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'm using the NLS, the Kramer Tape, Tubes and Transistors, and the PAZ Analyzer bundles in X1 Expanded and never had so much as a hiccup. :) Good luck!

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. 

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?

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 )

sharke

They're stable, but the GUI's don't work so well in Sonar. Knobs and parameter values seem to stick when you're adjusting them with the mouse. Sometimes it takes me a few times to get a knob past a certain point, and other times I just give up and enter a numerical parameter value with the keyboard. Waves told me they are aware of this issue. They sound great and it's possible to dial in the settings you want, but it ain't a smooth process. I hope they fix it in an update because I use them a lot.

The jerky GUI was driving me crazy also.  I finally found a solution.  It's not as easy as I would have hoped, but it is definitely worth the trouble.
 
First you need to use "shell2vst" ( a free program that can be found on the web) and convert the Waveshell file to individual VST files.  Then for the wave plugins you want to smooth out the GUI for you need to run JBridge to wrap the dll.   JBridge's primary function was to allow use of 32-bit plugins in 64-bit host.  It will also be able to use a 64-bit plugin with a 64-bit host.  JBridge is about $30.  Then in JBridge select the option to fix the Slow GUI problem.  It is a checkbox in the configuration file.  This is an individual setting per plugin - so you will need to change that setting for each Wave plugin (.dll)  that you select to use with JBridge.
 
I have left out a lot of the details but you can probably figure it out reading the simple instructions that come with shell2vst and JBridge.  If you get stuck let me know and I can fill in more information when I am at my DAW.
 
Good Luck!
 
Don

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.

Guitarmech111
...and will listen to the user.

For a fee.

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!
 
 

Bump!
I've acquired a lot of Waves plug-ins over the years. I like them, despite the sticky knobs. But I recently discovered that in my setup (X1 Producer Expanded, I7 core laptop), I am limited to 30 instances of Waves plug-ins per session. On the 31st instance, I get a blank GUI for the plug. It works like clockwork. I usually replace the PAZ with T-Racks metering, then start replacing EQs in order to make room for new Waves plugs. Has anyone else come across this issue? Is it just me?
Mo