The fastest compressor in the West. This emulation of the classic FET compressor (think Led Zeppelin vocals or Nirvana drums) is all about attitude. Best for: Snare, aggressive vocals, bass.
Small speakers? No problem. RBass adds harmonics above the fundamental bass frequency, tricking your brain into hearing deep sub-bass on laptop speakers or earbuds. It’s black magic, but it works. Best for: Kick drum, 808s, bass guitar.
If you have looked at the Waves catalog, you know it is massive. With over 200 plugins ranging from vintage analog emulations to futuristic AI tools, knowing which ones are actually worth your time can be overwhelming. waves 14 plugins best
While taste is subjective, certain Waves plugins have become industry standards. These are the tools you will find on the hard drives of top mixers like Chris Lord-Alge and Andrew Scheps.
Here are the essential Waves plugins you need to know, broken down by function. The fastest compressor in the West
Andrew Scheps’ secret weapon. Instead of EQ or comp, you blend five “particles”: Sub, Air, Punch, Grit, and Thick. Each does exactly what it says. Within seconds, a dull vocal becomes exciting, or a weak snare becomes a backhand slap. Best for: Fast mixing, sound design, parallel processing.
Waves has been aggressive in implementing neural networks, and this is where they genuinely innovate rather than emulate. Andrew Scheps’ secret weapon
Modeled after the infamous 1176. All buttons in? Mayhem. Slow attack, fast release? Drums that slap you in the face. Chris Lord-Alge’s mod adds grit, harmonics, and a midrange bite that no other FET comp can touch. Best for: Snare, bass, aggressive vocals.
Plugins that emulate specific hardware to add analog flavor.