cclarry
Oh yes....I love my Waves Plugins.....
they are some of the best Plugins out there...
They've been doing this "emulation" thing for
longer then just about anyone...
But, again, that's just my opinion...and everyone has their own...
Cheers!
I have to agree[although Iv'e never used UAD,due to 32bit/cost/apple centric etc]the waves CLA 76 2A 3A,and crazy things like the Masereati vocal processor,are quite astounding,however when I trialled the Waves SSL bundle,I was able to copy some of the Waves SSL E/G "presets" almost identically,using the Prochannel PC4K S-Type Comp,PC4KGate,PC4K S-Type Buss Type Comp,and the Gloss EQ,it also really helped having "panup's" "empty" Pro Channel preset,so I could get rid of the EQ if I didn't need it,for copying a particular preset involving the Waves SSL Mastering Compressor,as the PC4K S-Type Buss Compressor is very,or can be made to sound very close.
Same thing with the E or G type equalizers,some Waves presets,were able to be fairly exacted,just by copying the settings from the Waves SSL EQ's to the Pro Cannel EQ,using E,and G settings.
I also must say IMO,not much comes close to Waves L1,L2,L3,or L3LL[I don't have the L3 16] limiters,as I think the first incarnation,the L1,was released 20 years ago,and they have the loudness thing down[or perhaps its even remotely possible,that "The Loudness War's" are the result of the L1?],anyway,as soon as Waves dropped that stupid iLok thing,and went 64bit,I invested quite heavily,though I wish I could have afforded the "Mercury" Bundle like you cclarry! EDIT!!! Sorry I misread you have "Gold" not "Mercury",oh well[facepalm again!]
Cherryot
Bob