Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer

Waves NLS Non-Linear Summer | The Analog Summing Soul of Legendary Consoles, Recreated

Analog consoles are revered not for their perfection, but for the exact opposite—it's their inherent 'imperfections' that impart an unparalleled richness, depth, and harmonic complexity to the sound. This is why top mixing engineers are so captivated by the unique color that Analog Summing imparts to audio. Now, Waves has meticulously captured the sonic essence of three industry-leading analog consoles, allowing you to experience the magic of this legendary analog summing right in your Digital Audio Workstation (DAW).

Whether you're after the classic solid-state console that shaped countless hits, the warm tones of a vintage British tube desk, or even the legendary console that recorded the groundbreaking album 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' NLS brings them all to your fingertips. We collaborated with three master mix engineers and producers—Mark “Spike” Stent (Paul McCartney), Mike Hedges (The Cure), and Yoad Nevo (Sia)—to deeply model their meticulously maintained consoles. This mixing plugin is more than just a tool; it's a bridge connecting the convenience of the digital age with the warm soul of the analog era, injecting unprecedented life and cohesion into your mixes. Through precise console emulation technology, each track receives subtle yet authentic harmonic saturation, ultimately converging into an organic, three-dimensional, and emotionally resonant musical whole.

Core Advantages & Use Cases

Three Legendary Console Sounds
The NLS plugin includes models of three classic consoles used by world-class engineers: Spike Stent's SSL 4000G, Mike Hedges' EMI TG12345 Mk IV, and Yoad Nevo's custom Neve 5116. Each offers a unique sonic character and saturation, allowing you to choose freely based on the instrument or genre.

Authentic Analog Summing Cohesion
Analog mixing isn't a simple mathematical addition; it's the process of fusing countless audio paths into an organic whole. Analog circuitry introduces minute variations to each channel, and when these channels are summed together, they inject life and cohesion into the mix—a key element often missing in 'in-the-box' productions.

Precise Individual Channel Modeling
To achieve a historic level of accuracy, we analyzed and modeled each of the 32 individual channels from every console. This time-consuming process ensures that each channel possesses its own unique subtle variations, perfectly recreating the rich soundstage and stereo image produced by true analog summing.

Dual-Component Channel and Buss Design
NLS includes two core components: 'NLS Channel' to simulate the channel preamps, and 'NLS Buss' to simulate the bus amplifier. Using them together is the secret to achieving the ultra-realistic sound, feel, and exceptional flexibility of NLS.

Highly Flexible Combinations
Physical consoles don't allow you to swap channels and summing amplifiers at will, but NLS does. You can freely select the sound of any of the three consoles and apply it to any individual channel or bus. It's like having three top-tier consoles at once and being able to mix and match them as you please.

Complete Console Control Experience
The NLS interface allows you to organize all your channels into 8 different groups. For example, you can assign one console sound to your drum group and another to your guitar group, then adjust the parameters of all channels within a group simultaneously using a single group controller, significantly improving your mixing workflow.

Built-in VCA Control
NLS uses automatable VCA channels to control these 8 groups. If your DAW doesn't have VCA functionality, NLS adds this professional feature for you. Simply select the channels you want to control, assign them to a VCA group, and you can write detailed volume automation.

Pristine Hardware from the Masters
The quality of a modeling plugin depends on the condition of the original hardware. The three consoles we modeled are not only the tools behind countless platinum records by Spike Stent, Mike Hedges, and Yoad Nevo, but they were also personally ensured to be in pristine condition by the engineers themselves, guaranteeing their optimal sonic performance.

Technical Specifications (Tech Specs)

• Plugin Type: Analog Modeling / Non-Linear Summer
• Components: NLS Channel (Mono/Stereo), NLS Buss (Mono/Stereo)
• Number of Modeled Consoles: 3 (SSL 4000G, EMI TG12345 Mk IV, Custom Neve 5116)
• Number of Individually Modeled Channels: 32 channels per console
• Supported Sample Rates: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz
• Latency: 0 ms (Zero Latency)
• Channel Processing: Mono-to-Mono, Mono-to-Stereo, Stereo-to-Stereo
• Main Controls: Studio (Console Selection), Drive, Trim, VCA Group Assignment, Noise On/Off, Output Level, Metering
• Authorization: Waves Central (Internet connection required for product activation and management)
• Supported Formats: VST, VST3, Audio Units (AU), AAX Native (64-bit only)
• Operating System Compatibility: Supports the latest versions of Windows and macOS. Please refer to the official Waves website for the latest compatibility information and detailed system requirements.