[2022] Recommended Waves High-End Plugin Bundle: Introducing Mercury!

Waves plugin effects are widely used by musicians and professional engineers in various music productions. In addition to their high quality, the extensive range allows users to select plugins that match their needs and preferences, making them highly appealing. Recently, Waves plugins are often available at discounted prices during sales promotions, so many people are likely interested in trying them out.
Among the diverse Waves products, there is a bundle that includes over 170 major plugins, standing at the top of the lineup. It’s called Mercury!
This time, I will introduce some of the plugins included in Mercury that are particularly user-friendly and versatile across various production settings.

Waves / Mercury (Horizon + UG)

*The provided link is for a set combining Horizon and the upgrade version, allowing you to use Mercury at a discounted price.

■ Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter
The original Aphex Aural Exciter, known as the ‘magic processor’, is a legendary device. Just by adjusting the knobs after input, it enhances the harmonics, giving the sound more brilliance. Especially the early tube models, which are now rare and hard to find in working condition. Waves, with approval from Aphex, co-developed this modeling plugin, faithfully reproducing the noise and warmth unique to tube devices found in the perfectly maintained original unit. This is the only officially licensed plugin that replicates these features.。

■ Butch Vig Vocals
Producer Butch Vig, who made history with Nirvana’s iconic Nevermind album, worked with Waves to develop this plugin. Butch, also the drummer of Garbage, created this plugin to replicate the distinctive, distorted vocal tones that have become iconic in many of his works. There’s no better plugin for achieving the signature vocal distortion found in his productions.

■ CLA MixDown
Developed in collaboration with Waves, Chris Lord-Alge (CLA), the engineer behind American rock standards, created this mix bus plugin. It focuses on delivering the punch and pressure of commercial releases, offering a smooth analog console drive, while also allowing adjustments to the overall treble and bass. It helps fine-tune the final stages of your mix to achieve a perfected sound.

■ Element 2.0 Virtual Analog Synth
Waves is not only focused on plugin effects but also heavily invests in virtual instruments. The Element 2.0 Virtual Analog Synth is a plugin designed to cover fat and pure analog synthesizer sounds. It features a real-time oscillator display, a highly flexible modulation matrix, and an arpeggiator that can be edited note-by-note. From thick basses and lead synths to enveloping pad sounds, it covers every sound expected from an analog synthesizer.

■ F6 Floating Band Dynamic EQ
The F6 Floating Band Dynamic EQ is a dynamic equalizer that applies EQ, rather than compression, based on a threshold determined by the input level. This plugin allows you to process across six bands. Unlike typical EQs, which are always applied regardless of the input signal, the F6 only kicks in when the set threshold is exceeded. This allows for minimal alteration to the original sound while fitting it seamlessly into the mix.

■ H-EQ
This EQ plugin combines the best of both worlds: the rich character of vintage analog EQs and the precise accuracy of modern digital technology. EQs typically fall into one of these two categories, but this plugin uniquely incorporates both. Each frequency band can be set to Vintage, Modern, or Digital, as well as US or UK styles, allowing for processing like “precise control in the low-end with digital, and expansive highs with analog.” You can also solo each band for more precise adjustments. The prominently displayed real-time analyzer lets you easily visualize the before-and-after effects of your EQ settings. In short, this plugin offers everything you need for effective EQ processing.

■ H-Reverb
H-Reverb is the ultimate reverb plugin, developed by Waves, a company with extensive experience in creating reverb plugins. This hybrid reverb covers everything from classic to cutting-edge reverb sounds, all in one plugin. It features parameters rarely seen in traditional reverb effects, such as EQ, ducking effects, distortion, modulation, analog circuit modeling, and even bit-crushing. These features enable you to craft reverb tones that are genuinely useful and versatile within a mix.

■ NLS
The reason analog equipment continues to captivate many music producers today lies largely in the unique texture that changes simply by running sound through it. Waves NLS precisely models the input sections of famous consoles that have recorded countless historic albums. By meticulously analyzing each channel (Ch. 1 to Ch. 32) of consoles like SSL, Neve, and TG12345, Waves has created a plugin that replicates the warmth and saturation of analog consoles. By inserting NLS on each track in your DAW, you can achieve that rich, warm sound and avoid the cold, sterile qualities often associated with digital audio.

■ NS1
One of the most crucial tasks in a modern DAW environment is removing unwanted noise from recorded material. While eliminating noise isn’t exactly a ‘musical’ task, it’s essential for producing high-quality work. Whether it’s vocals or acoustic guitar recordings at home that capture unwanted room reflections, or an electric guitar take with the perfect performance but some persistent noise, the NS1 is designed to help. With just one slider (and the rest handled automatically), NS1 allows you to easily remove noise. Simply adjust the slider until the noise is no longer noticeable, making it an incredibly user-friendly tool.

■ Torque
Torque is a pitch-shifting tool designed specifically for drums and percussion. It allows you to retune pre-recorded material with an astonishing level of naturalness. For example, you can make a 20-inch kick drum sound like a larger 24-inch drum or retune toms to match the key of your track. With the Focus section, you can select your target, enabling natural retuning even on multi-mic recordings that have bleed.

■ KramerTTT（Tape, Tubes and Transistors）
Legendary engineer Eddie Kramer, who has worked on historic recordings by artists like The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and Jimi Hendrix, supervised the creation of this plugin. It models the custom-made EQ, compressor, and tape machines used at London’s Olympic Studios, where Kramer often worked. These devices, rarely seen even in vintage markets, are known for their beautiful harmonics and warm tones. The plugin faithfully reproduces the original equipment, making it nearly indistinguishable from the original machine.

■ L Series (L1, L2, L3, L3-LL, L3-16)
One of Waves’ most popular processors is the L Series, and the entire series is included in the Mercury bundle. These plugins allow you to achieve proper loudness and apply clean limiting at the final stage of mixing. For example, inserting L1 on a drum bus can create a raw, aggressive sound, while inserting L2 on the bass can solidify the tone without affecting the character. These plugins help avoid digital clipping in your DAW and ensure your track reaches its ideal sound.

Mercury includes a wide range of Waves plugins loved by engineers.
With this bundle, you’ll be equipped to handle various mixing and production tasks.
Be sure to check it out!