Waves Audio released StudioRack, a freeware virtual rack plugin for connecting multiple Waves Audio plugins (third-party plugins are NOT supported).
StudioRack implements the popular approach of unifying several plugins from the same developer within a single plugin instance, similar to what we’ve seen in the Soundtoys Effect Rack. The virtual rack acts as a flexible studio rack for building custom plugin chains with advanced routing and macro controls. It’s a workflow enhancement more than anything, but a welcome one, for it simplifies effects chains and plugin organization in your DAW session.
See also: Best FREE Mastering SoftwareStudioRack can chain up to eight Waves plugins per instance and offers up to eight macro controls per plugin chain. Different parameters from different plugins can be combined into convenient quick-access controls. With a bit of customization and clever routing, users can turn their favorite Waves plugin chains into bespoke custom plugins, so to speak.
Another helpful addition to the familiar rack concept is the use of routing modifiers, such as the parallel processing modules and multi-band splitting, as well as macro controls dedicated to specific user-defined
functionality. Waves StudioRack is capable of all that.
The ability to save and recall FX chains as presets, complete with internal audio routing, is a given. So is the plugin search function that lets you type and search inside your Waves plugin library. Should you need to home in on a specific plugin, it is still possible to open it inside its own floating window for a complete GUI overview.
Finally, Waves StudioRack supports the developer’s SoundGrid Studio technology to let you offload plugin processing to a SoundGrid server. Thanks to the offloading feature, your computer’s CPU no longer dictates how much effects processing you can do in a single DAW session.
While Waves StudioRack is free and ownership of Waves plugins is not obligatory to get it, you will still need to pair StudioRack with a bunch of paid Waves plugins to get any meaningful functionality out of it. Thankfully, Waves always has some kind of sale going on. Currently, you can get a free plugin or two, respectively, when you spend $50 or $100 in the Waves webshop. Furthermore, enter the coupon code CREATIVE40 for a 40% OFF discount.
StudioRack is available in VST, VST3, AU, and AAX plugin formats for digital audio workstations on PC and Mac. Only 64-bit plugin hosts are supported. StudioRack can only host other Waves Audio plugins (there is no third-party plugin support).
More info: Waves Audio (use coupon code CREATIVE40 to get 40% OFF your purchase)
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