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The Best Bus Compressor Plugins in 2025
My quest for the best mix bus compressor plugin is neverending. I have spent countless of hours reviewing and testing different plugins. Here are my picks for the best bus compressor plugins in 2025.

There are a lot of plugins covered in this article and related video so let’s address one question first up: Do you have to have so many? Of course not. I’ve accumulated a lot of plugins over the years. Many of them I’ve bought but I also get a lot of plugins for free. I make music, but I also do mixing and mastering work for others. I need different types of tools for different situations.

In this review, I’m presenting you the mix bus compressor plugins I like and use. But please do not feel like you need to have a ton of different plugins in order to get good results.

Think about your needs. What kind of sound you are looking to achieve? Take a look at what is available. Maybe your DAW already has one that works for you? Demo different products.

Are you consistently working with the same type of material? You might only ever need one good mix bus compressor plugin. In any case, the key is to test it for yourself.

Table of Contents – These Are The Best Bus Compressor Plugins in 2025

For your convenience, here is a list of all of the chosen plugins. Continue reading for the blog post and video below.
iZotope Ozone

iZotope Ozone offers great tools for mix bus compression. The added benefit is that besides the compressors you also get a whole host of super useful tools. The Standard version of Ozone works as a single plugin that hosts all the different modules. With the Advanced version, which is what I use, you can also use all of the modules as separate plugins.

The standard and advanced versions of Ozone come with two different compression modules that are both great for bus compression: Dynamics and Vintage Compressor.

The Dynamics Module

The Dynamics module is super flexible and sound great. It has that modern hard hitting sound that works especially well for electronic styles, but also other types of music.

For bus duty I like using Dynamics in single band mode. But you can have up to 4 bands if you wish.

The Vintage Module

The Vintage Compressor is a single band compressor with three characters: Sharp, Balanced and Smooth. They all sound different and great in their own right. The UI is super clean and nice to operate. The great metering section as well as auto make-up gain are very nice to have also.

iZotope Ozone Dynamics Tips
- Try running the Dynamics in Mid/Side mode. A whole new world opens up from there.
- Try the different detection modes (Peak, Env, RMS). They all result in a different sound.
- The detection filter is very versatile. The Tilt setting works similarly to Thrust control in the famous API 2500.
- Ozone offers great facilities for working with the gain. This helps to make better decisions and not cloud your judgment by volume differences. Make use of these facilities!
  - There is an auto-gain option above the “Gain” fader. I like to keep it on but then fine tune the gain manually.
  - The master section has a “Gain Match” option to further help you match the level of your processed signal to the unprocessed one.
  - The RMS meters will help you too, and it’s nice to have precise input and ouput gain faders in the master section too.
Link: iZotope Ozone

FabFilter Pro-C2

A true all in one workhorse. The Fabfilter Pro-C2 has a ton of options including an extremely featured sidechain filtering section. It has several different compression modes including Bus, but also Clean and Mastering which can also work equally well in a bus compression context.

It has great metering and visual feedback which is especially helpful for someone just trying to learn about compression. A great learning tool! The Pro-C2 has switchable oversampling of up to 4x.

You can do just about anything with this plugin, which is also its downside. Personally I often rather reach for something quick and easy that I know will get the job done without too much tweaking. That said, the Fabfilter Pro-C2 comes with good presets for mastering and mix bus that will get you going in no time.

Link: FabFilter Pro-C2

UAD Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection

The UAD Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection is one of the finest emulations of vintage tube limiters on the market. The plugin imparts silky warmth and harmonic richness on the material.

If you’re looking to add a touch of vintage magic to their mixes, this compressor delivers just that.

Link: UAD Fairchild Tube Limiter Collection

Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

The Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain includes several nice tools for the mix bus. But for this article, let’s just focus on the wonderfully chunky compressor/limiter. If you want to read more about it, check my blog posts about The Best Waves Plugins and The Best Waves Plugins for Mastering.

The TG Mastering Chain has been in use in the Abbey Road studios ever since the early ’70s. It has contributed to the sound of countless hit records, including Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana’s In Utero, Radiohead’s OK Computer and Ed Sheeran’s “+”.

The compressor on the TG Mastering Chain sounds chunky and has lots of character. It has three modes to choose from, each bringing a different flavor:
- Original
- Modern
- Limit
There are six different settings for release time, a ratio control, make-up gain and a wet/dry mix knob. By opening up the extended control panel, you also get access to separate controls for L/R or Mid/Side compression as well as very nice sidechain filtering options.

The compression sounds smooth, solid and deep. It brings together the low end of the song and makes it sound stronger. The different release characteristics and compression modes offer plenty of options for finding just the right timing for the material. It is easy to get very pleasant movement and pumping action going if that’s what you desire.

Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain Tips
- Personally I find myself going with the “Modern” compression mode most of the time. It works the best with the type of material I usually work with.
- The Mid/Side option on this compressor is great to have. You can use it to get the center of your mix really tight without having to worry about the compressor reacting to/affecting the material on the sides of the stereo image. Equally, you could use it to clamp down or widen the stereo field. Open the extended panel (top right corner of the compression module) and learn to make use of the M/S features!
- Learn to use the sidechain filtering options. The bell filter is especially nice to have for making the compressor react more on certain frequencies. The M/S functionality and the powerful sidechaining together bump up this compressor to a new level.
- The output/monitoring section of the plugin has options for soloing the Mid and Side components of the material, as well as checking how your mix sounds in mono. Very helpful, especially when doing Mid/Side compression!
- Remember to work with the makeup gain to keep your levels in check. You don’t want your compressed end result sounding any quieter or louder than your unprocessed signal. This makes it easier to do before/after comparisons.
Link: Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

Waves SSL G-Master Bus Compressor

The Waves SSL G-Master Bus Compressor is a classic plugin, modeled after a classic compressor. This SSL bus compressor clone has been around for a long time but I find it still holds up nicely. There is nothing wrong with it, it can be had for a great price and it works in many situations.

I typically use this to create just a small amount of movement in the mix, barely making the needle move.

What I also like about the Waves SSL bus compressor clone is that it’s very quick and easy to dial in and get a good sound going. I would not recommend paying the expensive full price for it because it’s very often discounted.

Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor Tips
- This compressor does not have a mix knob so be careful with the fast attack settings. You don’t want to kill your transients. Attack settings of 10 or 30ms are the safest.
- Adjust the release time so that the compression moves nicely in sync with your material, creating movement or glue.
- For a more aggressive sound, bring down the attack and use a faster release time.
Link: Waves SSL G-Master Bus Compressor

Waves MaxxVolume

Don’t be fooled by the ageing looks of Waves MaxxVolume. This plugin can do some seriously good things on your mix bus. It’s very easy to operate and gives you clean loudness and glue on the mix bus.

The Waves MaxxVolume is quite a unique plugin in that it offers both low and high-level compression. It brings together algorithms from different Waves plugins such as the L2, C1 and Renaissance Compressor.

In a standard compression setting, any signal above the set threshold gets compressed and attenuated. With a low level compressor, any signal that goes below the set threshold gets compressed upward, resulting in an increased gain. The dynamic range is thus compressed, pushing low levels up while leaving high levels as they were.

This is a set and forget type plugin. It’s very easy to dial in and quite safe provided you don’t go crazy with the gain reduction.

Waves MaxxVolume Tips
- I typically do only 1-2 dB of both high and low-level compression on the mix bus. This is enough to give me a nice boost in overall volume without changing the character of the mix much.
- Use the bypass switches on the threshold faders to hear the difference between processed and unprocessed signals.
Link: Waves MaxxVolume

u-he Presswerk

The U-He Presswerk is a compressor with lots of options. It is great for someone who likes to go deep. It sounds very analog, especially when you start to hit the saturation and soft clipping the right way. It’s also very easy to go overboard with this compressor.

The Presswerk has tons and tons of controls, and it’s all very useful. This plugin is a lot of fun to play around with! It also has several simplified modes that hide and automate many of the detailed controls and allow you to focus on what’s essential. The preset manager is very good too, complete with descriptions and a resizable GUI.

If you’re after a thick and gluey analog-type sound, definitely check this compressor out.

Link: U-He Presswerk

Tokyo Dawn Labs Kotelnikov GE

Now, I’m first to admit that I’m biased with this one. I have been involved with beta testing the TDR Kotelnikov GE. I’ve also been releasing a lot of music on Tokyo Dawn Records (the label) back in the 90’s! So I go a long way back – almost 30 years – with Tokyo Dawn. However, it also means I know that Tokyo Dawn Labs guys know what they’re doing.

The Kotelnikov GE is a super modern and transparent compressor for mastering and mix bus duties. It is inspired by the legendary Weiss DS1-MK3 compressor, but doesn’t attempt to sound the same.

It has a whole host of innovative features including things like equal loudness bypass and frequency-dependent ratio.

It’s an advanced plugin to use and because of the unique feature set, there is a learning curve. But all the information is clearly laid out for you in the interface as well as the manual.

Proudly digital, very trustworthy, great quality and affordable. Plus it comes with some presets designed by me! What more do you want may I ask?

Link: TDR Kotelnikov GE

TDR Limiter 6 GE

TDR Limiter 6 GE is an entire dynamics toolkit comprising of compressors, clippers, and limiters. I often use it for the purpose of mix bus compression alone. You can hide the other modules and just have the compression and output/metering sections visible.

The compression section includes five different compressors: Alpha, Sigma, Leveler, Nova, and Broadcast. For the type of music I often work with (modern drum&bass), Sigma works great.

I also love the excellent output and metering options. They are making the task at hand a lot easier.

Link: TDR Limiter 6 GE

UAD API 2500

The UAD API 2500 is modeled after one the most iconic compressors out there. It’s a great compressor to get some thickness, movement, and glue into your mix.

What about Waves API 2500 vs UAD API 2500? I’ve used both plugins extensively. My take is that the UAD sounds more analog and feels better in use, but the Waves plugin sounds more punchy. I have not been able to get the same kind of smack from the UAD. But for glue type compression, more nuanced analog modeling and overall better user experience, I would go for the UAD.

Link: UAD API 2500

The Best Bus Compressor Plugins – Video

Here is a video where I go through some of these compressors (and a few more) in a typical work setting!

The Best Bus Compressor Plugins in 2025 – Final Words

There we go – a review of what I think are the best bus compressor VST / AU / AAX plugins. What are your thoughts? Do you have some different favorites? Do you have any questions about any of the plugins?

Let me know in the comments.
August 17, 2024
The Best Waves Plugins for Mastering 2025
Mastering is the art of turning a mix into a polished, release-ready product. With 15 years of professional mastering experience and over 20 years of using and following Waves plugins, I’ve honed my understanding of which Waves tools are the best for mastering and mixing. Waves Audio offers an extensive range of plugins, often at great prices, but their vast catalog can be overwhelming with many overlapping options.

In this article, I’ll guide you through the best Waves mastering plugins for 2025—plugins that have proven their worth over time. I’ve also included practical tips on how to use them effectively in your mastering chain. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this guide will help you make the most of your Waves plugins.

Each plugin I recommend is one I’ve bought with my own hard earn money. Please note that this post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click a product link and make a purchase, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps keep this blog going and my coffee cup full!

Now, let’s dive into my review of the best Waves mastering plugins in 2025.

What are the best Waves plugins for Mastering in 2025?

Before we move on to the detailed reviews, here is the full list of my recommendations, with quick links to jump into the detailed reviews and tips.

These are the best Waves plugins for mastering:
Waves F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ

Waves F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ is overall the best Waves EQ plugin for mastering. It’s a clean and super versatile minimum phase tool for precise EQ adjustments and dynamic processing.

Waves F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ Tips for Mastering:
- Use the “Solo” button to accurately hone in on the frequencies you want to target.
- With a short attack time, an EQ band can boost/reduce transients very effectively. This can be used to control punch in mastering context. With a longer attack time, the plugin sounds more transparent.
Link: Waves F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ

Waves L2 Ultramaximizer

The Waves L2 Ultramaximizer has been a staple in my studio since the 2000s.

At its core, the Waves L2 Ultramaximizer combines peak limiting, level maximization, and dithering, all in one user-friendly package.

Back in the 2000s, the L2 was the plugin of choice for mastering engineers, helping to define the sound of that era. While it’s certainly not the most transparent limiter by today’s standards, its unique sonic character is precisely why many engineers still reach for it.

The Waves L2 Ultramaximizer has stood the test of time. While newer, more transparent options are available, the L2’s distinctive sound continues to be cherished by many engineers.

Waves L2 Ultramaximizer Tips for Mastering:
- The Adaptive Release Control (ARC) offers a more transparent sound, but for creative effects like pumping or intentional distortion, try switching to manual release control.
- A favorite trick of mine is to run the L2 in dual mono mode, which can noticeably widen the stereo image and add depth to your mix.
Link: Waves L2 Ultramaximizer

Waves C6 Multiband Compressor

The Waves C6 Multiband Compressor is a reliable and versatile friend for mastering. It offers dynamic compression, expansion and EQ across six frequency bands, allowing you to address specific frequencies independently.

Key features include four fixed bands and two floating bands, sidechain capabilities for external triggering, and a user-friendly paragraphic interface.

It’s a dependable plugin that has earned its place in many professionals’ toolkits, and comes in much more affordable than many of its competitors.

If you’re wondering whether you should be using the Waves C6 or the Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor, keep reading! I’ll dive into the differences and specifics of when to use each in the Linear Phase Multiband section.

Waves C6 Tips for Mastering:
- Control Low-End Dynamics: Apply multiband compression to the low-end to manage bass frequencies that can be overpowering on certain playback systems.
- De-Essing: The C6 can double as a de-esser by targeting the sibilant frequencies in the upper mids, providing transparent sibilance control.
- Optimize Attack and Release Times: Adjust attack and release times to match the tempo and characteristics of your audio material, balancing transient control and punch, or aggression and smoothness in compression.
- Use Opto Mode for Transparent Compression: Switch to Opto mode for natural and musical compression on sensitive material like vocals or the master buss, emulating classic optical compressors for smooth, transparent results.
- Monitor Gain Reduction: Watch the gain reduction meters and the Dynamic Line display to ensure you’re not over-compressing, allowing for more informed adjustments.
Link: Waves C6 Multiband Compressor

Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor

This is one of my secret weapons! The good old Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor still more than holds its own in the competition. Don’t let the archaic looks deceive you. I think the GUI is actually very clear and functional once you start working with it.

Linear phase technology is great for preserving punch in your music. A transient contains lots of different frequencies happening at the same exact time. A typical non-linear filter shifts each of these frequencies differently in time, smearing the transients. This plugin doesn’t do that.

The Linear Phase Multiband Compressor is very well tuned for mastering purposes. It has good precise controls. It sounds great and does what you want with minimal fuss. It is also extremely cost-effective (wait for the discount) for the quality of processing that you get.

Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor Tips for Mastering:
- ARC for easy natural results: The Adaptive Release control tends to result effortlessly in natural and transparent sounding results. But you always have the manual release control if you need something different.
- Try it for transient recovery: I also like to use this plugin as a transient recovery tool (sadly a lot of premasters I get are squashed lifeless). This can be achieved by setting a positive range value in the desired bands. If you need lots of snap, go for a short attack time.
- Soft vs Hard knee: Changing the knee setting completely transforms how the compressor responds. Soft knee sounds nice and smooth where has the hard knee gets aggressive – perfect for sharp transient shaping for instance.
- Read the manual: The LinMB utilizes several specialized techniques to achieve great fidelity. The manual is superb and explains everything in a very educational way. Make sure to read it (and yes, it’s long, which I really appreciate)!
Waves C6 Multiband Compressor vs Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor

The Waves C6 Multiband Compressor and Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor are both valuable tools in mastering, each suited for different tasks due to their unique processing characteristics.

Key Differences

The Waves C6 Multiband Compressor uses minimum phase processing, which can introduce some phase distortion. This compressor excels at addressing specific, precise issues in a mix, such as taming resonances, controlling dynamic elements like vocals, or tightening the low end. The phase distortion is often negligible in these scenarios, making the C6 ideal for surgical adjustments without affecting the mix’s overall tonal balance.

In contrast, the Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor avoids phase distortion altogether but can introduce time distortion, particularly in the form of pre-ringing. This makes it perfect for broad, smooth, and gentle tonal shaping, where preserving the natural stereo image is crucial. While pre-ringing can be an issue with more aggressive settings (especially in the low end), it’s not a problem if you understand what you’re doing.

When to Use Each
- Waves C6: Best for tackling specific issues within the mix, like resonances or dynamic inconsistencies, where precise control is necessary, or you need to go in harder.
- Waves Linear Phase Multiband: Ideal for smooth, transparent shaping of the overall sound, particularly when maintaining phase coherence and stereo imaging is important.
Link: Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor

Vitamin Sonic Enhancer

Sometimes there is a need to reach for some color and mojo. The Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer is designed for this purpose. It’s a multi-band harmonic enhancer that also can add some subtle punch and work with the stereo image.

I’ve always liked the sound of Vitamin. It’s silky smooth with just a hint of underlying aggression and edge lurking in there. For mastering this is usually exactly what you want. I like the way the controls are designed and presented. Vitamin is a joy to work with.

Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer Tips for Mastering:
- If you want to make your low-end mono, you can do that with Vitamin. Just dial the stereo width of the “Lo” band to zero.
- You can turn down the “Direct” fader completely to hear only the processing added by Vitamin. This is very useful.
- Watch the input and output meters. Match levels using the output gain to make better judgments.
Link: Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer

Waves Center

If you’re not used to mid-side programming, Waves Center gives you an easy and effective way to approach it.

Center allows you to take control of your stereo image in some interesting ways. The two big faders allow you to set the relation between “Center” (or mid) and “Sides” (side) content. The “Low” and “High” knobs balance the low and high-frequency content respectively between the middle and sides of the mix. The “Punch” dial then focuses the transient content of the material more to the middle, or the sides.

It’s a deceptively simple set of controls. Yet Center packs a lot of power to shape the impact of the material.

Waves Center Tips for Mastering:
- Center is a subtle plugin. When looking for the right settings, turn down the “Center” and “Sides” faders in turns and tweak the controls at the top. That way it will be much easier to hear what is going on.
- For emphasizing punch, try focusing “Low” and “Punch” towards the center.
- For simple widening or narrowing of the stereo image, all you need to do is to push the “Sides” fader up or down.
Link: Waves Center

Waves S1 Stereo Imager

The S1 Stereo Imager is, of course, a classic of the classics. And it is just as relevant today as it was 25 years ago. The S1 is a toolset that allows you to enhance, readjust and fix issues in the stereo image. It relies on well recognized, non-destructive engineering principles in its design. It won’t produce unwanted side effects, which is crucial in mastering work.

Beyond simple widening or narrowing of the stereo image, S1 can for example fix asymmetrical mixes. You can re-balance the left and right components without affecting the position of the center image. Alternatively, the center image could be shifted left or right without affecting the sides.

Waves S1 Stereo Imager Tips for Mastering:
- Enhance Width: Use the S1 to subtly widen the stereo image, making the mix feel more expansive and open. Be careful to avoid excessive widening, which can lead to phase issues.
- Correct Imbalances: If the stereo image feels lopsided, use the S1 to correct any imbalances between the left and right channels, ensuring a balanced and cohesive sound.
- Focus the Center: If the mix feels weak because it’s too wide, you can narrow the stereo image to focus central elements like vocals and bass, making them more prominent in the mix.
- Use the Shuffle feature to safely add dimension in the lower end of the frequency spectrum. The “Freq” control defines the frequency below which the effect is applied. Shuffle is fully phase compensated so it won’t cause problems with mono compatibility.
- Using Shuffle can cause the mix to lose some perceived weight because the low-end frequencies are being distributed over a wider area. Not to worry! The “Bass trim” control is included to compensate for that, and it works great.
- Rotate the Image: The S1’s rotation feature allows you to shift the stereo image, which can be useful for correcting spatial issues or creating a unique stereo effect in your master.
Link: Waves S1 Stereo Imager

Waves API-2500

The Waves API-2500 compressor is an emulation of the classic API unit, known for its punchy and musical sound. It’s a versatile compressor that can add character and glue to your mix during mastering.

There are newer and more expensive models of this compressor available today from other companies, and I’ve tried most of them. For me this Waves version holds its own and is definitely the most punchy one that I have tried. Run a shootout and let me know in the comments what you think!

Waves API-2500 Tips for Mastering:
- Ultimate Punch: Try a Hard Knee, Loud Thrust, New Type setting with 30ms attack and .05 Release for big punch. Experiment with Ratio and set to your liking. Careful not to overdo it in mastering though!
- Parallel Compression: If you do end up going in very hard, the mix control allows you to easily blend the dry signal back in to find the right balance.
- Tone Shaping: The can help preserve low-end energy or add brightness, depending on your needs.
- Analog or digital: For mastering applications, I quite often like to turn off the Analog switch. This still gives the dynamic action that I want from this compressor, but with less coloration.
Link: Waves API-2500

Waves Linear Phase EQ

The Waves Linear Phase EQ is a transparent equalizer that is a go-to tool for mastering engineers who often want to avoid introducing phase distortion.

The downside of linear phase processing is that it can introduce pre-ringing, a type of artifact where a sound appears to play slightly before its actual onset. This effect becomes more pronounced with stronger processing, and it’s typically more noticeable in the low frequencies.

It’s important to choose a right tool for each job. Pre-ringing won’t be a significant issue once you understand how linear phase processing works and how to adjust the plugin’s setting settings accordingly.

Waves Linear Phase EQ Tips for Mastering:

The Method setting affects the plugin’s accuracy and offers three different options: Normal, Accurate, and Low Ripple. A good way to approach these is to first get your EQ filters dialed in, and then switch between the different Method settings to see which one you like best.
- Accurate Method: The most precise filtering. This method is best for tasks requiring precision but may introduce audible coloration.
- Normal Method: A compromise between filter accuracy and coloration.
- Low Ripple Method: Useful for avoiding audible coloration but at the cost of less precise filtering.
Link: Waves Linear Phase EQ

Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

The Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain models the vintage EMI TG12410 Transfer Console used in all of the Abbey Road mastering suites ever since the ’70s. It was used on many legendary albums, such as Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana’s In Utero, Radiohead’s OK Computer and Ed Sheeran’s “+” to name a few.

The plugin has several different sections including filters, EQ, compression and stereo widening. The sections can be switched on/off and you can change the order of the processing.

There is a small learning curve involved with the Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain. Especially if you’re not used to operating older analog equipment (or plugins modeled of them). The nature of some of the controls (particularly on the compressor) is not instantly obvious. The silver lining is that this plugin forces you to listen carefully and make decisions based on what you are hearing. That is a good thing in my books.

The reason I included this plugin here is simply because I love how it sounds. I am especially fond of the compressor. It’s very good for adding thickness and glue or creating subtle pumping movement. It has fantastic Mid-Side and sidechaining options, which make it a lot more versatile than it may seem at the first glance. Depending on the sound you’re looking for, it could be the best Waves compressor for mastering.

The stereo widener on the TG Mastering Chain can also sound amazing with the right material. The EQ is good too – vibey and quick to get good results with.

Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain Tips for Mastering:
- You can expand the modules to get more functionality. Click the little switch on the top right corner of each module. Easy to miss!
- Spend some time getting to know the different modes of the compressor. Try it with different kinds of material. Also works great on individual tracks or group buses.
- The plugin sounds quite rich and it’s easy to get carried away and do too much. Look out for that, because mastering is all about subtle enhancements!
- Work with the output gain so that the output of the plugin stays as loud as the bypassed signal. This will make it much easier for you to compare before/after results.
Link: Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor

The Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor is a digital recreation of the legendary SSL G Series console’s bus compressor. It’s famous for its ability to glue a mix together, providing punch and cohesion.

It’s a great tool to use for subtle pumping movement or glue compression. Besides the master bus, it can also work great on drums. If you don’t have a compressor like this yet and can grab this for a good price, the Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor is a good asset to have in your arsenal.

Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor Tips for Mastering:
- Glue the Mix: Use the SSL G-Master Buss Compressor with a low ratio and slow attack to create that famous “glue” effect, bringing the mix together without losing its dynamic range.
- Set the Threshold Carefully: Adjust the threshold so that the compressor is only applying 1-2 dB of gain reduction, which gives you subtle but effective compression.
- Auto Release for Consistency: Use the Auto release setting for a consistent response across different parts of the track. This maintains a smooth and natural sound.
- Enhance the Punch: Set a slow enough attack time to allow the transients to pass through. This setting preserves the punch of drums and percussive elements while controlling the overall dynamics.
Link: Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor

FAQ

What are the best waves plugins for mastering?

The following Waves plugins are great for mastering:
Waves F6 Floating-Band Dynamic EQ
Waves L2 Ultramaximizer
Waves C6 Multiband Compressor
Waves Linear Phase Multiband Compressor
Waves Vitamin Sonic Enhancer
Waves Center
Waves S1
Waves API-2500
Waves Linear Phase EQ
Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain
Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor

What plugins should I use for mastering?
The basic types of tools in mastering include EQs, single-band and multiband compressors, stereo image processors, transient shapers and limiters.

Mastering is a very delicate process and it’s easy to ruin your music if you don’t know what you’re doing. It’s best to adopt a “less is more” approach when it comes to mastering plugins.

How do I install my Waves plugins?
1. Download and install the Waves Central application from Waves.
2. Launch Waves Central and log in with your Waves account details if prompted.
3. Select “Install products” from the navigation.
4. Select “My products” to view the plugins you’ve purchased.
5. Select the plugin you wish to install and click “Install and activate”.

How do I uninstall Waves plugins?
1. Download and install the Waves Central application from Waves.
2. Launch Waves Central and log in with your Waves account details if prompted.
3. Select “Settings” from the navigation.
4. Go to “Maintenance”. You’ll find the uninstall options there.

Best Waves Mastering Plugins 2025 – Conclusion

What do you think? Any further questions about these plugins? Let me know in the comments section and I’ll get back to you.

For further reading, you may also want to check my broader post about best Waves plugins: The Best Waves Plugins in 2025.
August 15, 2024
Pulsar Massive Review
The folks at Pulsar Audio kindly hooked me up with their EQ plugin Massive so I could work with it for a while and give you my thoughts. I’ve been using it in mastering as well as some mixing work for a few weeks now. Here is my review of Pulsar Massive.

Disclaimer: I only ever write about products I like. Pulsar Audio hooked me up with Massive for free so that I could get to know it and work with it for a while to do a proper review. They have no say in the content of this review. This post contains affiliate links. If you decide to buy through them, you are supporting my work.

What is Pulsar Massive?

Pulsar Massive is an emulation of one of the most famous EQ’s around – the Massive Passive.

It accurately models the original, but adds a modern feature set on top.

Pulsar Massive

It’s a great EQ for situations where you want to gently shape the tonality of the material, without changing its nature too much. Common applications include mastering, vocals and drum bus or mix bus.

It’s not a surgical EQ. It can do some tighter curve shapes only in the low end. It comes with some special curves for the low and high band. These make it useful for specific tasks like boosting sub bass without affecting the upper bass region, or adding top end air without adding harshness below.

As a passive parallel design, Pulsar Massive has a gentle, natural and balanced character. Most EQ’s you’ll come across are serial design where bands will add gain on top of each other. Stacking bands in a parallel design does not result in gain adding up.

This passive topology makes for a very different band interaction compared to serial EQ’s. It can feel easier to work with for applications like mastering.

Pulsar Massive also models the tube amplifiers and inductors in Massive Passive. This means you can drive it to introduce saturation and subtle dynamic behaviour.

Saturation

Pulsar Massive can be made to sound clean or coloured, depending on how hard you drive it. You can also choose between two different types of transformer saturations, or bypassing it entirely.

I find the sound of the saturation in this plugin a very useful one. Most of the time I don’t push it. Used subtly, it can enhance the material in a nice way and make things pop better.

When you drive it harder it gets really crunchy. I don’t consider a competition for dedicated saturation plugins and I don’t like using it that way – it’s an EQ after all. But it can introduce some nice aggression to things like drums if desired.

The drive control is level compensated. This makes it easy to assess how the sound is changing.

Up to 4x oversampling is available to keep aliasing distortion at bay if needed.

Filters

The plugin is modelled precisely from the Massive Passive. The filter shapes and behaviour are a little bit unusual compared to most EQ’s out there today.

With the bell filters, the gain does not affect the bandwidth (Q) of the filter. But changing the bandwidth affects the gain. This works well for the type of work the EQ is mostly intended (broad band shaping, for example in a mastering situation).

The shelves have some interesting features where boosting one area can create a dip, followed by a boost in another area. The filters will also interact in interesting ways, creating surprising curve shapes.

The curves are wonderful for broad tone shaping work.

However, it was a really nice surprise for me to find out that there are some special shapes happening in the extreme lows and extreme highs. These areas are marked with yellow numbers in the low and air shelf bands.

The curves are all explained in the manual. But it’s really handy to have the curve display. It helps you learn how the EQ behaves and what you can do with it in different situations.

Special curves on the low and top shelf (extreme settings). Plugin Doctor (left) shows how the scaling of the curve display affects our perception.

The bottom end sharp curve is great for working on the sub bass without affecting the upper bass region.

The top end curve works really well for adding air while keeping harshness at bay.

These are really nice features to have as it means you can often nail the bass as well as the top end, while doing the broad tone shaping this EQ does so well. Without these special curves I would more often be reaching for another EQ to target those areas.

Pulsar Massive is fantastic for getting a big bottom end without making things muddy. Equally it’s great for adding clarity and air in the top end without making it harsh. The usual bell and shelf filters work great for getting the overall tone of the material where it needs to be – whether it’s adding some upper mids or reducing muddyness.

Band interaction

As usual with passive EQ’s, there is interaction between the EQ bands. It makes working with the EQ unpredictable, especially when you’re still new to it. This is both good and bad.

If know I want to achieve a specific boost or cut at a specific frequency, this type of EQ is not my first choice. But if I just want to start shaping the sound, roll with it and see what happens it’s great.

Sometimes I’m not making progress with another EQ. In those situations it’s really nice to have something like Massive which can offer a different perspective.

User experience

I would argue one of the most important things in an EQ is the user experience. The choice of included features, how well they work and how they all come together in the user interface.

How does it feel to work with? Does it guide you towards a workflow that gives you good results? How fast is it to achieve what you want with it? Do you enjoy using it?

I spend a lot of time in the EQ and those things are really important to me.

Pulsar Audio have done a great job on this front. Massive offers the charm and character of an outboard device just as well as many other good faithfully modelled plugins do.

However, Pulsar Audio have still managed to include a lot of modern features and design also. The great attention to detail makes the experience of using the EQ much better. The user experience is the single main reason why I like it so much.

For me, it comes down to details like:
- Auto gain that works like it’s supposed to. Many EQ’s have auto gain. But they’re not all created equal. I don’t always use auto gain, but I usually do for tone shaping. It helps me accurately assess changes in tone, without being fooled by changes in volume.
- Level compensated drive control that goes from almost completely clean to very distorted.
- Well placed band on/off and Mid/Side solo switches.
- The ability to view and edit in classic knob mode, modern graph mode, or both.
- Stepped controls (with many options), with the ability adjust in continuous mode by right clicking on the knobs.
- The ability to enter values in text.
- A/B slots.
- Great metering (Peak+RMS and input/output difference).
- Good tooltips.
- Good manual.
- Freely resizable interface, which actually also makes the text bigger instead of just increasing the size of the window.
Many of those things seem like normal features to have in an EQ. But there are not many plugins out there that get all of it right consistently.

I really appreciate when a developer has thought about the details. It makes for a smooth user experience, which leads to better results.

The auto listen

Here follows my only complaint about Pulsar Massive. In the grand scheme of things it’s fairly minor. But because of it I’m still reaching for the Knif Soma sometimes instead.

I love that Pulsar Audio have added an auto listen (band solo) feature. But its implementation doesn’t make sense to me.

First, the auto listen only works form the curve display. You hold shift while dragging a band. That’s fine, but I often prefer to work with the curve display hidden. As far as I can tell, there is no way of using auto listen in that mode.

Second… The auto listen has a very tight Q value. As soon as you engage it, the sound gets very resonant.

That’s great for hunting resonances or other offending frequencies. For a surgical EQ I would get that. But Massive is not a surgical EQ. You can’t really target very specific spots or resonances with it (except in the lower bass region).

Paradoxically, the tight auto listen filter makes the feature useless for broad shaping work, which this EQ is really designed for. It’s very hard to “hear and think” through the resonant boost of the auto listen filter.

Why not make the auto listen follow the actual bandwidth (Q) setting that is active in the EQ? This is how it works in many other EQ’s, and it’s a much better behaviour in my opinion.

Pulsar Audio – if you are listening… Could we perhaps have an option in the settings to change the auto listen behaviour?

How does Pulsar Massive fit in to my workflow?

I have mostly been using Massive in mastering work.

I use four different types of EQ’s, depending on the situation:
- Minimum phase EQ for surgical / general work (MAAT ThEQblue).
- Linear phase EQ for phase-critical work (Weiss EQ1).
- Dynamic EQ for enhancement or solving specific problems (DMG Multiplicity / Weiss EQ1).
- Parallel EQ for overall tone shaping (Pulsar Massive / Knif Soma).
I’ve really enjoyed using Pulsar Massive for tone shaping. I am still likely to keep using Soma in certain situations. It provides a slightly different workflow that I also like and the auto listen is much better implemented.

I like using Pulsar Massive (and any other tone shaping EQ) without the graph and spectrum analyser visible. This helps me to focus on the listening. I will pop open the graph to learn about the curves though.

Trial, copy protection, system requirements

Pulsar Audio Massive uses iLok copy protection. It can be activated into the computer or on the iLok USB stick. A fully functional 14 day free trial is available.

You can check the current system requirements here.

Is Pulsar Massive worth it?

Pulsar Massive costs $149 at the time of writing this. It’s definitely on the expensive side when it comes to EQ plugins. To me, it’s also quite possibly the best product out there in its category.

I could live without it, because I already have many great EQ’s. But it’s definitely offering me something different and I have often reached really good results with it during testing.

Pulsar Massive review – Conclusion

Pulsar Massive is a really well made, professional grade tool for tone shaping work.

It sounds great. And I particularly enjoy how comfortable it is to work with. The features, user interface and attention to detail all comes together in a really nice way. My only complaint is the implementation of the auto listen feature, which feels incomplete.

It’s not an EQ for all situations. If you haven’t worked with a Massive Passive type EQ before (I hadn’t), it takes some time to begin to understand how to best use it.

The manual is good and helps a great deal in figuring it out. The included tooltips are also very useful in learning the plugin.

It’s a well rounded package and a joy to work with. It comes at a cost, but you get a lot for the money. If you’re looking for an EQ for tone shaping, Pulsar Massive has my full recommendation.

Click here to check out Pulsar Massive.
November 12, 2022
Video: In depth mastering in Wavelab

Besides making music I’ve been doing mastering work for about 12 years now.

In this video I’m showing you my entire process of mastering a track from start to finish.

It’s long (45 minutes) but I really wanted to give some solid insight into what mastering entails.

Enjoy and let me know how you liked it!

Related Links

Patreon

Resoundsound Mastering

Apothicon (music in the video)

July 16, 2022
Wavesfactory Spectre Review

I bought Wavesfactory Spectre from the Black Friday sale about a year back. Despite some shortcomings it’s still one of my favourite harmonic enhancers.
(more…)

November 1, 2021
Clipping vs Limiting
Introduction

One of my Patreons asked me a great question today (thanks, Nick): What are the main differences between clipping and limiting?

There is a quick answer to this. And then there is more. It is a rather complex topic. So I decided to write a blog post in order to open up my perspectives a little bit more.

This is not a technical guide to clipping and distortion. I’m not qualified to write that, and I don’t think that would be very useful for the majority of the people reading this blog. This is just my attempt to boil the question of clipping vs limiting down into practical information. To share with you what I’m doing right now. If you have any further thoughts, feel free to drop your comments.

Clipping vs Limiting: The Quick Answer

Both clippers and limiters aim to stop (or sometimes reduce) peaks above threshold. But they use very different methods to achieve this goal. Clippers stop peaks by distorting them. By contrast, limiters try to do everything they can to avoid distortion. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages.

Clippers can retain the punch and integrity of the material better up to a certain point. Clipping can also be used creatively to enhance the impact and harmonic nature of the music. After a certain threshold (which varies greatly depending on the material and the clipper), clipping begins to sound nasty as a larger part of the material begins to get distorted.

Limiters are very good at getting more loudness out of the material without audibly distorting it. They apply many different methods to reduce and mask distortion. As a side effect, they can take away some punch and alter the spectral balance and stereo image of the material. Bass takes up a lot of energy, so it often gets traded for loudness.

In many styles of music today it’s common to combine clipping with limiting. This can give you the best of both worlds. Instead of limiting 5 dB, you could first clip 3 dB and then limit 2 dB. Or you could clip a little bit on the individual tracks or buses and just use a limiter on the master bus. Combining clipping with limiting can give you the same level of loudness with more perceived punch and transparency, as opposed to using a limiter alone.

That is my short answer on what are the differences between limiting and clipping. Now let’s look at some aspects of the topic in more detail.

Not All Clipping is the Same

Clipping is distortion. But not all clipping is the same. In the digital domain, it’s generally not a good idea to clip using a tool that is not designed to do that. It is better to use something that knows how to create the right kind distortion and how to deal with aliasing (a nasty side product of nonlinear processing).

Aliasing doesn’t happen in analog domain. That doesn’t mean clipping in analog will automatically sound good. But in that sense experimenting with it in analog domain is safer. Some mastering converters, for instance, are specifically designed so that you can clip them without adverse side effects.

Back to digital domain. Dedicated clipping plugins are designed to process audio and to clip in specific ways. They often apply techniques like oversampling to reduce undesired side effects such as aliasing.

There are big differences between different clipping plugins, too. Some aim to be transparent and some colour the sound in different ways. There are clippers that do hard clipping, others that do soft clipping and with some you can adjust the style.

Some clippers have low latency and CPU consumption, while others only care about maximising sound quality. There are single band and multi band clippers. There are plugins that combine clipping with saturation, compression or limiting.

Above all, each clipper plugin tends to sound different. It’s not apparent with small amounts of gain reduction, but the differences become very noticeable when pushing them harder.

As you can see, clippers are definitely not a unified bunch. Different tools for different situations. I always recommend to try different ones and see what works best for you.

A Few Words About Limiters

Limiters are essentially compressors with infinite ratio. Instead of distorting the peaks, they work by reducing the level of the peaks.

They also have some very clever tricks up their sleeves. For instance, they may apply a lookahead in order to predict the peaks. This introduces latency, but allows the limiter to react to peaks in more transparent way.

Limiters try to minimise audible distortion by preventing it as much as possible. And when distortion inevitably does occur, limiters attempt to mask it by using psychoacoustic models and other methods. Some limiters apply different processes to different parts of the signal under the hood. They can be quite complex beasts and like clippers, each one is different.

All this processing never comes without side effects. Depending on the material, the limiter in question and how hard you are hitting it, you may lose some punch or alter the spectral balance or the stereo image of the material.

Because I do mastering, I have different limiters in my toolbox for different occasions. Most people should be just fine with one good limiter (indeed even I stick with just one most of the time).

How I Use Clipping

I use clipping for different purposes. Don’t get me wrong though. I don’t always use clipping to achieve these things. I may also use limiting, compression, saturation or any combination of them and/or clipping. Never the less, here are my common use cases for clipping:
1. To transparently control the dynamic range on individual tracks or buses. Usually to shave off excessive peaks in order to help the dynamics processing further down the line. For this purpose I either clip in analog (Prism Sound Titan AD converter) or I use the SIR StandardCLIP plugin. StandardCLIP has good metering and nicely adjustable oversampling and other controls which makes it suitable to use on individual tracks.
2. To achieve harmonic effects. For example, clipping a snare drum or a drum break to give it some edge. For this I tend to clip in analog by driving my mixer (Midas Venice 320) hot and then finishing the clip with the AD converter. ITB, one could use a clipping plugin that can produce some nice character, like Kazrog KClip.
3. To achieve some loudness by clipping the master before final limiting. I often first clip the AD converter just slightly. I will then follow that with the Voxengo OVC-128 clipper. It first gives you some transparent gain but then begins to add some character which I really happen to like on my own music.
My Fav Plugins

If you want a more detailed lowdown on the tools I’m using, check out the new “Tools I Love” page. But here’s a quick list of what I’m currently using for clipping and limiting.

Clipping Plugins

These are currently the best clipping plugins for me.
- Voxengo OVC-128 for the master on my own tracks. Sounds great and the processing is of great quality. I like the character it introduces for my music.
- SIR StandardCLIP for individual tracks/buses or transparent mastering tasks. Good metering and very adjustable for different situations. Can also get pretty grungy if you like.
- Kazrog Kclip for character on individual tracks/buses.
Limiter Plugins

These are currently the best limiter plugins for me.
- DMG Audio Limitless is my main limiter. It also includes a great clipper. It’s a very deep plugin and requires some dedication to get the best out of it. Even after a year I am still learning.
- iZotope Ozone Maximiser is a great fit for most people. Sounds great even when pushed and not difficult to set up.
- Voxengo Elephant is a transparent and open limiter that also goes pretty loud. Lots of options if you want to tweak. If you are going for a big and open sound, try this.
- Eventide Elevate for punchy loudness. The tradeoff is it can change the character of the material. Also includes a clipper and a multiband transient section.
- Because you are probably thinking about why it isn’t mentioned, let’s talk about FabFilter Pro-L2. I have used it a lot in the past. It’s a good plugin. But the competition is fierce. For what I’m doing, I more often than not get better results with one of the other limiters I’ve mentioned. The differences are probably insignificant for most people. But in mastering work every little bit matters. Then again, I’m sure there are mastering engineers who prefer the Pro-L2. So just do your own testing before making any buying decisions.
Conclusion

Clipping and limiting can be useful, but very destructive tools – especially on the master bus. Be very careful with them. It’s easy to set something up and then accidentally drive it too hot later on. Keep a close eye on the metering so that you always know how hard you are hitting something.

If someone else is doing the mastering, it’s best to leave final clipping/limiting to them. They can likely try different tools to find what works best with the material. Above all, they have the ears, experience and the playback system to evaluate it neutrally.

This shouldn’t stop you from experimenting and learning though. It’s worth exploring how different clipper and limiter plugins react with your material and how you may want to use them.
December 15, 2020