Waves CLA MIXHUB

[@PHELCAN]

Hi. I'm Chris Lorde Alge, and when I'm sitting in front of my $100,000 SSL in the studio, I like to use my 25 dollar plugin to get the job done.

[@trevor4835]

lmao

[@deldia]

This joke is a little too close to the truth for comfort.

[@steviesfv7782]

Add on $1500+ month electric, maintenance charging $1500 to say hello and 40 year-old part-sourcing.

[@rivervishmusicchannel1024]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@kevind2409]

also it's more than 100k hahaha

[@franciscomoralesmusic]

Oh I know! A mixer within a mixer to mix while mixing :;)

[@McLeitonis]

Inception, we have to go deeper :l

[@Kevin-vq6rv]

Lol

[@AndreHansen96]

A very accurate description of this madness indeed. Very poor marketing, awkward to be honest.

[@mraymond77]

yo dawg, I heard you like mixing...

[@franciscomoralesmusic]

Michael Raymond I love it 🥰 i just wish I could do it perfect!

[@bobbylucas8334]

I did my first mix with this last night and it does sound good to be honest, I think that's one thing you missed out on here, which is how it sounds as a console emulation. The CPU usage is very efficient and I didn't notice a difference after putting it on all channels. I actually think it's very good at bringing a console sound to the DAW, the mixes sound full with all channels feeling punchy and glued together and I'd really like to see where it goes in later versions, and other plug-ins using the concept. I bought it after seeing some good user reviews, not from the god awful marketing campaign about turning chaos into control but I do agree that the workflow improvements are pretty exaggerated. Definitely not perfect as there are some frustrating design decisions where it feels like people say "a mixing plug-in for mixing within the mixer so we can do more mixing in our mixes" like why no mute and solo on channels? Why no pan on the channel view and why can't we go on individual channel views from within the plug-in? (I'm about to read the manual to check i'm not missing something but this seems to be the case). So I find myself going between the DAW mixer and CLA mixhub which is... weird lol. Overall though I do like it, I think I'll continue to use it as it does help with finishing mixes, adding polish, adding character, cleaning things up breaking things down into sections that are easy to work with. There are times it feels really good doing all your adjustments in one plug-in on every channel too, it just makes everything feel unified and easy to focus on. So it's not perfect but I do like it and I hope some things will be fixed in future updates. Sorry for the essay but thought I'd add my thoughts for anyone interested in the plug-in!

[@jimwest7271]

I liked it also. After using a few indivdual plugins I added mixhub to all channels and buses and tweaked very eaisly to a good mix. I like the pre amp the best adding mic volume to taste is great.

[@yotamwaves9680]

💯 thanks for keeping it real and actually having a listen to this plugin. we really worked hard to make it sound great lively and as true to the original as possible, while adding more features missing in the original desk

[@chiobeo13]

I agree with you!

[@yotamwaves9680]

@@jimwest7271 dialing in even a little bit - makes a big difference :)

[@davidjenkins8449]

Well wrote!

[@lifewhyz]

That CLA MixHub promo is beyond cheesy.

[@bobyatron7525]

Why does it feel so much like something from the 90s

[@jorykevinberger7047]

The point is not that it’s physical. The point is that you can EQ an entire bucket of drums while you intuitively listen and adjust multiple tracks simultaneously without having to close and open a plugin. CLA feeds off of his intuitive response and it’s all about having access to as many controls at once that has him working with more of the tracks at a much faster pace. If you have enough screen real estate to open two buckets you are now able to work with 16 tracks at once. If you need to mute and solo hopefully you’d still be able to access the mixer in your daw At the bottom of your screen. But you might get so good that you find you are mixing faster without needing to solo as much as you did before. And that is the point.

[@cccchristo]

You don't have to use it on every channel, you don't have to use the bucket function either. It's all there for you to use it, but you can instead just see the plugin as a channel strip emulation, which of course has knobs instead of lines.

[@thecreatorshub6892]

This video accurately described my initial thoughts of this plugins when it first came out. I didn’t think it would work the way the advertised it and I already had other ssl emulation plug-ins so I just thought “money grabber .” 2 weeks ago I finally broke and grabbed it and so far, it has cut my workflow down to half the time! Yes it’s missing a couple things like solo/mute and pan but it works. And not only has it improve my workflow time, it also help limit the amount of plugins I use on a single track, which is something I have been working towards and it’s been hard to do with 100s of plugins at my disposal. When I’m using the cla mix hub, by the time I realize I haven’t use a certain SEPCIAL plugin, I’m already close to the sound I’m looking for if not already there. I think it really help you work as if you were really mixing on outboard gear, where you have limited options. And the best part is that it does it without you even realizing it. Love your channel btw. Keep up the good work!

[@ImreMeszaros]

The CLA Mix hub is one of the best channel strips out there, and great value for the money, you don't need to use the Bucket view if you don't want, but the plugin works and sounds great. You can not judge something when you see it for the first time. Respect us who follow you and try it before you talk bullshit. Peace.

[@TylerDickeyMusic]

One of the things you can do with the mix hub is have multiple plugin windows open and they can all be looking at different parts of the same bucket. Window 1 might be the Input, Window 2 might be the EQ, Window 3 might be Dynamics, and Window 4 might be output. Then when you switch to a different bucket all of the windows change to that bucket and allow you to mix everything quickly. This isn’t super apparent in the videos Waves has put out, but it’s something you can do. Maybe that would have made you like the plugin better. Still a good review though!

[@trololo_zhirnota]

having multiple plug-in windows clattering your desktop speeds up your process? (instead of 1 well organised window?)

[@yotamwaves9680]

@@trololo_zhirnota buckets view is optional

[@peen2804]

@@trololo_zhirnota I don’t think you understood what you read very well

[@ReeseWitherknife]

You tested this for three seconds and called it useless. Didn't even try to do a quick mix on it to see how the workflow was. Michael White has a 30min video where he goes into a detail on just how the workflow works out in practice, and he makes a solid argument for this. I don't want it myself, but I think you could've done this test much more professionally.

[@TheMusicRecordingNetwork]

$200 for a different mixing box... then learn and still need to click on buttons????..... way too much and no good at all

[@curtischarles5299]

Totally agree with you..he's not properly assessing the plugin but making a whole lot of noise. I know some of the manufacturers are scammers but some are very good ..I cannot pay attention to this review when the guy dont even properly assess it..sorry nonsense

[@TheMusicRecordingNetwork]

Yes i agree also that it is a little learning curb that he did not even try to go through.... and he is trying to use that as his point. I mean think about it, setting up more clickable buttons to do what???.... more clicking??? How is this any faster with the same 1 mouse??? I don't get it even before this viceo. Maybe i am missing something about this mixing plugin i guess

[@Joe-mz6dc]

He did not test it for 3 seconds. He obviously looked at it much deeper than that and then made a whole video about it which is more than you're doing.

[@stonelark]

The ridiculous marketing video of Chris Lord Alge with virtual consoles flying around him was enough to make me shout not only"Snake Oil" - but also "Bull Sheet!"

[@RockmannMusic]

@@Leatherjacks You may enlighten us about your creations

[@RockmannMusic]

@@Leatherjacks Are you convincingly a "humble" person when calling CLA an idiot? : )

[@oledahl.]

@@Leatherjacks Yeah, you sound really humble... lol

[@TheSakuraGumiLTD]

The classic tone you get when you hammer you finger on a EQ knob at the end when you feel the mix is done... love relatable advertising

[@dannyblau3850]

This is definitely not snake oil, but it's definitely not for everybody. And that is ok. For sound purposes it would be worth running it through it's paces vs the waves SSL channel. There is a good 10 or more year gap between them doing that original program that loads of people still use and waves taking another crack and doing an SSL from scratch. Second, the workflow is definitely trying to expand that channel and allow the workflow for people that have experience or prefer the experience/workflow of a console. originally learning on an SSL and Neve large format, i have actually gone back to a similar thing using waves SSL along with Slate VCC on every channel which has streamlined my workflow and sped things up, so i could see getting use out of this. But that's not everyone's workflow or preferred workflow, so definitely worth passing on for those. Definitely agree that this thing could definitely take off if it is either already or in the future set where you can either link it up with a controller they make or to existing mix controllers. That is a great idea.

[@rjscratch]

B4 one does a review of a plugin make sure you know how it works, it's pro's and it's cons. It's a very good plugin i believe there will be much needed updates in the future which will make it much better,the eq's and compressor's are extremely musical in fact the whole plugin sounds brilliant. This plugin is a GAME CHANGER in regards to how we work within our DAW's,if you know ur shit it this plugin will help with getting a gr8 sound to your productions oh and by the way you can name the buckets re arrange the modules within the plugin as well as have numerous instances of it open to view inputs,eq's,outputs etc. I gotta say some of the comments iv'e read made me laugh so much my bloody belly hurts.

[@BojanBojovic]

Nothing musical in digital plugins, humans are musical. All digital eq sound the same, everything else is added saturation at best, or just fancy GUI in most cases.

[@YakDiezel]

The thing about his workflow is simply this... it's more about hearing it than looking for the Db or the Hz. It sounds great and it has definitely helped my mix and i use a few of the plugins you use as well.

[@dominusblandus]

thats what I thought. CLA is about hearing something. raising highshelf +6db... and onward. from an oldschool view he never has seen something like a modern parametric-plugin-eq design - and as it seems doesnt need to see or exactly know which Hz the filter is... grabbing. turning till its right. leaving it.

[@thimovijfschaft3271]

You can assign your controller to the knobs. That will give you some physical control. And there aren't numvers on there for a reason. Within mixing you want to use your ears and not uur eyes. And the reason why you can't solo is because it's meant to be used on a whole mix, so you can hear how changes sound like in the context of the mix

[@davidjenkins8449]

You are right experienced engineers like CLA don't solo near as much as inexperienced or beginners like myself

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

If you are looking for a problem frequency it’s extremely important to have numbers and a solo button. It speed shit up extremely fast. That’s where fabfilter wins. You have a visual representation of the problem area. Sure having great ears you can accomplish it fast but it’s a bit faster to be able to see it and go right for it. I hear a frequency of say too much 150hz on a kick or something. Just room noise rumble. I’m trying to find it on the ssl but it takes time to dial that in without any numbers. Much less adjusting Q settings. On fabfilter I can go right to it and see how wide the Q is and needs to be. It saves time and that’s what workflow is about. I also agree with you on the controller thing, but if you have a controller how does this speed up your workflow? I can already see 8 tracks at a time if I open multiple plugin windows side by side and have my controller adjust between them and switch to the next full strip with cmd ‘. Just seems like it’s unnecessary and won’t speed up my workflow. I could see how it could be useful for some people in specific situations, but there are other workarounds and solutions.

[@mitchdematoff9671]

This is years later and I have had this plugin for quite awhile. When I first tried it out I felt there were too many moves to mixing with this. So I decided not to use it. Chuck it up to another needless software and at that point I totally agreed with you. But...I went back to it after watching another video tutorial on the plugin and was educated with the advantages of using the Hub. First off the sound quality and emulation was pretty pristine ( I have quite a few SSL channel strips to compare it to ) 2nd. The actual mix control I had that was in the buckets gave me incredible control over the channel gain, EQ, compression and saturation in regards to mixing the tracks as a whole. without the use of other plugs. I used it on every track with very minuscule amounts of processing. It is now quite clear to me....the song sounded great. I had audio control above and beyond my DAW by itself. CLA is no fool and his quest for this plugin was to give a bit of his mixing technique and sound to the digital world and the artists that embrace it, and yet want to have ties to the old school and analog representations. Look...I'll admit the extra time and effort to use this software can be a distraction in the creative process until one learns how to use it. All in all I always agree with Mr. Snake Oil....however in this particular review, I wholeheartedly disagree with it being snake oil. It is not. Your reviews are here to benefit the artists, musicians, producers and hobbyists that look to your opinions. If your going to review a product...put it to real use in a song or track. Mix it, mangle it and put it to the test...but that is the only way to fairly review the product. That said...I appreciate you.

[@glennbucc7107]

Mix with your ears, not your eyes. That is what is nice about knobs like this. Young people are so use to seeing things with your eyes. There are times when its helpful to see the freq's but not always. You also did not even take into account that they modeled Chris's SSL console and Chris is very happy with the results. That they got in a very close ballpark of his 4,000 series SSL that we can have in our DAW.

[@NickPotockiMusic]

I agree with you to an extent. I dont agree with your eq mindset on this plugin. I believe not having the freq. given to you clearly forces you to HAVE to use your ear when equing! It helps (at least in my mixes) when im not MIXING WITH MY EYES. Im forces to use my ears when eqing which i think is NOT a negative aspect on this plugin.

[@XiyuYang]

I don't understand why this entire "mix with your ears not your eyes" argument is so popular. Look at the GUI of some plugins (fabfilter, iZotope etc), a good visual feedback definitely helps me getting ideal results faster.

[@NickShillitoMusic]

@@XiyuYang I think there's definitely a balance to be struck. I have just started using Waves SSL E-Channel as my go-to EQ and I have found that my mixes sound fuller and more natural as a result of me using my ears to determine what sounds good rather than using my eyes to decide on what I think SHOULD sound good. That being said, I still use FabFilter ProQ to do those surgical EQ cuts that you just can't do with analogue EQ.

[@gregrodrigueziii8075]

@@XiyuYang have you tried mixing in an analog board turning the frequency selector knob and gain without looking where you are? Yup its faster, getting a good sound on that. visual feedback adds another judgment using with eyes, making judgment on something that has nothing to do with sense of sight. I'm not saying you dont need visual feedback at all. Im saying visual feedback is just for checking if there seems to be a problem you can't seem to find. Now here's where it all changes, you need that visual feedback if you are using a mouse, cause that control is not staying in a permanent position. unlike knobs, Thats why you need them. But yes visual feedback a lot of times for specially for beginners makes them doubt what they hear, based on what they see. how many times ive seen people cut out frequencies because it doesnt look right. or aint boosting way more even if need cause it looks too much. If you're experienced sure, but for those starting, they will take what they see more, because visuals really do over powers our mind and pressures us to deciding base in what we hear. I've never cared how much gain reduction Im doing before for as long as it sounds good, but when I started looking at the meters, when I was just starting with "digital" a decade ago, heck i was slower cause, it always feels like I'm doing something wrong and notice later on I never compressed anything more than 6 db of reduction. Plus pushing a fabfilter 3k 8db up is way different than pushing an ssl 3k 8 db up. the latter would most of the time sounds okay if needed. But then again, the speed you gain just listening only really works if you have a hardware controller and not a mouse. The idea of not having a visual feedback actually slows you down when using mouse.

[@ashcatlt]

Thanks for that! I agree almost completely. I do think you misunderstood the signal flow a little. It's still just a single channel strip on each track. Doesn't mix anything. The bucket view allows you to see and touch a bunch of them in the one place rather than going between the different plugin windows. In Reaper we can show any plugin parameter as a knob right on the mixer, which is an even better way to accomplish the same thing.

[@AdamIronside]

I bought it and am quite happy with it. It has sped up my personal flow a little bit and it 'feels' more fun. Sure, it is far from perfect (I feel it is a little rushed) but it is a good idea and to be fair, it is what Mixbus SHOULD have done by being able to patch it into any DAW.

[@AdamIronside]

@Alchemist Good for you I guess. Horses for courses man. I usually agree with most of Wytse comments and thoughts, but on this occasion, Mixhub just works for me. I got as good a mix as usual (not saying my mixes are particularly good!) in less time.

[@JMRSplatt]

Sometimes you don't give the plug-in a fair chance, but every video is very informative. Thank you!! Edit - I'm with you, they advertise plugins to be just as easy as live knobs, but that will never be replicated.

[@SBPRA]

I just used this plugin and it works fine in both Sonar X3 and Pool Tools. The sonic sound was big and open as the SSL 9000 series is. I was able to get the mix i needed for a video soundtrack in less than 30 minutes.

[@richardaling5278]

I thought CLA has an 4000e?

[@KB-kc7ou]

I think you missed the point of what Waves/CLA were going for here, but I also think that Waves/CLA missed the point of what their target customer base needs... Why? As much as Waves' stuff is used in actual recording studios, you can bet that Waves makes the bulk of their $ selling to home and project studio owners. And home/project studio owners have a completely different workflow than CLA does. He's a mix engineer. While most of US build our projects one track at a time (as you just demo'd), CLA starts with recording projects that have tens or hundreds of tracks to manage, and he has to get that mix completed fast. In CLA's situation, using a 'big picture' approach makes a boatload of sense. You can quickly make all of your high-level adjustments to get the overall feel right, and dive deeper into individual tracks for tweaks whenever the mixbus isn't sufficient. And as a bonus, running everything through the same console (real or plug-in) is going to add glue to the mix. As you note though, trying to do this with a mouse and keyboard is kinda hard. Even Waves seems to realize this, in the laughable teaser vid where CLA is mixing like Tom Cruise in Minority Report... For me though (like most of us, I suspect), I'm recording one or two tracks at a time and building up a mix. I typically will settle on a common channel strip plug-in to use on most of a project's tracks to add some glue. And I do use Schep's 73, Kramer HLS and SSL G-Master - I'm no Waves hater! So I can see what Waves was going for here, but I don't think it would really improve the typical home studio workflow.

[@davidjenkins8449]

It will if you mix large projects at home

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

You nailed it! Most bigger studios often go with plugins that aren’t waves. I personally stick with UAD most of the time for analog sounds. Fabfilter is perfect for digital plugins. I don’t see the need for ANOTHER SSL clone though. Even if it gives mix buckets. I have a good workflow in my daw with my artist mix that this would also definitely slow down my workflow. If waves added an easy to read settings feature like they have on other plugins and had the on board faders replicate the daw faders with a meter it would be very much worth it. Without that stuff I’m faster in my daw. The only thing I could see myself using this on might be drums to get that glue. But still the visualization is just totally off. So if it’s not good enough for the pro market and the small studio market has no use for it what is their market? Like maybe if someone had a 24 channel S6 console or something I could see how it could be useful, but then again that takes away the entire point of this plugin.

[@oledahl.]

@@CreativeMindsAudio Are u kidding me??? Waves plugins have been the industry standard for years!!! I have never worked in an expensive studio or smaller either that hasn't had waves plugins. UAD Was'nt much used 5 years ago. Today many of them have UAD but most studios have not been willing to change to UAD hardware.

[@CreativeMindsAudio]

Yes they have been the 'industry standard' for decades (likely because they were one of the first plugin companies), but they are fading (why else would they charge $30 a plugin for what used to be 100s). They haven't properly updated their older plugins in decades either. I use waves plugins myself, but not nearly as much as other companies. also remember just because something is popular doesn't mean it's good (see AOL internet in the 90s). Most people I know swear by slate digital on the cheap end or UAD on the more expensive end now. That being said i only bought into UAD environment, when it was highly recommended to me by industry professional over and over again. I live in Los Angeles and have worked with several high end studios. Every single one of them used UAD to some extent. 9 out of 10 times when an audio engineer/studio compares UAD to waves they choose UAD. The only barrier I've seen is cost. Home/project studios often get an apollo and buy into that ecosystem as a result. the plugins are the bonus. I bought my UAD OCTO card in 2015. I first worked with an apollo in 2012 and didn't think much of it (then again i didn't know it had good on board plugins as they weren't used in the sessions). It wasn't until they updated the apollo in 2015 with better thunderbolt that i think it really took off (no latency with plugins). As far as changing hardware? what are you talking about? if you have a free PCI-e card slot or a thunderbolt port just buy a UAD card or satellite to run their plugins. "I have never worked in an expensive studio or smaller either that hasn't had waves plugins" - while this claim is somewhat true, what i'm actually referring to is the use that they get in actual sessions. Along with purchasing competing plugins (neve clone vs neve clone). Most studios i know often have them for sheer session compatibility purposes. As it is often assumed you have Waves. I like to think of it as more backward compatibility.

[@oledahl.]

​@@CreativeMindsAudio I agree with almost everything you write! Yes, waves are fading. Except that Waves upgraded their plugins last year. And now with their heavy focusing on Soundgrid I think we shall see them return. But yes you make a lot of good points. I also wanted to comment more deep about the PCI card slot or thunderbolt issue but my English and lack of words make it hard. but I will address that point soon. :) Meanwhile, take care, nice to have an intelligent discussion with someone who actually been in a studio and knows what they are talking about. I often feel alone on that part! For now: Peace out my producer friend! :) kindest reg from Oslo/Norway

[@MrBlincster]

Its a good plugin for people who mix bands and such. This plug “forces” to mix by the ear and not a fancy curve in Q2

[@EugeneAllanSchwimmer]

When mixing and eq-ing drums, with kick, snare, etc., on individual tracks, I like having, say, eq controls for each sound side-by-side, easy to "jump" from one sounds eq strip to another as I listen, instead of having to open each sound's graphic (or, actually, any) eqs one-at-a-time.

[@alikhanimagery5323]

the GUi View is a subject setting inside the reaper itself, so you can play around with those for the size of GUi being displayed on the screen

[@DaspacestationBeats]

I was using the old Waves Ssl channel years ago. If you listen, a lot of engineers been using the original Waves Ssl. Just look up non-wave marketing videos like Mix with the Masters and you will see people mixing Cardi B with waves Ssl. But I like this Cla Ssl. Its convienient to help get good levels using the meters. Plus it has solo frequencies and mid side. I like the sound on the Uad version but the Cla sounds smooth. I mixed my latest video with the Cla mixhub.

[@massivebeatzz]

yeap...The bigs are all using it .

[@alsoulmusic]

I think the idea behind this plugin is to mix multiple channels with your ears. It’s just another approach. For $63 it is easier to get it a shot plus you can try it first. I am not a fan of console-like channel strips. Because you can adjust multiple at the same time it makes the concept a little more palatable. As for console 1, it is more expensive (since it is hardware it make sense) and I have no room for another hardware controller.

[@caseysabol7188]

Dude, you did a review of a plugin without even testing out how it...uhm.....SOUNDS?!?!

[@AdiKotes119KRITICAL]

Exaacttlyyy! The CPU usage goes down a ton if you use ONE plugin instead of 5 on each channel and plus it provides the console emulation for you to inculcate into your mixes

[@waltzguy14151]

It “sounds” like any other plugin of this kind.

[@NickShillitoMusic]

​@@AdiKotes119KRITICAL This is a valid point, however I would tentatively argue that the kind of person who WOULD spend the money on this plugin is probably a pro or semi-pro mixer who would already have a machine that can handle the CPU loads of several plugins on each channel. For me personally I prefer using an array of my hand-selected favourite plugins to control my mix rather than an all-in-one emulation of a famous engineer's setup, and I have the CPU to handle it. I see the pros of this plugin for sure but I don't think CPU usage would be enough of a factor for me to completely change my workflow.

[@jaypark3297]

@@AdiKotes119KRITICAL noob here, what do you mean by one plugin instead of 5? Do you mean compared to using other plugin channels? My computer is struggling after six instances of this plugin and I'm wondering if there's a way to open only one instance of CLA mix hub and controlling all the tracks.

[@inphasestudio9454]

I mixed a song using only this plugin on every track (aside from the mixbus) and it turned out so good. I remixed a song that I had previously mixed using an assortment of plugins and when I was done with the MIXHUB version it was clear it was superior. It was more organic, had a better vibe, and overall just translated better on speakers. It was a win for me. Thanks

[@yotamwaves9680]

❤️

[@johnrodriguez5872]

Inphase Studio how was cpu with it

[@JoshNecto21]

It has that analog vibe agreed 👍

you dont get it because you didnt watch CLA give his tuturial......if you had you would know what he means by bucket and how you use it to mix groups of instruments....and the advantages of the HUB over single track in the DAW

[@Reggi_Sample]

Many DAWS don’t offer multiple plugin windows for different tracks at the same time. That’s the main point of why this plug-in speeds up workflow. Also looking at 8 instances of fab filter across 8 tracks will take up your entire screen

[@Bobzekat21]

Maybe because the plugin is new, once it gets update with additional features it will probably get better. Right now I am using SSL 9000 in Reason Rewired with Logic

[@JPRWP]

Ive been using it since it came out, Im pretty happy with what it can do, would I like a few of the features you were upset with, Yes! but after you name each bucket its pretty quick to get around in it. I usually use the SSL Plugin on a majority of tracks as a starting point anyway and this actually helped, and It sounds nice as well. I filled up to four buckets on a 2018 i5 Mac mini with 32 gigs of RAM coupled with Some UAD plugins my computer was fine. I do understand why people don't want it but if you like to use the SSL plugin a lot I think you will like it

[@massivebeatzz]

how much faster did your day to day workflow get? Any experience with Scheps OMNI in comparison?

[@JPRWP]

@@massivebeatzz I bought the Omni after I had purchased this.... I stopped using the mixhub 🤦‍♂️ thank God I bought a lot of these plugins on sale. Takes the buyers guilt out of it. I absolutely love the Omni channel for acoustics mainly. I’ve been using Slate plugins on vocals almost exclusively. Mixed with UA plugs as well

[@alsoulmusic]

I think the idea behind this plugin is to mix multiple channels with your ears. It’s just another approach. For $63 it is easier to get it a shot plus you can try it first. I am not a fan of console-like channel strips. Because you can adjust multiple at the same time it makes the concept a little more palatable. As for console 1, it is more expensive (since it is hardware it make sense) and I have no room for another hardware controller..

[@raindaresmusic]

your reaction to that awkward promo was perfect hahaha

[@rooshuk3799]

I can completely agree! Mixing hands on was the sure way to increase workflow, especially with a unit as intuitive as the Console 1!

[@MichaelStelz]

What most people get wrong is that they actually didn't model 64 different channels including their tolerances etc. It's just one channel. Personally I don't care, just wanted to mention that.

[@Graiskye]

It is a relevant statement given the fact that Chris has stated multiple times his sound kinda comes from the SSL, ie: his knowledge of which channels sound which way. He also states that one of the reasons he wanted to develop a plug in was so he could actually have parity, ie 64 channels that were exactly the same ??? Seems odd but it came out of his mouth. Theres a Rick Beato interview that is recent and has Chris in full CLA mode, cannot beat the guys honesty, I mean the Waves advert is an advert, no denying the marketing, but when he talks he doesn't filter much, you get the real person. And like him or not CLA is a mixer to aspire to be like. peace.

[@allen394]

Although a lot of people don't like Propellerhead's Reason, since Reason 5 the main mix window, models the SSL, although you might have to end up scrolling around the screen to see any tracks that you have added. It has the ability to place tracks in to sub groups or individual tracks next to each other and view them side by side, with eq, dynamics etc lined up. Although it's a DAW you can use it linked to most DAWs like a plugin. I have noticed that a lot of plugins have started using similar visual tricks. I agree this is most definitely Snake oil!😅😅😅

[@Battlescar9685]

They left out Solo and mute? You ding dongs!

[@SuperDrumhead777]

Not sure they could do solo because it would have to be able to mute channels that it's not inserted it on. Unless your using it on every channel.

[@massivebeatzz]

I think it's a limitation..The fact that a hub even works - wouldn't have been doable with older plugins years ago, since they didn't talk to each other.

[@randysherriofficial]

It seems like the two wave files on your DAW are different. They look very different

[@michaelwirth6843]

Best Review in a long time! You got it spot on, to seach for the buckets and when you find it you still don´t see whats going on. 100% snake oil!

[@voxager5165]

I bought that thing a few days ago and tried it on a project. First off, I think it sounds pretty good, so that's that. And it does work as advertised... technically speaking. But the handling is poor. Eight strips per bucket are too little. The load on the system is too high - you can never go to 64 channels. A KZbinr tested it on his 4 GHz i7 and got to some 40 channels... just barely. Also, the workflow does not reduce chaos. It recudes clarity. Do I regret having bought it? Kinda sorta yes and no. I'm probably going to use it in a limit fashion somehow somewhere.

[@zachohara]

voXager oof

[@MarvelJAM]

I think the best part of this plugin is used as a normal Waves plugin. This is a newer SSL model. Just use each channel by itself like all plugins. This only matters if you use Waves plugins

[@oledahl.]

I think a lot of your frustration is because you don't have a lot of experience working on an SSL console. I may be wrong but that's what I think. To me, I don't have to know if the LF filter is showing -3,5 or 3,7. Because 1: I kinda know how much I have to move it to get -5 db. But 2: More important, I don't care what number the filter shows. My ears can't see the numbers... I feel you're making a problem out of nothing... But that's only my personal opinion. Said that: I have not tried that plugin. I have it but haven't used it. I still use the console as much as I can. :)

[@ThatsJoshTyler]

Whats cool about this is that with the buckets, if you apply mixhub to every single channel and route accordingly, you can open 4 instances of mix up, each on a section of the control board and switch between buckets. 64 tracks all right there without opening and closing a bunch of different plugins. Its actually very useful. I made an entire SSL template on pro tools using what i just described

[@royklerks1266]

Hi Wytse, You missed out on two important things I think. 1. You can integrate all your other waves plugins within the hub. 2. You can lable/name the buckets, so why you have to remember in which bucket you put the snare settings ? Not a game changer I agree, but those two ascpects are making it less snake oil i think. roy.

[@mauromenegolli202]

If you own a touchscreen monitor you can really understand the power of this plugin.

[@waedi73]

So the white sea studio is chaos ! I didn't know this before. Now you can mix like Chris, who wants that ? The promo video when SciFi-Chris moves his arms, this is the only awesome part of the plugin.

[@peterbrandt7911]

I think the keyword was "redundant". I really like the Waves stuff, but I don't wanna have a mixer in a mixer. If the VST standard one time enables to completely replace your DAW mixer, this could be an interisting plugin. But that way, I'd have to switch between my regular mixer and that bucket view. Since I only could use one Waves plugin as insert, have no auxes, I'd have to put them on the regular channels. I really wanted it to be good, but it's not. Regarding overview, afaik, you can name buckets and channels in the plugin itsself. You could use it as a regular channelstrip, but imho the Waves Omnichannel is more comprehensive, but maybe you prefer the sound of this plugin, hence the CPU load is higher. If you, like me, like the Waves SSL and 1176 sounds, 69 bucks are ok for a channel strip, but these buckets can go exactly there - in the bucket.

[@autodidacticprofessor869]

This is ultimately the problem with DAW's. They largely don't have the built in tools of a real mixer and we have to use plugins. Compared to having direct access to each knob for each parameter and being able to grab faders and making instant changes, sometimes changing several things at once, traditional plugins are really clunky and non-intuitive. Harrison Mixbus, especially coupled with a hardware controller fixes this problem BUT is based on a freeware DAW that isn't exactly most stable and plugin compatibility is sketchy if you want plugins. So aside from that, Console 1 has been the best answer and gives you a simple, easy-to-navigate on screen display and in the case of Reaper, Cubase and a couple other DAW's, you can actually use the Console 1 as a DAW controller in addition to the plugin processing. Waves is WAAAAY behind in this idea and are still holding onto mouse-based plugin paradigm. Hell, they're trying to sell an i5-powered, overhyped "Music production PC" for $1500, just because it has DigiGrid compatibility.

[@fleshtonegolem]

I would personally use this to mix all my instrument sub groups vs individual tracks. In this regard it would be much easier to compare eq moves and think about masking issues.

[@terrillmel]

yeah the buckets is a sub group concept. Too bad there isn't a fader to control the entire bucket (subgroup)

[@mitcheltheelenmusic8858]

Waves is working on The Solo And Mute, They are not getting the parameters right yet. And The 8 per bucket is not about the size, The SSL also works like 8 channels Per bucket (The SSL Frame)

[@andrew6889-p5c]

Having someone give an honest critical opinion is so rare and valuable . Also, you are always hilarious. Thank you.

[@DancesWithWaifus]

DUDE! Your channel has saved me so much money already. Good work -- Thanks again!!🤘

[@ricksalt6860]

I figured it was going to be like this . The SSL EQ on a computer screen is a pain in the ass to use . Good video , couldn’t agree more .

[@TheAJKid]

Have you done the Greg Wells bundle from Waves yet?! I'd like to hear your opinion!

[@MaartenFranken]

I think the master fader is more like an output gain, like the SSL plugins have and that controlling levels and monitoring them is meant to be done from your DAW's mixer. I just had a quick look, so far, but it seems to be a bit of the same idea as the Plugin Allience SSL and Neve channel plugins, where every channels is a little different from the others, only this one puts everything in one window. If that the case, I wonder about the difference in price... Im very curious to test this more extensively, it looks very cool and flashy, but maybe because of that, Im kinda doubtfull about what to expect.

[@yotamwaves9680]

it's a great sounding channel strip. the buckets view is a workflow option you can use or not. You should definitely try it

[@sigmundklaus]

Although I fully agree with your views in the video - there is one tiny little thing I would like to add about who this plugin is good for :). For people who hate scrolling. I hat scrolling left/right up/down - but when mixing in the box it is mostly left-right. Scrolling makes me dizzy almost - so this is almost a good solution for that. I really like this bucket concept jus because of this - but this plugin needs additional feature to be really usable. But a good start... maybe Waves or someone else will do something like this - but with additional usability features.

[@thejoshuatree03]

I think you really missed the point of this plugin, obviously a controller would be faster but that’s why the plug in costs $60 and a decent controller is gonna cost over a grand easy. If you have ever mixed using the waves SSL channel strip on like 90% of your tracks you would see why this plugin is a godsend, not to mention the added console emulation. If you take the time to organize everything and subgroup things into “buckets” you will easily improve your workflow.

[@trevormixedit]

This plugin changed my mixes forever I just throw it in and put the Lu Diaz vocal setup preset and go on! And of course an ssl board is letting you use your ears instead of your eyes

[@phillytee9106]

I use Cubase and the mixer in Cubase is all I need as far as mixing and organising my audio tracks, I'm not sure I really need another 'mixer' plug-in to replace what I already have. I think you are right why add more complications to something that's already complicated enough.

[@travelcousticrecording5108]

I think the main idea behind analog modeled plugins with knobs where you can't directly see numbers, curves etc. is that you need to mix with your ears and not with your eyes, which is a pretty good idea tbh. But Waves is going crazy with their plugin/marketing "ideas" and I think that they should focus more on updating the existing ones they already have, which are pretty good in my opinion (and you see the SSL Channel/Bus and the CLA compressor plugins everywhere used by top mixing engineers).

[@oceantracestudios]

By the way, Harrison Mixbus really is a practical approach to mixing, and speeds things up some. And the 32c version actually includes channel variation (I use the regular one though, mastered my last EP through it).

[@oceantracestudios]

Hey Cypher Music, I have the regular version with equal channels, the version that has different channels is the 32c version. I'd advise you to check the manual if you have that version, I'm sure it'll have that information. Cheers!

[@supersquare]

This is actually why I love Cubase's mixer. Ever since they introduced the MixConsole window, you have your own full y customizable mixer, plus a notepad, plus hardware controller support, plus snapshots now, plus obviously your own plugin inserts :P

[@ELEVATETHESKY]

I love this plugin! It has helped my mixes dramatically. The sound is beautiful and easy to get a polished sound without messing the mix up. The bucket workflow is nice too. I will admit the cpu load (even with the lite version) is a pain but I have managed to find a work around by just freezing tracks once I have mixed the basic tracks. I don't mind not having a solo or mute button. It has actually got me using my ears more in a whole mix. However, I love your reviews no matter what. so entertaining and helpful for the most part.

[@jheronimusduko7998]

It feels a bit like fancy pictures who are meant to make you feel like a big producer like CLA without spending the money time and effort. Like a video game. Sometimes with a emulation of well-known gear the same layout can be helpful so everybody knows exactly how the plugin works. But for this mixhub workflow I don't see the point. (I haven't tried it out yet. So what do I know?)

[@dbhammond]

Agreed. A lot of this type of UI just looks like a video game of a recording studio. It's like playing Guitar Hero instead of actually playing guitar. It may or may not be the best sounding thing in the world but there's a cheese factor with virtual knobs, wood grain, rust, panel screws, meter movements, etc. There are vastly superior visualizations and controls available for a display/keyboard/mouse environment that are more useful, powerful, and much easier to use.

[@janh1309]

I think their idea was to bring this "analog feel" to daws like logic/reaper etc.But as you said, as you are not able to touch the knobs, there is still something missing... for me an additional remote app for tablets and/or a combination with tracks live could be a game changer for this plugin, as at least for me it would be very handy to use it for live recordings of my x32 where I want to add some basic mixing to the raw channels.

[@pointTv-fs1ow]

Acid music studio already had this feature just not the ssl channel strip clone

[@maverickturner8699]

The idea of this plugin has always been to take a full SSL E Series and put it in a space where it feels like you're on the console itself. And it sounds pretty damn good, with the new 'Lite' version it has taken down the CPU load over 50%. I really think you forget to actually test things out my bro. We get the antics, but some of us want useful information. #justsayin

[@tickmann]

I own it.. I actually really like the sound of the board... You're going to put eq and compression on every channel anyway right? Why not use this board for the eq and compression.. plus, you get the presets of CLA to start from.. not bad for 69 bucks. You would spend that for just one compressor plug in anyway..

[@mjklein]

He has an analog console and hybrid mixes.

[@jdl2180]

The presets are extremely useful!😎

[@chiobeo13]

This is the first time I disagree with u. I have been using this plugin and personally I love this workflow, and the sound from this plugin is really good. You can also name your buckets so you know where all your drums are, vocals are, etc. I rather enjoy not having to see the increments around the eq because it forces me to use my ears more than my eyes to mix. This plugin rocks!

[@carltontriplett4947]

Why didn't you once talk about how it actually sounds??

[@SonicCircuitry]

Because that's not the point of the plugin. They don't market it for its sound (which you can get with most other plugins) but for its workflow.

[@NeonPLotus]

So glad I watched this before buying

[@yotamwaves9680]

it's always best to try yourself

[@IntenseCity]

Great video, and a very honest yet true review. Waves thought they were making a big thing, but this is probably just a step towards that "big thing". Good concept though.

[@DynamicRangeStudios]

I'VE NEVER WORRIED ABOUT MIXING FASTER. CLA MIXHUB IS A GREAT SOUNDING PLUGIN. MY FAVORITE

[@peterk743]

I agree with many of your points. With that said, it is still a great sounding 400e emulation with many extra features. I am sure waves will make updates and listen to the users. I also own console one. I really like the hardware controller idea, but I dont think their software emulation of the 4000 compares to waves or brainworx.

[@vd9795]

I totally agree with YOU! If waves makes a hardware with this software wst it would be a winner!

[@adrianconsta1139]

Your honesty is killing me! :))) More people like you are needed! Anyway, what's your opinion on the Harrison Mixbus 32c? Have you tried it? If yes, do you like it? Thanks for this nice video. :)

[@sirlordcomixx1]

Yes Harrison mix buss would be an interesting video.

[@Bazooka_Sharks]

Adrian Consta i got mixbus 5 a couple weeks ago to test it out, its awesome for mixing/mastering...kinda crap for tracking and editing though

[@JohnGauge790]

Mixbus actually has a thing/sound. Great for mixing but that’s about it.

[@Hue_Nery]

@@Bazooka_Sharks I don't mind editing in mixbus at all. A lot easier than in Cubase imho. Don't mention midi though. It's pretty well and audio only DAW.

[@richiefamus8778]

It is very similar to Harrison Mixbus except mixbus requires you to use another daw, because it is a daw. Mixbus also uses far less CPU. However Harrison dropped the ball by NOT making a plugin version, thus allowing this plugin to be seem as a "first." It's more appealing to be able to use your daw of choice, and still have the workflow.

[@styrofoamghost5099]

This videos is the first and oly time i have ever agreed with you lol. good vid dude.

[@felixurbanoberglund9267]

I think the point was simply that you didn't have to close one plugin open the next one, close that one, open the next one etc etc, to get the drumsound for example done. It had nothing to do with what type of eq they used or whatever. Just the fact that you could process both the snare and the kik from the same window has made it much quicker for me atleast becuase i dont spend half the time opening and closing my plugins

[@felixurbanoberglund9267]

and as for the comments at around 10:00 just use the plugin ,,twice? and you'll learn to recnize all of that easily

[@LightWthoutTheStatic]

Where can I hear what White Sea Studio has put out and mixed or recorded?

[@yotamwaves9680]

exactly.

[@sebrura]

Late to the party, but you’re spot on.

[@LuckyPro]

I have console 1 but I used this yesterday and it is the best ssl emulation so I will be using this for its sound quality.

[@Wetefah]

If you think that mixing in the box is not challenging enough you need this plugin :D

[@oledahl.]

I would just love to make a quick survey here: How many here have actually mixed on a real SSL console for more than a day? I'm just curious if most people here are bedroom mixers, semi-pros, or do this for a living in a Studio worth more than 100 000$ (that's a small studio)? And just to mention another thing: When sitting in front of an analogue 48+channel console you are not able to see what the pots readouts are unless you stand up and look straight down on it. That goes for most or all consoles I've worked on at least. So I don't get all this fuzz about not being able to see what the pot-pointer is showing... And like several smart people here have already stated: You don't mix with your eyes! At least you shouldn't! peace

[@oledahl.]

@zDuse Just one another thing: what's Your favourite goto studio vocal microphone and would You care to share your fx and main vocal chain with me? ;D

[@Ostrology]

It’s actual a pretty fun plugin if you like ssl style plugins. The bucket view is great and fun as well. It definitely made my workflow easier in the sense that I only have to use one plugin window when mixing. That’s a hugely overlooked feature in this video.

[@KozmykJ]

Recipe - Take one Scheps Omni Channel. Add some essence of NLS Bus routing. Rework old SSL Channel strip code. Hey Presto !!

[@yotamwaves9680]

Nope. misinformation. It's a completely spanking new model. and Yes. Waves use their own infrastructure to make plugins, so moving the modules is allowed as started with Omni Channel. It doesn't sound anything like Omni Channel or the SSL channel strip code. a year in the making and Presto! too bad this dude here didn't review the sound. But I guess he's not qualified for that to begin with. so maybe it's for the best

[@djvar94]

2:38 best part ever 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 just can't stop laughing so damn hard man ahahahah. The way he just moves his hands and fingers like he's got no fricking clue what he's doing. Like some kind of Tony Stark bullshit 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@moano3271]

I totally agree 👌 they should have made a controller that would have the layout of 1 bucket..with all the knobs and faders, and also a screen strip on top/or bottom showing all the buckets and you could choose/navigate/mix completely on that controller. Only THEN this would be worth getting...but even then it would be questionable considering that the price might be too steep. I'm glad i have the console 1..i love it. It makes the basics of mixing so easy and fast.

[@blackusniggus6249]

MY DREAM!! An 8 channel SSL simulating controller!!

[@massivebeatzz]

or use a touch screen? Like most PC laptops lol.... That controller would cost 2K or be a crappy one like Softube's paperweights.

[@IamtheI]

What's the point if the result is alias sounding trash??? 🤠

[@handlewithoutsuitcase]

Beyond this it sounds pretty cool. And also eats the CPU too...

[@woodsiee]

the video was hard to watch without Sandstorm, but thanks for it anyway ;^) loved it

[@MatCarfi76]

Dude - I like your perspective. Honestly, any plug in that emulates something analog in all your opinions have been the same - you don't like something looking like a real knob, etc. when it is in a digital plug in. That makes some sense, but like the other person mentioned here - its more about tweaking and listening, as opposed to numbers. In small instances, this may be great - if you run another monitor - also great because you can actually open up as many windows of the plug in as you want to see, and they all are linked. So where you mention you can not see the levels, you can open a bucket view instance on another channel and just click that window and you have that - so you are incorrect with that. I would have liked to see if for instance, in logic - you start automation and use these faders - do they automate? Waves implied they do, and I have not had a chance to check that part yet...That is the workflow they are talking about - but... and I stress this part - WAVES SAYS ITS NOT A HOG ON CPU - put this on 64 tracks and stand behind THAT comment. I think that is the misleading point being missed here - you need a lot more machine than I am working with atm to actually use this as a full console emulation as they are trying to sell it as. Just my opinion as well..

[@lfox02]

Yeah, this might actually work really well with touch monitors.

[@brianjones8432]

@@lfox02 But why? Why on earth would you want to try and tweak a representation of an analog knob on a touchscreen. Hell, why would you even want to do it with a mouse? Again, it goes to the point he was making. Why would you want the analog controls and visuals at all? With most any modern EQ you can actually see what's going on with the waveform in the same window you are manipulating the frequencies, with mealtime visual feedback. The entire idea of giving something an analog look, when we have moved WAY beyond that in almost every way, is just regressive. At the very least they could offer the same analog emulation but in a digital and easy to use graphical interface, or provide that as an optional view. This is simply another gimmick to attempt to sucker those still believing that analog is better, and slapping a familiar "old dog of the mixing world" face on it..... It's a time sink, a workflow killer, and completely backwards thinking.

[@lfox02]

@@brianjones8432 The point of using a console is to have all your controls in front of you at the same time. A touch monitor could help you there. If it isn't helpful, at the very least it's entertaining.

[@brianjones8432]

@@lfox02 I'm well aware of what a touchscreen is good for, and use one in my studio. What I'm getting at is that trying to turn a virtual knob on a touchscreen is kind of nonsensical. There are better ways to represent it. Virtual faders, line eq's, all sorts of ways that are far superior and easier to work with on a touchscreen than doing something just for the sake of it "looking" like an analog desk. The only thing virtual knobs are good for is a visual representation of a physical knob on a controller. That's about it.

[@davidjenkins8449]

@@brianjones8432 it's all about recall. An ssl cost bank but this is cheap you can't get everything.

[@spiderwebmedia627]

Work with xtouch and x32 behringer also with cla mixhub individual view show more in depth then flip back bucket select next channel back individual

[@vigilantestylez]

My issue with it, is that it is doing too much for a plugin. It sounds good, but if they were going this far with it, why not make it a mixing DAW. Then it would handle CPU resources much better since you would have it all in one instance, as opposed to multiple instances on a session. I put 8 instances of this plugin, and it is like opening 8 full featured programs, and it is killing the CPU. Not everyone has a server or a super gaming rig to run this plugin on full 40 to 100 + track sessions. Funny thing, I saw CLA himself demo it on his macbook, and it lagged the macbook in the video off of one instance of the plugin hahahaa. The sound is great, and I like the idea of having everything laid out in front of me like a console (like Harrison Mixbus), but they need to make this a full fledged DAW and not just a plugin.

[@luancav]

Any updates about 192khz impressions?

[@kylekriewaldt6308]

I think you hit the nail on the head at the end, make what they made type of thing, but make a little tiny thing like logic or a mini proQ on the side somewhat that lets you know what the nobs your turning are doing in a digital way to read, if a company did that with an analog emulation I think that would be sick.

[@tomford8286]

I feel there are two questions; first, how does the channel strip sound? Second, how does the "bucket mode" work? You did not address the sound. You focused on the multi-channel "bucket" mode. I would like to know how it compares to a channel strip like the Slate VMR, which I use regularly. I have the Harrison 32c but it causes errors like 9173 on my system. so I would also like to know how the Mixhub is in terms of CPU load. Can you get a bit more in depth and answer those questions? Thank you.

[@mclis1508]

You open 4 instances on a different monitor with same bucket and get EQ, dynamics, faders and input on the same screen.

[@yikelu]

I watched this and it definitely made me skeptical about the concept. I ended up trying Mixhub a year later and once I did 1 or 2 mixes with it, it actually made a TON of sense and I really enjoy the workflow. To address the criticisms: 1. It's more steps if you want to do something small and quick on a few tracks. On the other hand if you set up your mix, you can do everything from 1 or 2 plugin windows -- you don't have to constantly mouse between different plugins on different tracks. 2. You can label the buckets, and you should, so that it's easy to find what you want to find. I would prefer to have more than 8 buckets and the option make them smaller though. 3. Lack of visual feedback on what the dBs/frequencies etc are is annoying at first, but after working with it a bit you memorize the basics and you use your ears for the rest. 4. Lack of solo/mute is annoying -- they definitely could have done this without DAW integration (if you put it on every track, it actually makes sense so they missed an easy win here). On the other hand, I'm not really using this for surgical problem solving EQ/comp like I would with something like FF ProQ. If I want that, I go back to the DAW and add that, then solo from there. It's not a replacement for a good digital visual EQ that's for sure. 5. It would be better with a controller for sure. However I've been using it with a touch screen and in that combination, it's awesome. 6. Yes, Harrison Mixbus is basically this idea in a DAW. That was my thought after watching this video. Then I tried Mixbus and it was just a pain for me to use. There's like 10 things that are counter-intuitive to my expectations. CLA Mixhub brings that idea, scaled down to 8 tracks at a time (or really however many you can fit on a screen), to ANY DAW. This is actually a big benefit. I just did a mix in Ableton Live for ... reasons ..., and while Live is good for sculpting in a production sense, I found it clunky to mix multiple tracks at a time. Mixhub made that a lot easier as I just threw it on every track and went into the bucket window to do all my mixing decisions. Much nicer than navigating around Live itself. Also, it's like $40 due to the constant Waves sales.

[@chazzhill-hayr6281]

I love this plugin. The EQ sounds great! But the plugin breaks my computer. Constant CPU errors the second I put a few of these on.

[@Crowbar11115]

Welcome to Waves! Haha. They are the ONLY plugin company that taxes my CPU with a single plugin. I literally couldn't even use Flow Motion. And the Abbey Road Reverb was instant pops and clicks.

[@finnfransen_official279]

Thanks for the honesty.