Waves CLA Effects

Waves CLA Effects | The All-in-One Creative Effects Processor from Grammy-Winner Chris Lord-Alge

In modern music production, sometimes basic processing just isn't enough. When you're looking to inject that unique "special" element into your tracks, the Waves CLA Effects, crafted by Grammy-winning mixing engineer Chris Lord-Alge (Foo Fighters, David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails), is your ultimate solution. This powerful multi-effects plugin seamlessly integrates distortion, two delays, the innovative "Throw" switch, pitch processing, reverb, and more, allowing you to break the boundaries of traditional mixing.

CLA Effects is designed to take your effects bus or individual tracks to a whole new sonic dimension. Whether you need gritty lo-fi fuzz, dub-style spatial delays, classic tape flanging, a wide stereo field, versatile echo, or innovative EQ filtering, this plugin delivers with ease. It's not just a tool for polishing sounds; it's a secret weapon for sparking inspiration and creating surprises. As Chris Lord-Alge himself says, "All the rhythms are matched to your session's BPM, so you can get right to it—no guesswork!" This all-in-one mixing plugin is your best partner for crafting signature vocal effects and instrumental textures.

Key Features & Applications

CLA's Signature Effects Chain
This plugin isn't just a collection of individual effects; it's the culmination of Chris Lord-Alge's years of mixing experience. It chains multiple effects in an optimized order, allowing you to achieve professionally-tuned, complex tones instantly with just a few knobs, significantly boosting your workflow efficiency.

Innovative "Throw" Delay Switch
The unique "Throw" switch in CLA Effects allows you to trigger delay effects instantly and expressively. It's perfect for the end of a vocal phrase, a drum fill, or any moment that needs a sudden burst of space and dynamics, adding a live, dramatic feel to your mix.

From Vintage to Extreme Distortion
The built-in distortion module covers everything from warm lo-fi fuzz to aggressive industrial noise. You can easily recreate the classic vocal distortion of John Lennon on "I Am the Walrus" or add a rough, gritty texture to bass and synths for more attitude.

Rich Combination of Time and Spatial Effects
It integrates two different styles of delay, tape slap, long echo, and high-quality reverb. You can stack these effects simultaneously to create rich, deep, and layered spatial ambiences without needing to open multiple separate plugins.

Automatic BPM Sync
All time-based effects (like delay and echo) automatically sync to your DAW's project tempo (BPM). This means you don't have to manually calculate delay times; all effects will fit perfectly with the rhythm of your song, making the creative process more fluid and intuitive.

Shape Special Tones with One Click
Need to quickly create a telephone vocal effect? Or add a special filtered texture to your background harmonies? CLA Effects comes with a variety of presets and easy-to-use controls, allowing you to instantly dial in these classic effects and add unique color to your productions.

Features & Module Breakdown

Tech Specs

• Supported Sample Rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz
• Channel Processing: Mono and Stereo
• Latency: 0 ms @ 96kHz, with full automatic delay compensation
• CPU Load: Very low, optimized for modern multi-core processors
• Plugin Formats (64-bit):
  • VST2, VST3
  • Audio Units (AU)
  • AAX Native, AudioSuite
• Mac System Requirements:
  • Operating System: macOS Catalina 10.15, Big Sur 11, Monterey 12, Ventura 13, Sonoma 14
  • Processor: Intel Core i7 / i9 / Xeon-W / Apple M1, M2, M3
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended)
  • Screen Resolution: 1280x1024 minimum (1600x1200 recommended)
• Windows System Requirements:
  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit (22H2), Windows 11 (22H2)
  • Processor: Intel Core i5, i7, i9, Xeon (8th Gen or higher) / AMD Quad-Core
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB recommended)
  • Screen Resolution: 1280x1024 minimum (1600x1200 recommended)
• Activation: Online activation via the Waves Central application, or offline activation to a USB flash drive.