By default, stereo channels consist of two channel variations to emulate setting up two hard-panned left and right mono channels on the console however, purists can click the Dual Link button and use the same channel variation on both channels. A cool feature is that 32 different channels on each console have been measured and modelled to mimic the subtle channel variations on the consoles. The Channel interface is pretty self-explanatory, and the three consoles available are aptly named Spike, Mike and Nevo. The NLS channel plug-in can also emulate the distortion created by sending a line-level signal through a console mic preamp and cranking the level - still a popular mixing trick - and in this scenario, the Channel plug-in should be put on the first insert.

To mimic the performance of a mixing console, NLS Channel is meant to be put on the last insert on each channel and NLS Buss on the first insert of the master bus. The Waves NLS suite ('non-linear summing') consists of the NLS Channel and the NLS Buss plug-ins, and is available for Mac OS and Windows, in TDM and all the usual native formats. Finally, Yoad Nevo took two classic Neve 5116s and had them custom-built into one very impressive console the length of a living room. Mike Hedges salvaged the pieces of an EMI TG12345 Mk IV from the garage of Abbey Road Studios and was able to put it back into working order (only two MkIV consoles were ever made, and both are still in use).

Mark 'Spike' Stent has been using his SSL 4000G for more than 20 years and calls it 'The Magic Console', thanks to its special sound. Waves asked three very well-known engineers to lend them their analogue mixing consoles, in order that their programmers could analyse each desk's non-linear behaviour and unique sound. But what is it that's so special about mixing consoles? Well, many users claim that they add a certain richness, depth and harmonic complexity that tend to be beneficial in music production. The latest craze is to model the behaviour of vintage analogue mixing consoles. In recent years, a flood of distortion and saturation plug-ins has appeared, claiming to bring more 'analogue sound” to your productions. Here, the NLS Channel plug-in (left) is in its SSL guise, while the Buss plug-in is emulating Mike Hedges' vintage EMI TG-series desk. The NLS plug-in interface changes to reflect which of the three consoles you've chosen. Waves are the latest manufacturers to try to package the sound of large-format mixing consoles in plug-in form.

Waves ssl e channel plugin crack