Waves 14 Plugins Best [top] Jun 2026

The Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor captures this magic perfectly. While it's famous on the master bus, don't limit it to just that. It's equally superb for gluing together a drum bus, backing vocals, or any group of tracks that need to feel unified. It serves as one of the best compressors for bus mixing and drum mixing. In the V14 update, it received a new Trim & Mix knob, allowing you to create parallel compression effects directly within the plugin.

The fastest compressor in the West. This emulation of the classic FET compressor (think Led Zeppelin vocals or Nirvana drums) is all about attitude. Snare, aggressive vocals, bass.

In addition to our top 5 picks, there are several other Waves 14 plugins that are worth mentioning:

For those focusing on the final polish, the is a powerhouse. It models the EMI TG12410 transfer console used in the world-famous Abbey Road Studios. It’s a modular mastering chain that allows you to sculpt the EQ, compression, and stereo width of your final mix with vintage British character. 6. Waves Clarity Vx: The AI Game Changer waves 14 plugins best

Taming harsh vocal resonances or controlling muddy low-end build-up. 3. Best Waves 14 Plugins for Saturation and Character

: Modeled after the console used at Abbey Road, this provides an all-in-one suite for adding vintage "mojo" to your master bus.

Stop writing volume automation for 40 minutes. Vocal Rider listens to the music and automatically turns the vocal up when the instrumental gets loud and down when it gets quiet. It’s not a compressor—it’s a robotic fader hand. The Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor captures this

The represents a significant leap forward in audio production efficiency, offering faster session load times , a streamlined drag-and-drop preset workflow , and high-DPI graphics . Crucially, it integrates independent Mix and Trim knobs directly into Waves' most iconic compressors, eliminating the need for complex parallel routing. Choosing the right tools from a catalogue of over 240 processors can be overwhelming.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through these links, I earn a coffee (or a new plugin) at no cost to you.

: Sharper, scalable interfaces for select plugins like the Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain and the API Collection. It serves as one of the best compressors

If the CLA-76 is for impact, the SSL G-Master is for glue. This plugin emulates the legendary compressor from the SSL 4000 G Series console. A little goes a long way here; applying subtle compression on your master bus helps to cohesively "glue" all the elements of your mix together, giving it a polished, finished feel. It is widely considered an essential tool for bus compression and is a favorite for drum and mix buses.

An incredibly powerful and versatile channel strip that can handle almost any processing task.