Honest Opinion about Waves Plugins in Sonar X1/X2?

Okay. So Waves is running a special on there bundles currently. Although I am enticed to jump on them, I frequently see some people complaining about stability issues with Waves Plugins in Sonar X1/X2. BTW, I run on a 64-bit machine, but use both 32-bit and 64-bit Sonar X1 currently.
 
So I would like all to chime in and give me your honest opinion on whether I should dive into the Waves bucket, or just hold on to my $900 and just patiently wait (or hope) for Cakewalk to deliver/release more of their ProChannel module plugins, or get some other package/family of FX plugins like nomad factory, ik multimedia, etc. How would you spend that much money on 3rd party FXs for Sonar?
 
Thanks in advance.

I've used them for over 10 years in various versions of Cakewalk/ SONAR, still use them today.
Very stable, but no VST3 support in X2 so you can't use those features, some have gui  problems, I haven't.
I wouldn't rush if you haven't tried them. The best thing to do is demo them yourself.
They're always having specials & look into WUP. (Waves Upgrade Plan)
http://www.wavesupport.net/content.aspx?id=2160

I use lots of them all the time. They're nice everyday plugins and they work well for me. A couple issues I've seen:
1. Like sharke the knobs and and parameter entries are weird. For me it's only with their delay plug, but it's a pain with that one.
2. I did have problems on the initial setup to get them to be recognized as tempo dependent. Had to do edit the registry to get them to be recognized properly. Only happened once though.
 
Other than that they've been good. Some folks talk about them like they're jesus on a stripper pole...I'm not certain I like them quite that much but I've never regretted buying them. Like I said, nice everyday plugs.
 
Good luck
Dean

I guess it depends on what you want. If the past is any indication, Fabfilter will have their semi-annual sale next month. 25% off any of their plug-in bundles. All plug-ins have 30 day demos. They have even been known to create custom bundles on request. They are definitely work a look. Plenty of videos on the site as well.

JAB3, if you haven't been seduced into the Waves cult yet, it's not too late - turn back while you still can.
 
(Yeh, everybody already knows I despise Waves, but some get disappointed if I don't jump in and say so whenever the topic comes up.)

JAB3,
 
Using Waves here with no problems, X2a 64-bit using the Waves V9 64-bit plugs.  Also use them with Sonar 8.5.   Bought the v9 version of Waves Gold, CLA Classic Compressors, Redd Console, Masarati and CLA Bundles and SSL.   I think they are excellent plugs.    Best wait until they have their specials to get a feel for them.   You can also trial any plug for 14days once you have a Waves Account.  Just bought Kramer Tape today on special, $49 with Waves voucher;)
 
Regards

I'm not going as far as Bit but I can sympathize with him on waves plugins. They are good no one can deny that but they are not magic or better then so many others. They wont make you a rock star. 
 
 

bitflipper
JAB3, if you haven't been seduced into the Waves cult yet, it's not too late - turn back while you still can.
 
(Yeh, everybody already knows I despise Waves, but some get disappointed if I don't jump in and say so whenever the topic comes up.)

LOL.  The more and more I'm hearing people talk about slight GUI issues and knob precision issues, along with your post, the smelling salt is starting to take affect on me. I had my mouth piece knocked out, and I was down for the count, but got back up and made it to my corner of the ring, just as the bell sounded.
 
I will be patient and keep trolling around the forums/etc. to see what other products people rave about in Sonar. Especially now that some in this post have told me that Wave frequently drops specials/sales.  On another note, it would be really cool if Cakewalk started pushing their prochannel philosophy to venders more (e.g. like Overloud).. If they can do the same thing like Propellerhead is doing with their expansions, that would rock!!

Thanks, guys for the info!

Hi,I use them all the time,and like most of what I've bought,though I always wait for the specials etc.
My most recent aquisition,was the Studio Classics bundle including the SSL,API,and Neve,modeling,I always try before buying,and their new copy protection,with choices,is working splendidly,I just use a 32GB USB stick,and if I want to change,I can then plug it into my other desktop,and away we go.
 
I do hope the USB stick[or nub/dongle-it's tiny!]doesn't break,but at least,along with "Plugin Alliance" it allows me to use it as a storage device,as well as having my licences on it,and no I don't use any iLok plugins,as I don't want to have to use a USB hub[powered]with my "most"used laptop.
 
The only problem Iv'e ever noticed is some of the GUI knobs/sliders don't work as smoothly as some other plugins[like the Pro Channel-Cakewalk ones],but to me it's no big deal.
 
Something thats kind of interesting,is how different the LA-2A versions,from Cakewalk,Native Instruments[Softube?]and Waves,sound from each other,depending on the programme material obviously though.
Cheers
Bob

I have one other problem with Waves plugs in Sonar, and I forgot to mention it because I haven't seen it in a while but tonight it's started happening again. It's the same problem that I have with Guitar Rig sometimes, and nobody's ever been able to get to the bottom of it. 
 
Every now and then I will open the project and some of my Waves EQ's have had their settings reset or changed. Like just now, I opened a project and the Q4 EQ on one of the tracks had all of the bands turned off, and the hi-pass and lo-pass band types switched to band pass. There have been times when I've been presented with a completely flat EQ curve and no choice but to dial in all my numbers again. The last time this started happening I ended up saving them as presets to avoid having to set them up again. This same project has a similar problem with Guitar Rig in that every effect in a GR effects chain will have its values zeroed out when opening the project. Again I haven't seen it for a while but it's starting to happen again. It's just one of many weird things that start happening to Sonar projects when you've been working on them for a while, but in this case it's only affecting Waves plugins and Guitar Rig. 

bapu

sharke
I have one other problem with Waves plugs in Sonar, and I forgot to mention it because I haven't seen it in a while but tonight it's started happening again. It's the same problem that I have with Guitar Rig sometimes, and nobody's ever been able to get to the bottom of it. 
 
Every now and then I will open the project and some of my Waves EQ's have had their settings reset or changed. Like just now, I opened a project and the Q4 EQ on one of the tracks had all of the bands turned off, and the hi-pass and lo-pass band types switched to band pass. There have been times when I've been presented with a completely flat EQ curve and no choice but to dial in all my numbers again. The last time this started happening I ended up saving them as presets to avoid having to set them up again. This same project has a similar problem with Guitar Rig in that every effect in a GR effects chain will have its values zeroed out when opening the project. Again I haven't seen it for a while but it's starting to happen again. It's just one of many weird things that start happening to Sonar projects when you've been working on them for a while, but in this case it's only affecting Waves plugins and Guitar Rig. 

I see a pattern on two different vendors' products.
 
I'm not blaming SONAR but sumpin' sounds funky with that project, no?

Yeah...the Waves plugs and Guitar Rig, lol! 
 
It's something that's happened a lot in the past, didn't happen for a while, and has started happening again on multiple projects. It undid hours of mixing work on 6 projects that I opened last night (and there are more that to be honest I can't face opening today )

I use the full suite of plugins from Waves. The new licensing schema is excellent. You can lock the product to a PC or a USB stick at your convenience. The nly issues I have with them and SONAR is some GUI issues with knob/sklider movement. Every project I have uses Waves in some shape or form. They are top notch. I just wish SONAR would support the sidechaining of the plugs instead of forcing you to use thiers.
 
If you can snag Waves plugs at a discount, do it as fast as you can. They are a great outfit and will listen to the user.

My $.02: I've been using Waves plug-ins since version 4. woohoo. Well, I can honestly say, they were early in the market, and back when I first discovered them after watching a Mackie d8b seminar and witnessing the Massenberg plug-ins it could use, I jumped on the Waves Q8. I HAD to have that GUI! It was so easy to use, easier than even Yamaha's O2R EQs which I loved dearly at the time.
 
Now, even though I've seen the crashes and the "sticky" knobs as reported here, I can say, YES they are working on these issues (or at least acknowledge them), and they do claim to work closely together (Cake and Waves). I grabbed Waves bundles when they were on sale. The WUP sucks, but I have seen the light there and understand that after everyone has bought all their plug-ins, sales would otherwise slow. It's nature. Plus, I don't pay for individual plug-in upgrades outside of that. I used to gripe about it.
 
Waves dumped the iLok. YES!! Although I wish they still gave me that option, I'm happy they don't use iLok anymore. iLok was a great idea, but the people who developed it were too slow to get savvy. They really didn't seem to know what they were doing at times.
 
Waves plugins are unique, which is what makes them desirable. For example, the PuigChild compressor is not only a modeling of an old Fairchild unit (the ones of which cost lots of $$ to even rent), but Jack Joseph Puig's specific compressor. Same goes with the NLS Summer, the CLA Classics, etc. Then, the bundles make things easier to buy and use. After all, I almost never use the noise-gate in the Gold bundle, but once in a blue moon, it's there when I need it.
 
Another example is the CLA-76, which has the black and blue-faced models owned by Chris-Lord-Alge himself. Not that UAD couldn't do a better job, but these are CLA's own. Plus, you get the "all" button, which is fun!
 
Lastly, if you Master, the L3-16 is amazing. The priority curve it comes with is a near perfect tool for blasting a mix to higher db's It's really good!
 
NOTE: For using X2 32 and 64-bit, you just need to make sure the 64-Bit Sonar doesn't see the 32-bit plugins. Install those in a place only found by the 32-Bit Waveshell. Get Waves to set this up for you.
 
If I had to go back and do it all over again, I'd still buy Waves. But I don't think they're any better or worse than what Cakewalk offers, just unique. Just catch them on-sale!