Waves S1 Stereo Imager

S1 Stereo Imager - The Stereo Imaging Toolkit | Precisely Control Your Stereo Field

The S1 Stereo Imager is the ultimate stereo imaging processing toolkit designed for modern music producers and mixing engineers. Whether you need to create a huge sense of space for background vocals or richly layered guitars, or want to push reverb and delay effects to the outer edges of the soundstage, the S1 provides unparalleled precision and control. This toolkit not only corrects unbalanced stereo loops and mixes but also allows you to tilt, reshape, and position the stereo image in ways you never could before, making it an indispensable asset in your selection of mixing tools.

This toolkit includes three powerful plugins: S1 Imager, S1 Shuffler, and S1 MS Matrix, each designed for specific stereo processing needs. From basic width enhancement and fully mono-compatible low-frequency widening to professional-grade Mid-Side processing, S1 offers a complete solution for your audio processing workflow. Whether for music production, post-production, or mastering, the S1 Stereo Imager can significantly enhance the spatial depth and clarity of your work, making your mixes stand out from the crowd and perfectly shaping your desired stereo width.

Core Features & Use Cases

Create Ultra-Wide Stereo Soundscapes
Easily spread out multi-tracked vocal choirs or layered guitar walls to create an immersive and exceptionally wide listening experience. You can also collapse any stereo track completely to mono for compatibility checks or special effects processing.

Enhance the Depth of Spatial Effects
Further expand the stereo width of Reverb and Delay effects, pushing them away from the center source to create a mix with greater depth and dimension, allowing the main instrument or vocal to stand out more clearly.

Precise Correction & Positioning
For stereo sources or mixes with an imbalanced left-right channel, S1 offers powerful correction capabilities. You can asymmetrically "tilt" the entire stereo image and then precisely reposition it within the stereo field, perfectly fixing flaws in recordings or sampled material.

Enhance Low-End Width & Fullness
Using the S1 Shuffler's unique psychoacoustic algorithm, you can effectively widen the stereo feel of the low frequencies without sacrificing mono compatibility. This can make rhythm guitars sound fuller, give toms in a drum kit more punch, or add a solid foundation to the entire mix.

Professional Mid-Side (M/S) Processing
With the S1 MS Matrix tool, you can separate a stereo signal into its Mid (center) and Side components, apply separate external processing (like compression, EQ) to each, and then re-decode them back into stereo. This is a key technique in mastering and advanced mixing for shaping the soundstage.

Tech Specs

• Plugin Bundle: Includes three plugins: S1 Stereo Imager, S1 Stereo Shuffler, and S1 MS Matrix.
• Processing: 64-bit floating-point processing.
• Sample Rate Support: Up to 192 kHz.
• Latency: 0 samples (Zero Latency), causes no delay for recording or live performance.
• Plugin Formats: VST2, VST3, AU, AAX Native, AudioSuite.
• Supported DAWs: Compatible with major digital audio workstations including Pro Tools, Logic Pro, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live, FL Studio, Studio One, Reaper, Bitwig Studio, and more.
• Operating System (Mac): macOS 10.15 Catalina or newer.
• Operating System (Windows): Windows 10 64-bit or newer.
• Authorization: Requires a valid Waves license (managed via the Waves Central application).