechaining.

 

[CaptainMoto]

Alrighty then
Glad you got a winner!