" Someday business schools will use Waves as a case study on how destroy your company by disrespecting your customers. "
Byron Dickens
BIAB. CbB. Mixbus 32C 8 HP Envy. Intel core i7. 16GB RAM W10. Focusrite Scarlett 18i 20. Various instruments played with varying degrees of proficiency.
I have a bunch of their plug-ins, and they're great.
That said, as the previous poster indicated, their customer service leaves a whole lot to be desired. Lots of hidden upcharges, almost impossible to transfer your licenses if you get a new computer, etc.
So far I haven't encountered any nightmare scenarios myself, but I've talked to enough people who have to be aware they exist. But as I said, they are great plug-ins as far as the functionality and doing what they say they'll do. Quite a few of them are "go-to" plugins for me.
If so, which ones and what do you specifically like about them?
Their SSL G-Masterbus compressor lives on my master bus.
No serious compression, just a 2/1 ratio and a high threshold, 2db of compression at most, never more and almost inaudible. But it does something with the low-end that I like.
And even when it's called a 'Masterbus compressor', I use it here and there for vocals.
No idea how it compares to more expensive versions of the same compressor, but I got it (almost) for free and like what it does.
I own a couple of the Waves plugins. The one I use the most is Vocal Rider. Which works just like someone riding the fader up and down on the vocal track. I also have the Bass Rider but don't use it at all. The Vocal Rider can be had for under $30 on sale. If I remember right I had to pay for a upgrade to a newer OS at one point which I am sure you will find plenty of negative comments from waves users.
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
Tom Adams got me into them years ago. The ones I use most often:
CLA Drums CLA Unplugged CLA Vocals Bass Rider Linear Phase Multi-band compressor Torque Magma Tubes
And I own about a dozen more
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
Their products are good, and I use a number of them.
But... their sales tactics leave a lot to be desired.
Waves is well know for having running non-stop "sales", with "lowest price ever" meaning it's the same "lowest price ever" that it was last time.
They also constantly push their upgrade plans. This is mostly an issue for Mac users, since Windows often has excellent backwards compatibility between versions. Mac users, not so much. So you either buy into the upgrade plan, or re-purchase the products when an upgrade breaks the old plugins.
A couple of months back Waves announced without warning they were switching to a subscription-only model.
Glossing over many, many details, this did not go well.
Waves eventually backpedaled, but many users thought the way that Waves chose to do this showed a willingness to throw many long-time users under the bus simply to maximize profits.
That said, they have many excellent plugins. For example, they just announced a neural network based de-reverberation.
Waves plugs don,t work in real band! I know i tried rob!
Correct - Waves uses a "shell" plugin, which is one single DLL file that masquerades itself as multiple different plugins, and quite a few programs don't support that. Band-in-a-Box does, however RealBand and PowerTracks do not.
As for Waves plugins themself, I quite like the Renaissance Compressor, though I typically use it for expansion rather than compression.
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you over the phone. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday, and 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST Saturday. We are closed Sunday. You can also send us your questions via email.
One of our representatives will be happy to help you on our Live Chat or by email. Our hours of operation are from
6:00AM to 6:00PM PST (GMT -8) Monday thru Friday; 8:00AM to 4:00PM PST (GMT -8) Saturday; Closed Sunday.
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean