Waves V-Series 1. Introduction Much of the music of the ‘60s and ‘70s is characterized by a certain sound – a warm, fat, rich sound with spectacularly detailed midrange. The analogue EQ and dynamics processors of that era, although lacking the pristine specifications of modern Waves plugins, easily provided recording engineers a sound that is all-but-impossible to achieve today.
Waves V-Series page 2 hardware processors, then made easy-to-use plug-ins that perfectly emulate the original devices. These three plug-ins recreate the sound of legendary vintage gear, while providing the power and flexibility you expect from Waves plug-ins. Because these three plug-ins are modeled after analogue processors, they are optimally used at an operating level where 0 dBFS = +22 dBU. (This information is helpful when calibrating your session.
Waves V-Series page 3 • • You are seeking fat horns or bass without sacrificing midrange detail. You want a very quick, easy to use compressor that will help glue together your track and deliver a nominal output gain regardless of your operating level. • You are mixing a song where attitude is more important than transparency. When should you use a different Waves processor? The plug-ins in the V-Series create a specific vintage feel.
Waves V-Series page 4 the output level to nominal (-0.1 dBFS). The V-EQ3 Equalizer uses fixed cutoff points but covers the entire frequency spectrum. V-EQ4 Equalizer The Waves V-EQ4 EQ is a four-band equalizer with a lowpass/highpass filter. It was painstakingly modeled after the 1081 hardware EQ processor from the 1980s. Specific cutoff points provide great control while maintaining a warm, vintage sound.
Waves V-Series page 5 In the analogue domain, ideal levels tend to fall between 0 and +5 dBU. Translated to the digital domain, which is measured in dBFS, 0 dBU = -22 dBFS. This means that ideal input levels to the V-Comp range from -22 to -17 dBFS. This may take a bit of getting used to, since those accustomed to the digital world often seek the hottest level on each track.
Waves V-Series page 6 HP (High Pass Filter) Seven cutoff points, plus off. -18 dB/octave V-EQ3 HP cutoff points (Hz): 45, 50, 70, 80, 160, 300, 360 EQ (EQ on/off) This control defeats the EQ, but does not turn off analogue modeling. EQ Off is comparable to an analogue EQ device in an idle mode. Signal will still be subject to the harmonic distortion and noise characteristics of the 1073 and 1066 devices after which the plug-in was modeled.
Waves V-Series page 7 Switchable 10 kHz or 12 kHz cutoff points, and off. Output Controls the output level of the EQ device. Adjustable in 0.1 dB increments from -18 dB to +18 dB.
Waves V-Series page 8 Trim meter and reset button Measures the output peak of the EQ device, measured in dBFS. Click on the trim button to reset the output of the EQ to -0.1 dBFS. A red clip light indicates over-level. It can be reset by clicking on it. Analogue on/off The V-EQ3 achieves an accurate vintage sound by recreating the unique harmonic distortion and noise characteristics (and therefore the sound color) of the 1073 and 1066 devices, after which it was modeled.
Waves V-Series page 9 double-clicking on the knobs. Double-clicking on the inner knob will open a dialogue box for gain. Double-clicking on the outer ring will open a dialogue box for setting the frequency. Entering a frequency value other than one of the available cutoff points will take you to the nearest “legal” value. Click-drag vertically on a knob to change the frequency. ALT+click resets the parameter to its default setting. Lowpass/highpass filter Selectable lowpass or highpass filter.
Waves V-Series page 10 Shelf/Bell (separate controls for LF and HF sections) Sets the shape of the LF and HF curves. The default for each of these filters is shelf. Selecting this button changes the shape to a bell curve. LMF (Low Mid Frequency Section) Controls low middle frequency gain and cutoff frequency. Inner knob controls gain. High Q Bell gain adjustment ±18 dB (lower for normal Q), continuously adjustable. Outer ring selects mid frequency cutoff points, plus off.
Waves V-Series page 11 Adjustable in 0.1 dB increments from -18 dB to +18 dB. Trim meter and reset button Measures the peak output of the EQ device, measured in dBFS. Click on the Trim to reset the output of the V-EQ4 to -0.1dBFS. A red clip light indicates over-level. Click on the light to reset.
Waves V-Series page 12 Controls for the V-Comp Master Bus Compressor The Waves V-Comp Master Bus Compressor is a very straightforward compressor/limiter. Its design allows you to achieve a controlled, gentle compression that glues the mix together and delivers nominal output gain, almost without regard to input level. The controls are what you’d expect from any compressor/limiter. Input Adjusts input level -24 dB +18 dB in 0.1 dB increments.
Waves V-Series page 13 Since V-Comp was modeled after a console’s master bus compressor, there is no threshold control. On the original analogue console, master bus compressor threshold was controlled by the master fader of the console – the higher the mix’s signal and the more the master fader gain, the greater the compression. In the analogue domain, ideal levels tend to fall between 0 and +5 dBU. Translated to the digital domain, which is measured in dBFS, 0 dBU = -22 dBFS.
Waves V-Series page 14 Analog Switch As with the V-EQ3 and V-EQ4 plug-ins, the V-comp was modeled after a specific hardware processor, the 2254. The harmonic distortion and noise of the original device help shape V-Comp’s color and personality. If you want to defeat these characteristics, turn the switch to the OFF position. In addition, you can control the relative amount of analogue modeling. Settings: off, 25%, 50%, 100%.
Waves V-Series page 15 Limiter Section Limiter Switch Turns the limiter on and off. Limit Level Sets the threshold of the limiter. Adjustable from +4 dBu to +12 dBu in 0.5 dB steps. The limiter is scaled so that +22 dBU equals 0 dBFS. Attack Adjusts the attack speed of the limiter. Fast = 1 microsec; Slow = 1 millisec Release Adjusts the release time of the limiter. Settings: 100 ms, 200 ms, 800 ms, auto Auto adjusts the release time according to the input signal to achieve a “nominal” release. 4.
