Noulakaz

The blog of Avinash, Christina, Anya and Kyan Meetoo.

Bundles of Waves plugins

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I love playing and composing music and I have released three albums over the years. I generally use Logic Pro X as my digital audio workstation, sprinkled with a few Waves plugins which I love (e.g. the H-Comp Hybrid Compressor, H-EQ Hybrid Equalizer, H-Reverb Hybrid Reverb, H-Delay Hybrid Delay, Bass Rider, Vocal Rider, L2 Ultramaximizer, Dorrough Stereo and WLM Plus Loudness Meter).

I find Waves plugins amazing. I tend to mainly use the ones created from scratch by Waves (like the one I have mentioned above) but I don’t mind using the ones modeled after classic hardware components from time to time (e.g. the API 2500, CLA-2A/3A/76 Compressor / Limiter and the SSL E/G-Channel).

Here are the various waves bundles (collections of plugins) with a list of plugins comprising them:

Silver Bundle ($599)

  • C1 Compressor
  • DeEsser
  • Doubler
  • Enigma
  • IR-L Convolution Reverb
  • L1 Ultramaximizer
  • MaxxBass
  • MondoMod
  • PAZ Analyzer
  • Q10 Equalizer
  • Renaissance Axx
  • Renaissance Compressor
  • Renaissance Equalizer
  • S1 Stereo Imager
  • SuperTap
  • TrueVerb

Gold Bundle ($799)

All the plugins in the Silver bundle with the following added:

  • AudioTrack
  • C4 Multiband Compressor
  • Doppler
  • Eddie Kramer Drum Channel
  • Electric Grand 80 Piano
  • eMo F2 Filter
  • eMo Generator
  • eMo Q4 Equalizer
  • GTR3 Amps
  • GTR3 Stomps
  • GTR3 ToolRack
  • GTR3 Tuner
  • H-Comp Hybrid Compressor
  • H-Delay Hybrid Delay
  • MetaFlanger
  • MV2
  • PS22 Stereo Maker
  • Renaissance Reverb
  • Sibilance
  • UltraPitch
  • V-Comp
  • V-EQ3
  • V-EQ4
  • Vitamin Sonic Enhancer
  • VU Meter
  • Waves Tune LT

Platinum Bundle ($1999)

All the plugins in the Gold bundle with the following added:

  • Greg Wells ToneCentric
  • L2 Ultramaximizer
  • L3 Ultramaximizer
  • L3-LL Ultramaximizer
  • Linear Phase EQ
  • Linear Phase Multiband Compressor
  • MaxxVolume
  • MetaFilter
  • OneKnob Driver
  • OneKnob Pumper
  • PuigTec EQs
  • Renaissance Bass
  • Renaissance Channel
  • Renaissance DeEsser
  • Renaissance Vox

Diamond Bundle ($2999)

All the plugins in the Platinum bundle with the following added:

  • Center
  • Cobalt Saphira
  • L3 Multimaximizer
  • L3-LL Multimaximizer
  • Morphoder
  • NLS Non-Linear Summer
  • OneKnob Filter
  • Q-Clone
  • SoundShifter
  • Trans-X
  • WLM Plus Loudness Meter
  • X-Click
  • X-Crackle
  • X-Hum
  • X-Noise
  • Z-Noise

Mercury Bundle ($7599)

All the plugins in the Diamond bundle with the following added:

  • Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter
  • API 2500
  • API 550
  • API 560
  • Bass Rider
  • Berzerk Distortion
  • Brauer Motion
  • BSS DPR-402
  • Butch Vig Vocals
  • C360 Surround Compressor
  • C6 Multiband Compressor
  • CLA Bass
  • CLA Drums
  • CLA Effects
  • CLA Guitars
  • CLA MixDown
  • CLA MixHub
  • CLA Unplugged
  • CLA Vocals
  • CLA-2A Compressor / Limiter
  • CLA-3A Compressor / Limiter
  • CLA-76 Compressor / Limiter
  • Codex Wavetable Synth
  • dbx® 160 Compressor / Limiter
  • DeBreath
  • Dorrough Stereo
  • Dorrough Surround
  • Eddie Kramer Bass Channel
  • Eddie Kramer Effects Channel
  • Eddie Kramer Guitar Channel
  • Eddie Kramer Vocal Channel
  • Element 2.0 Virtual Analog Synth
  • eMo D5 Dynamics
  • F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ
  • GEQ Graphic Equalizer
  • Greg Wells MixCentric
  • Greg Wells PianoCentric
  • Greg Wells VoiceCentric
  • H-EQ Hybrid Equalizer
  • H-Reverb Hybrid Reverb
  • IDR360 Bit Re-Quantizer
  • Infected Mushroom Pusher
  • InPhase
  • InPhase LT
  • IR-Live Convolution Reverb
  • IR1 Convolution Reverb
  • IR360 Convolution Reverb
  • JJP Bass
  • JJP Cymbals & Percussion
  • JJP Drums
  • JJP Guitars
  • JJP Strings & Keys
  • JJP Vocals
  • Kramer HLS Channel
  • Kramer Master Tape
  • Kramer PIE Compressor
  • L3-16 Multimaximizer
  • L360 Surround Limiter
  • LFE360 Low-Pass Filter
  • LoAir
  • M360 Surround Manager & Mixdown
  • Manny Marroquin Delay
  • Manny Marroquin Distortion
  • Manny Marroquin EQ
  • Manny Marroquin Reverb
  • Manny Marroquin Tone Shaper
  • Manny Marroquin Triple D
  • Maserati ACG
  • Maserati B72
  • Maserati DRM
  • Maserati GRP
  • Maserati GTi
  • Maserati HMX
  • Maserati VX1
  • MDMX Distortion Modules
  • MultiMod Rack
  • MV360
  • NS1 Noise Suppressor
  • OneKnob Brighter
  • OneKnob Louder
  • OneKnob Phatter
  • OneKnob Pressure
  • OneKnob Wetter
  • Playlist Rider
  • Primary Source Expander
  • PRS SuperModels
  • PuigChild Compressor
  • R360 Surround Reverb
  • S360 Surround Imager & Panner
  • Scheps 73
  • Scheps Omni Channel
  • Scheps Parallel Particles
  • Smack Attack
  • Sub Align
  • Submarine
  • Torque
  • UM225 / UM226
  • Vocal Rider
  • W43 Noise Reduction Plugin
  • Waves Tune
  • Waves Tune Real-Time
  • WNS Noise Suppressor
  • X-FDBK

Of course, if money is no object and you run a very profitable studio, get the Mercury Bundle. For mere mortals though, get a lower bundle or, maybe, buy the plugins you really need individually. For example, if I had to buy my favourite plugins individually, the amount I’ll have to pay would be:

  • H-Comp Hybrid Compressor ($179)
  • H-EQ Hybrid Equalizer ($179)
  • H-Reverb Hybrid Reverb ($349)
  • H-Delay Hybrid Delay ($179)
  • Bass Rider ($99)
  • Vocal Rider ($249)
  • L2 Ultramaximizer ($299)
  • Dorrough Stereo ($199)
  • WLM Plus Loudness Meter ($399)

for a total of $2131 which is more expensive than the Platinum Bundle! Maybe it would be more intelligent to wait for Waves to do sales (which they practically always do) or get the Platinum Bundle and try to make use of its plugins to the full.

In any case, have fun.

PS: Waves is not the only audio plugin manufacturer who offers quality plugins. Others do.

PPS: As a Logic Pro X user, I tend to use the Logic Compressor and the Logic Channel EQ more than their Waves counterparts (H-Comp Hybrid Compressor and H-EQ Hybrid Equalizer) because they integrate better in the Logic mixer. I would love to have the same kind of integration with the Waves plugins though. Waves? Apple?

Whisky I know (and like…)

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I like to have a nice drink from time to time.

Here are some of the Scotch Whisky I like to have (sorted by price, from most expensive to most affordable):

I have just discovered the Lagavulin thanks to Cédric and it is amazing. I have never tasted a single malt which is so smokey, yet so good. It’s the best whisky I’ve ever had.

Next come the Johnnie Walker (Double Black and Black) as well as the Chivas Regal which are my go-to (relatively) high-end drinks. This is what we have when we have something special to celebrate. The Jack Daniel’s is in the same league but is a whisky that I drink less frequently and I know a few people who do not like its taste.

On the lower level come the Ballantine, the J & B, the Red Label. I prefer the Ballantine which is basically my everyday (not that I drink everyday!) whisky. It’s not very expensive and is quite refined, compared to the Red Label which is not very good to be honest.

Finally, at the lowest level come the remaining three brands (Grant’s, Teacher’s and King Robert) and I have to say that I like King Robert very much. It’s very inexpensive, relatively speaking, and is quite easy to drink. It’s basically what I have with family and friends if we are not in a whisky tasting mood.

To summarize, here are my whisky selection : Lagavulin, then Double Black, then Ballantine’s and finally King Roberts. With those four, I have all bases covered.

Don’t drink and drive, though.

Preventing macOS from verifying LibreOffice and getting stuck

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LibreOffice works really well on macOS. As well as in Linux and Windows. And this is a good thing for me as I can work on any computer and I am sure I’ll be able to read/write all my files.

I have noticed something on macOS. After installing a new version of LibreOffice and opening it for the first time, the OS will verify its integrity before actually launching it. But, for some reason, the verification sometimes gets stuck and LibreOffice never opens. The solution is simple:

xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/LibreOffice.app