Will Waves studio classics do something my mcdsp plugs won't?

[skylab001]

I'm really curious, with the sale on Waves plugs right now I'm tempted to buy the studio classics bundle to go along with a PT9 upgrade. I've used Mcdsp Filterbank, Compressorbank, and analog channel for about 8 years now along with Soundtoys decapitator for saturation modelling for the last year. I've always been curious if the API, SSL, and V series will really be that much different and do things the Mcdsp stuff can't? Am I missing something? Isn't the mcdsp stuff supposed to emulate the same EQ and compression curves as the Waves plugs? Maybe there is some vibe the waves plugs have that blow the mcdsp stuff out of the water? I would just hate to buy the Waves plugs and realize that soundwise there are only minor differences that are not noticeable in a mix. So will these give me some sound I can't already get? If your wondering, I would just demo them but my upgraded PT9 system won't be functional until Monday and the sale will be over.

[Firechild]

Look at the Softube plugins instead. Sound REALLY good.

[bashville]

It's really about some of the idiosyncrasies that are emulated from the originals. It helps me to think of what engineers of yore were aiming towards when they wired in a classic box. What the features were and why they liked what these old pieces had to offer (even if it's just a picture of one!) And the general vibe I've gleaned from reading the boards here and at Gearslutz is that Waves really took everything a notch up when they got into the emulation thing.

Also, regarding EQ's, no matter what you "think" you're going for when you open a plug, the GUI will influence your working process. I like sometimes not having an EQ curve to stare at--just listening and trying to imagine what it needs. So I like having the variety of some of these other interfaces.

All that said, I get more milage out of the URS Strip Pro for most work-a-day stuff, but the various compressors and bus limiters in the Waves package sound great. And if you don't have a lot of options in the surgical department, like the S1, the Trans-X, the de-essers, gates, multi-band, L3, then Waves is a nice package to have in your back pocket.

On the other hand, don't forget Massey if you're talking bang for the buck. And the Oxford stuff!...And the Massenburg!....

I don't know the Softube stuff....

[drumster]

I'm going to agree with Firechild on this one. Before you purchase any of the Waves plugins, do yourself a favour and demo some of the Softube Plugins. You have no idea what you're missing until you do. I've owned the Studio Classics Collection for a few years and while I think it's a good bundle, I've been far more pleased with the Softube offerings. These guys have taken plugin modelling to a whole other level, and they have fantastic customer service to boot. Torsten from Softube frequently posts on Gearslutz, and he's great for answering any questions. They just released the Tube-Tech Channel bundle, so I'd recommend demoing that along with the FET Compressor and the Passive Active Pack.

[skylab001]

Well I will look into the softube stuff, but it looks like only a few plugs are TDM which is a must for me. I've used a tubetech compressor, I think it was an La-2a clone but I could be mistaken, it was a while ago. It was nice but I preferred the real thing once I got it. I have wanted to try the trident plug-in though.

I was more so curious about the waves plugs just because they were on sale and I've always wanted the Neve 1081 and API 550 sounds after having used the real things. The SSL would be great to have too even though I have never used anything SSL other than the Alan Smart C2 buss compressor, which is a modified clone from my understanding. I had considered the URS channel strip pro, but was turned off by some reviews I'd read about it not being so accurate. Maybe I should reconsider it?

Really though I just wanted to see if I could pull off the same sounds with what I have, or if these plugs would just give me a vibe I don't have and make getting the final sound quicker and easier.

[danander11]

Grab an old ilok and demo them. See what they sound like on a system that you are familiar with.

[Dizzi45Z]

I know you want to grab the sale, but I really think the advice here is great.

Unlike many many others, I have not been that blown away with the SSL bundle. I have never worked on an SSL console before, so that could be why, but I have my tools that work (Renaissance EQ and CLA compressors) and I find that every time I start straying from the tools I am comfortable with, I don't get as good of sounds as I did with my trusty old tools. I demoed the SSL collection when it came out and wasn't that impressed. But after a couple years and reading tons of reviews about how awesome they are, I thought that I just needed more time with them. So when a great sale came on, I bought them. I have to say I still have not been blown away by them. I use the SSL comp the most from the bundle, but everything else is rarely used and I have to challenge myself to use it or else they would never be used.

Early this year, I got the V-Series included with my bundle. While they are nice plug-ins... guess what I am still using 90% of the time? My Renaissance EQ's and CLA compressors. It's fun to have them and I do love using the VEQ4 on Electric Guitars, but when it comes down to it, I like to use the tools I am fast and good at. It takes time to get use to new EQ's and Compressors before you can really make some good use of them.

YMMV... But I would definitely give them a try first. Who knows, the sale might be extended another month or come back again in a few months.

[skylab001]

I think your right, I'm going to most likely wait until next week when I have everything back up and running, and demo everything listed above. At that point if anything really stands out then I'll consider it or wait until the next sale.

[nst7]

Waves has sales all the time. The Studio Classics, or the individual items in it, usually are on sale a few times a year.