Waves Center

Waves Center - Stereo Image Processor | The Ultimate Stereo Image Control and Mastering Tool

Waves Center is a revolutionary stereo image processing tool designed to solve the most challenging problems in modern mixing and mastering. It refines the complex technique of Mid-Side processing into an extremely intuitive and powerful plugin, allowing you to perform precise "re-mixing" on a finished stereo mix, even without access to the multitrack files. Whether you need to raise or lower the volume of a mixed vocal, expand or narrow the stereo width of the soundstage, rebalance instruments in a drum loop, or resolve muddy low-end issues, Center provides unprecedented control. It is an essential tool for all audio engineers for mix correction and mastering optimization.

Through its unique algorithm, Center precisely separates stereo audio into "Center" and "Sides" components, offering independent gain, equalization, and dynamics control. This means you can easily perform vocal adjustments on elements in the center of the soundstage like vocals, kick drums, and bass, without affecting guitars, synths, or reverb effects on the sides. From subtle soundstage tweaks to bold creative reshaping, Waves Center gives you the power to perform surgical operations on your mix during the mastering stage, fully unleashing your work's potential.

Core Advantages & Application Scenarios

Remix Vocal Levels
In most mixes, the lead vocal is placed in the center of the soundstage. Center allows you to directly raise or lower the volume of the center channel, thus changing the volume balance of the vocals relative to other instruments. Its unique "Low" frequency control ensures that when adjusting the center channel, the energy of low-frequency instruments also in the center (like kick drums and bass) is preserved, avoiding any impact on the mix's foundation.

Improve Your Master’s Stereo Image
A wide and spacious stereo field can significantly enhance the drama and clarity of a master. With Center, you can simply increase the volume of the sides channel to effectively expand the stereo width. Additionally, you can selectively add "Punch" and high-frequency detail to the sides, making the entire soundstage feel more open, lively, and dynamic.

Remix Drum Loops
When you have a drum loop whose overall tone fits your needs but the internal instrument balance is not ideal, Center is almost like giving you the ability to remix that loop. You can independently adjust the punch and frequency distribution of the center channel (e.g., kick, snare) and the sides channel (e.g., overheads, hi-hats), completely changing the drum's dynamics and tonal balance.

Shape Your Synths and Pads
While wide stereo synth pads or string sections can sound epic, they sometimes mask the main elements in the center. Using Center, you can easily increase the volume of the synth in the sides channel while decreasing its volume in the center, preserving the width of the sound while creating clearer space for central elements like vocals.

Drive Your Bus
Center is the perfect tool for shaping the input or output of an effects bus. For example, you can create an extremely wide reverb effect while using Center to remove low-frequency content (like the kick drum) from the signal sent to the reverb, preventing muddiness. Similarly, you can use it to narrow or widen the range of an auto-pan effect or alter the stereo image of a drum overheads group.

Make Vinyl Happy
When mastering for vinyl, concentrating low-frequency energy in the center is a crucial step to prevent the needle from skipping. Center combines stereo imaging with equalization to effectively push low frequencies to the center channel while fully preserving the stereo width and detail of the high frequencies, ensuring your master performs perfectly during vinyl cutting.

Tech Specs

• Sample Rate Support: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, 192 kHz
• Channel Components: Stereo
• Latency: 0 Samples (Zero Latency)
• Plugin Formats: VST, VST3, AU, AAX Native, AudioSuite
• Activation: Online activation via Waves Central software or offline to a USB flash drive
• Mac System Requirements:
  • Operating System: macOS Catalina 10.15, Big Sur 11, Monterey 12, Ventura 13, Sonoma 14 (Please refer to the latest Waves official announcements)
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 / i7 / i9 / Xeon / Apple Silicon (M1, M2, M3 and series)
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB or more recommended)
  • Hard Drive Space: 16 GB available installation space
  • Screen Resolution: 1280x1024 minimum (1920x1080 or higher recommended)
• Windows System Requirements:
  • Operating System: Windows 10 64-bit, Windows 11 (Please refer to the latest Waves official announcements)
  • CPU: Intel Core i5 / i7 / i9 / Xeon / AMD Quad-Core
  • Memory: 8 GB RAM minimum (16 GB or more recommended)
  • Hard Drive Space: 16 GB available installation space
  • Screen Resolution: 1280x1024 minimum (1920x1080 or higher recommended)