Please suggest replacements for the following Waves plugins

[nickamandote]

OK, I'm looking to replace the ones I'm using the most, please suggest non-subscription alternatives:

Kramer Master Tape
SSL-G Master Buss Compressor
CLA-2A
CLA-76
SSL-EV2 (SSL 4000-E)

Thanks!

[vitocorleone123]

Softube Tape
Trackcomp2
/end

Otherwise, also Flywheel for tape? I don't really use tape plugins.
Overloud LA
Softube FET MK2
SSL Bus Compressor v2 (not an E or G... better to me)
Trackcomp2

Glad I never bought a single Waves plugin. Good luck!

[Igro]

SSL comp > Cytomic The Glue. And it sounds way better (smoother envelopes, I guess)

cla-76.... there are many options. But, in my opinion, waves ones sounds the besr regardless how accurate it is to the hardware.

[ramseysounds]

OK, I'm looking to replace the ones I'm using the most, please suggest non-subscription alternatives:

Kramer Master Tape
SSL-G Master Buss Compressor
CLA-2A
CLA-76
SSL-EV2 (SSL 4000-E)

Thanks!

You do realise they will still work? They won’t just stop??!

[The Noodlist]

Toneboosters' legacy for tape and bus duties.
https://toneboosters.com/changelog.html

[sin night]

OK, I'm looking to replace the ones I'm using the most, please suggest non-subscription alternatives:

Kramer Master Tape
SSL-G Master Buss Compressor
CLA-2A
CLA-76
SSL-EV2 (SSL 4000-E)

Thanks!

You do realise they will still work? They won’t just stop??!

Even if they still work today and will work for the foreseable future (as long as an OS/DAW update doesn't break them and your perpeatual license covers the current up-to-date working version, then you'd need a subscription plan...); once you decide to phase out something, you'd better look for a replacement sooner than later, buy the replacement and start using it, keeping the old software for old project compatibility and for those situations where you can't do without (if any).

Let's say one year or two from now you'll need to upgrade your pc and you can't avoid that (maybe your pc dies) and the license you're phasing out doesn't cover the version of the software needed to run on the new current os. If your current / most recent projects don't use those plugins, you can upgrade without too much pain, because only your old (hopefully closed now) projects need those plugins; otherwise you'll need to buy a subscription plan (to end those projects) or buy new different plugins and swap them in the current project (assuming that's possible... and it will be a waste of time, too).

Whatever your choice, you'll end up spending money on licenses (for other software or for the software you are planning to phase out), that's unavoidable. It's up to you to decide if you want to start now a smooth phasing out path or you prefer a more abrupt change sometime down the line.
I prefer the smoother approach, to be able to look for proper alternatives and buy them while my current licenses are still working and then phase out things without any rush...


This kind of reasoning doesn't apply only to Waves, but to anything you think you'll need to phase out. Say a dev goes out of business (so no updates), or the product gets discontinued, or you just don't agree with the new licensing/pricing conditions: in each of those situations you need to have a phasing out plan. When you have some control on how much smooth or hard the transition will be and how much time it will take, you'd better think about it and make your own decisions on how you will handle the process. As I already wrote, I prefer to start sooner than later with a smooth phasing out process (as I believe it causes less headaches), but it can be also be dealt with a harder transition sometimes down the line... It's up to you, the important thing is to be prepared, so the phasing out process doesn't hurt you (or it hurts you as little as possible).


Just my two cents, of course!

[sin night]

So, replacements (I don't have proper suggestions, but I have some considerations anyway):

• Kramer Master Tape

Do you use it only as a "tape effect" or also as a delay? I was going to suggest to look into Softube catalogue (probably not the only option avaible), but you may need also a tape delay plugin if you used the Kramer Master Tape as a tape delay.

• SSL-G Master Buss Compressor

I'm not really into SSL Buss Comp; Cytomic The Glue is probably the most known alternative, but maybe there are more recent ones... depending on you usage and your pc, cpu usage may be something worth considering (I believe the Waves SSL-G Master Buss Compressor has some years, so it's not a cpu hog by today standards).

• CLA-2A and CLA-76

There are various versions avaible, especially for the 1176. I would suggest you to look into the plugins released in the last few years, as emulations improved a lot recently. Cpu usage may be a factor, though.
Also, 1176 may be replaced by a Distressor emulation?
Also, if you don't already own it, I'd get Pulsar Smasher just for the all-buttons-in trick (because it's free at the moment at PB and maybe at other retailers too, so it's worth getting it anyway and later decide if it's useful).

• SSL-EV2 (SSL 4000-E)

I have to spend a few words here. I demoed this against the Plugin Alliance's version and I prefered the sound of Waves SSL-EV2 (and it was also better from a usability point of view), but I went for the Plugin Alliance version because I found the calibration of the SSL-EV2 knobs a little different / "wrong", especially when it comes to the Q (but also the frequencies are a little off, if I remember correctly). So, keep in mind it won't be easy to match the controls.

Also, after getting PA SSL, I bought their Amek 9099 channel and actually I prefer it... of course it's a different product, but maybe you could consider alternatives to the SSL sound (I think PA take on the Amek is on another level compared to their SSL... but maybe I'm biased, as I'm more a "Neve guy" when it comes to sound).


Just my 2 cents, of course!

[HcDoom]

Kramer Master Tape = u-he Satin / Softube Tape
SSL-G Master Buss Compressor = Cytomic The Glue / IK Buss Compressor / u-he Presswerk / DMG TrackComp 2
CLA-2A = Softube LA2A / DMG TrackComp 2
CLA-76 = Softube 1176 mk2 / u-he Presswerk / DMG TrackComp 2
SSL-EV2 (SSL 4000-E) = SSL Channel Strip 2 / PA SSL Channel strip 4000 E/G

[VitaminD]

blahhhh!

[Igro]

Btw, SSL bus comp can be easily replaced with IK Comprexxor (Distressor emulation). Which sounds even better than The Glue.

[plexuss]

I created this spreadsheet to keep track of Waves alternatives. I've added in some of the ones listed in this thread. Feel free to contribute and share this where you feel it would be relevant...

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/ ... sp=sharing

[Funky40]

Brauer motion (pan device) / replacement ?
i have the sound particles pan things / any other ?

[JS_SEA]

Waves new policy obviously will support sales of other devs --lol--
Waves have shot themselves in the feet.

[Ah_Dziz]

I like sknote's tape plugin (round tone?)
I generally use the softube (ni) compressors or the glue for those analog style sounds
The main upside to the waves stuff was it's low CPU use and familiar Interfaces.

[martinjuenke]

Brauer motion (pan device) / replacement ?
i have the sound particles pan things / any other ?

Cableguys Shaperbox