









The signature sound of an iconic studio.
What it is:
A library of meticulously crafted plugins capturing the sound of Abbey Roads' mics, consoles, tape machines, and effects.
How we use it:
Capture the magic of some of history's most beloved recordings.
Why it's cool:
The Waves Abbey Road Collection brings the essence of one of the most renowned studios to your fingertips. Legendary Abbey Road Sound
Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios, Waves’ Abbey Road Collection features a lineup of exquisite plugins that meticulously model the fabled studios’ legendary microphones, consoles, tape machines and signature effects, as heard on countless historic recordings and pop masterpieces.
The Abbey Road Collection includes plugin models of the studios’ famed REDD and TG12345 consoles, as well as RS56 Passive EQ (‘the Curve Bender’), J37 Tape, Reel ADT, the King’s Microphones, the Abbey Road Reverb Plates, and the one-of-a-kind Vinyl plugin which models Abbey Road’s vinyl cutting and playback gear.
The Waves Abbey Road Collection Includes:
Abbey Road Reverb Plates
State-of-the-art modeling of the four legendary reverb plates housed at Abbey Road Studios and used on recordings by the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Radiohead.
Introduced in the 1950s, plate reverbs have been a fixture of recorded music ever since. Used most prominently in the ‘60s and ‘70s by pioneering bands, including the Beatles and Pink Floyd, Abbey Road Studios’ original reverb plates were first installed in 1957 to complement the fixed reverberation times of the studios’ echo chambers. These beautiful-sounding plates, with a variable reverb time of up to six seconds, were then tweaked to perfection by Abbey Road's technical engineers. To keep noise to a minimum, EMI’s Central Research Laboratories designed unique hybrid solid-state drive amps for Plates A, B and C. Plate D was fully valve-powered on both drive and output stages, allowing a versatile array of sonic characteristics, from warm and dark to lush and smooth.
In each of these original plates, the stereo reverb effect is created by suspending a large sheet of metal with tensioned springs attached to each corner. A transducer injects the metal sheet with audio energy, which is picked up by two contact mics fixed to the surface of the plate. The reverb time can then be adjusted by using an internal damper, and all of this is contained within a large wooden unit.
These historic Abbey Road plates have been used on countless seminal pop, rock, classical and film recordings over the years, and continue to be used in all kinds of audio production to this day. Waves has now created meticulous models of these stunning and unique-sounding units, individually modeling the harmonic distortion of both the drive and output amps as well as the individual plate/damper behaviors.
Give your music the vintage warmth of vinyl records played on classic turntables and needles: a precise model of Abbey Road Studios’ vinyl cutting and playback gear.
There are few things in music that capture the emotion of diehard fans more than vinyl. The retro feel of a record, combined with the analog warmth of its sound, makes vinyl a beautiful nostalgic statement.
Designed with Abbey Road Studios, this plugin faithfully captures every stage of the vinyl production and playback process: you can choose between the sound of a pure acetate (lacquer) cut or the print master vinyl pressing from the factory; play the records on two distinct turntable types with a choice of three classic cartridges; and even add the EMI TG12410 mastering console on the path into the vinyl lathe.
For added authenticity and creativity, Abbey Road Vinyl even lets you move the location of the tone arm across the record, changing the frequency response and distortion like in the real world. You can also add vinyl noise and crackle, apply a gradual slow-down/stop turntable effect, and add wow and flutter effects for extra analog warmth.
Abbey Road Vinyl is the long-awaited tool for diverse audio users: from mixing engineers craving a distinct smooth sound, to electronic and hip hop artists who cherish that "needle" touch, to sound designers reaching for authentic vinyl qualities and producers seeking a true-to-vinyl dimension on their tracks.
Waves and Abbey Road Studios bring to life the legendary TG12345, the first-ever solid-state console from EMI which epitomized the sound evolution of the late '60s and early '70s and helped shape groundbreaking recordings by the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and many others.
Thanks to meticulous component modeling, the Waves/Abbey Road EMI TG12345 channel strip plugin captures every celebrated feature of the one-of-a-kind original console: the input mic preamp, down to every last detail of its harmonic distortion, hum and noise; the bass and treble EQ bands from the mic cassette; the presence EQ band from the console's group/main section; the lush-sounding spreader; and to top it all off, the console's famous compressor/limiter, with its distinctive, irresistible sound.
The plugin offers routing options that cover the entire TG12345 line, from the one and only MK I desk on which it was modeled, to the final MK IV models.
In addition to the console's original features, new elements have been added to accommodate modern mixing needs, including a high-pass filter on the compressor's sidechain, a mix control in the dynamics section for easy parallel compression/limiting, a drive control, and much more.
Whether used for tracking, mixing or mastering, in the studio or live, on an individual channel or on a master bus, the Waves/Abbey Road EMI TG12345 will give your mixes the beautiful compression and the unforgettable crisp, bright and rich sound of a true classic.
Waves and Abbey Road Studios present the J37 tape saturation plugin, a precision model of the very machine used to record many of the greatest masterpieces in modern music. With a variety of user-adjustable controls including Tape Speed, Bias, Noise, Saturation, Wow and Flutter, the Waves: Abbey Road J37 faithfully recreates the inimitable sonic signature of the original machine. In addition to the J37 itself, three exclusive oxide tape formulas have been modeled. Specially developed by EMI during the ‘60s and ‘70s, each formula has its own unique frequency response and harmonic distortion behavior. In order to push the envelope even further, a comprehensive Tape Delay unit has been added to complement those warm tones.
The Waves: Abbey Road J37 tape emulation plugin will bring stunning analog warmth to your digital recordings, delivering a level of hardware realism never before experienced “in the box.”
London's Abbey Road Studios were at the epicenter of a seismic shift that rocked the world of music during the 1960s, and changed the course of popular culture forever. The Beatles, The Hollies, Pink Floyd and countless other luminaries made musical history at Abbey Road Studios, trailblazing a revolution that resonates to this day.
And at the heart of it all: The REDD consoles, custom-designed, built by and named for Abbey Road Studios' in-house Record Engineering Development Department. Renowned for their silky smooth EQ curves, extraordinary warmth and lush stereo imagery, there’s something magical about the REDDs that sound like no other consoles.
Waves meticulously recreated the color, character and tonal complexity of the original desks: The REDD.17 which still belongs to Abbey Road Studios, and the REDD.37 console now owned by Lenny Kravitz. The result is an impressive pair of plugins that deliver the dimension, depth and richness of these console classics.
Waves/Abbey Road Reel ADT is the first plugin to successfully emulate Abbey Road Studios’ pioneering process of Artificial Double Tracking. The effect that would become an integral part of Abbey Road’s signature sound was initially created at the famed studios in the 1960s to meet the needs of some very special clients: The Beatles.
Reel ADT puts the magic of that era in your hands within seconds. Using its intuitive controls, you can advance or delay the doubled signal to achieve genuine, lush-sounding delay and pitch variations. You can also drive each of the signals separately to add beautiful tape saturations.
With its authentic modeled valve tape machine sound and faithful emulation of wow and flutter, this extraordinary plugin can enhance any track with the impression of two separate takes, giving you results as close as possible to real double tracking. Other classic Abbey Road tape effects such as flanging and phasing can also be achieved with ease.
All the character, depth and panoramic sound of this inimitable classic effect can now be created digitally, simply and for real: Reel ADT.
A passive equalizer with powerful sound-shaping capabilities, the RS56 Universal Tone Control was originally introduced in the early 1950s and used in Abbey Road Studios to prepare recordings for the record-lathe, as part of the process we now know as “mastering.” Later, Abbey Road’s pop engineers began using the RS56 for studio recordings because of its abilities to dramatically manipulate sound – unlike the basic treble and bass EQs found on the mixing consoles of the time. This earned it the nickname “The Curve Bender.”
Waves and Abbey Road Studios have faithfully recreated the unique magic of the RS56, using advanced circuit modeling techniques based on the original schematics. Like its hardware predecessor, the Waves: Abbey Road RS56 passive EQ plugin features three bands with four selectable center frequencies for each and six different filter types, plus independent or linked control over the left and right channels. The result is an extraordinary equalizer that is as effective today as it was when it was created over half a century ago.
Used exclusively by the royal family for speeches on momentous occasions, each of these three priceless microphones dating back to the 1920s and 1930s was tailored and tuned especially for its specific user: King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth. Beautifully designed and decorated with gold, silver, and chrome adornments bearing the royal coats of arms, each is a one-of-a-kind aesthetic masterpiece with its own distinctive sonic character. The King’s Microphones plugin offers stunningly accurate recreations of the originals’ unique frequency responses, with three proximity settings for each.
Discovered deep within the vaults of EMI outside London by Peter Cobbin, senior recording engineer at Abbey Road Studios, the microphones were used to record music and dialogue for the film, the first time they had been used by anyone outside the royal family. Cobbin, who worked closely with Waves on the development of the plugin, commented, "It was exciting to know we had the very microphone used by King George VI, the central character of this film, and I thought how appropriate and inspiring it would be to have the microphones present at our recording sessions. The royal microphones are works of highly-skilled craftsmanship."
Compatibility
Running Waves on a Mac OS:
CPU:
Running Waves on a Windows OS:
CPU:
Supported Hosts - Mac:
Supported Hosts - Windows:
Installation Instructions
What it is:
A library of meticulously crafted plugins capturing the sound of Abbey Roads' mics, consoles, tape machines, and effects.
How we use it:
Capture the magic of some of history's most beloved recordings.
Why it's cool:
The Waves Abbey Road Collection brings the essence of one of the most renowned studios to your fingertips. Legendary Abbey Road Sound
Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios, Waves’ Abbey Road Collection features a lineup of exquisite plugins that meticulously model the fabled studios’ legendary microphones, consoles, tape machines and signature effects, as heard on countless historic recordings and pop masterpieces.
The Abbey Road Collection includes plugin models of the studios’ famed REDD and TG12345 consoles, as well as RS56 Passive EQ (‘the Curve Bender’), J37 Tape, Reel ADT, the King’s Microphones, the Abbey Road Reverb Plates, and the one-of-a-kind Vinyl plugin which models Abbey Road’s vinyl cutting and playback gear.
- Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios
- Recreates the inimitable sounds heard on many historic recordings and pop masterpieces
- Modeled on the original, rare and often exclusive Abbey Road Studios hardware
- Legendary sound, in-the-box and live on stage
The Waves Abbey Road Collection Includes:
Abbey Road Reverb Plates
State-of-the-art modeling of the four legendary reverb plates housed at Abbey Road Studios and used on recordings by the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Radiohead.
Introduced in the 1950s, plate reverbs have been a fixture of recorded music ever since. Used most prominently in the ‘60s and ‘70s by pioneering bands, including the Beatles and Pink Floyd, Abbey Road Studios’ original reverb plates were first installed in 1957 to complement the fixed reverberation times of the studios’ echo chambers. These beautiful-sounding plates, with a variable reverb time of up to six seconds, were then tweaked to perfection by Abbey Road's technical engineers. To keep noise to a minimum, EMI’s Central Research Laboratories designed unique hybrid solid-state drive amps for Plates A, B and C. Plate D was fully valve-powered on both drive and output stages, allowing a versatile array of sonic characteristics, from warm and dark to lush and smooth.
In each of these original plates, the stereo reverb effect is created by suspending a large sheet of metal with tensioned springs attached to each corner. A transducer injects the metal sheet with audio energy, which is picked up by two contact mics fixed to the surface of the plate. The reverb time can then be adjusted by using an internal damper, and all of this is contained within a large wooden unit.
These historic Abbey Road plates have been used on countless seminal pop, rock, classical and film recordings over the years, and continue to be used in all kinds of audio production to this day. Waves has now created meticulous models of these stunning and unique-sounding units, individually modeling the harmonic distortion of both the drive and output amps as well as the individual plate/damper behaviors.
- Precise modeling of four legendary Abbey Road reverb plates, each with its unique character
- A drive control to set the THD characteristics of the in/out amplifiers and the plate sheet itself
- Ability to control the amount of analog noise and hum
- Four original bass cut positions
- Crosstalk between the stereo inputs to get a stereo leak effect
Give your music the vintage warmth of vinyl records played on classic turntables and needles: a precise model of Abbey Road Studios’ vinyl cutting and playback gear.
There are few things in music that capture the emotion of diehard fans more than vinyl. The retro feel of a record, combined with the analog warmth of its sound, makes vinyl a beautiful nostalgic statement.
Designed with Abbey Road Studios, this plugin faithfully captures every stage of the vinyl production and playback process: you can choose between the sound of a pure acetate (lacquer) cut or the print master vinyl pressing from the factory; play the records on two distinct turntable types with a choice of three classic cartridges; and even add the EMI TG12410 mastering console on the path into the vinyl lathe.
For added authenticity and creativity, Abbey Road Vinyl even lets you move the location of the tone arm across the record, changing the frequency response and distortion like in the real world. You can also add vinyl noise and crackle, apply a gradual slow-down/stop turntable effect, and add wow and flutter effects for extra analog warmth.
Abbey Road Vinyl is the long-awaited tool for diverse audio users: from mixing engineers craving a distinct smooth sound, to electronic and hip hop artists who cherish that "needle" touch, to sound designers reaching for authentic vinyl qualities and producers seeking a true-to-vinyl dimension on their tracks.
- Add authentic vintage vinyl sound to your tracks
- Precise model of the original vinyl cutting and playback gear at Abbey Road Studios
- Choose between acetate master and printed vinyl pressing
- 2 turntables, 3 cartridges
- Slow-down/stop turntable mechanism
- Control tone arm position for variable frequency response/distortion
- Add phase distortion; noise, pops and crackles; wow and flutter; modulation
- Run the sound through Abbey Road’s EMI TG12410 mastering desk
Waves and Abbey Road Studios bring to life the legendary TG12345, the first-ever solid-state console from EMI which epitomized the sound evolution of the late '60s and early '70s and helped shape groundbreaking recordings by the Beatles, Pink Floyd, and many others.
Thanks to meticulous component modeling, the Waves/Abbey Road EMI TG12345 channel strip plugin captures every celebrated feature of the one-of-a-kind original console: the input mic preamp, down to every last detail of its harmonic distortion, hum and noise; the bass and treble EQ bands from the mic cassette; the presence EQ band from the console's group/main section; the lush-sounding spreader; and to top it all off, the console's famous compressor/limiter, with its distinctive, irresistible sound.
The plugin offers routing options that cover the entire TG12345 line, from the one and only MK I desk on which it was modeled, to the final MK IV models.
In addition to the console's original features, new elements have been added to accommodate modern mixing needs, including a high-pass filter on the compressor's sidechain, a mix control in the dynamics section for easy parallel compression/limiting, a drive control, and much more.
Whether used for tracking, mixing or mastering, in the studio or live, on an individual channel or on a master bus, the Waves/Abbey Road EMI TG12345 will give your mixes the beautiful compression and the unforgettable crisp, bright and rich sound of a true classic.
- Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios
- Based on the legendary TG12345, the first solid-state console from EMI
- A complete modeling of the entire TG12345 channel strip
- 3-band EQ with continuous gain and frequency
- Includes TG12345’s famous compressor/limiter
- Modeled on the actual desk used by the Beatles on their album Abbey Road
Waves and Abbey Road Studios present the J37 tape saturation plugin, a precision model of the very machine used to record many of the greatest masterpieces in modern music. With a variety of user-adjustable controls including Tape Speed, Bias, Noise, Saturation, Wow and Flutter, the Waves: Abbey Road J37 faithfully recreates the inimitable sonic signature of the original machine. In addition to the J37 itself, three exclusive oxide tape formulas have been modeled. Specially developed by EMI during the ‘60s and ‘70s, each formula has its own unique frequency response and harmonic distortion behavior. In order to push the envelope even further, a comprehensive Tape Delay unit has been added to complement those warm tones.
The Waves: Abbey Road J37 tape emulation plugin will bring stunning analog warmth to your digital recordings, delivering a level of hardware realism never before experienced “in the box.”
- Tape saturation plugin
- Created in association with Abbey Road Studios
- Modeled on the machine used to create countless classic '60s tracks
- Includes models of three exclusive tape formulas developed by EMI
- Adds analog warmth to digital recordings
- Controls for Bias, Wow, Flutter, Tape Speed and more
- Comprehensive Tape Delay including three different delay types, Sync, LP and HP filter controls and more
London's Abbey Road Studios were at the epicenter of a seismic shift that rocked the world of music during the 1960s, and changed the course of popular culture forever. The Beatles, The Hollies, Pink Floyd and countless other luminaries made musical history at Abbey Road Studios, trailblazing a revolution that resonates to this day.
And at the heart of it all: The REDD consoles, custom-designed, built by and named for Abbey Road Studios' in-house Record Engineering Development Department. Renowned for their silky smooth EQ curves, extraordinary warmth and lush stereo imagery, there’s something magical about the REDDs that sound like no other consoles.
Waves meticulously recreated the color, character and tonal complexity of the original desks: The REDD.17 which still belongs to Abbey Road Studios, and the REDD.37 console now owned by Lenny Kravitz. The result is an impressive pair of plugins that deliver the dimension, depth and richness of these console classics.
- Based on the legendary REDD.17, REDD.37 and REDD.51 consoles
- Delivers the classic British sound of the 1960s
- Continuous EQ controls
- Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios
Waves/Abbey Road Reel ADT is the first plugin to successfully emulate Abbey Road Studios’ pioneering process of Artificial Double Tracking. The effect that would become an integral part of Abbey Road’s signature sound was initially created at the famed studios in the 1960s to meet the needs of some very special clients: The Beatles.
Reel ADT puts the magic of that era in your hands within seconds. Using its intuitive controls, you can advance or delay the doubled signal to achieve genuine, lush-sounding delay and pitch variations. You can also drive each of the signals separately to add beautiful tape saturations.
With its authentic modeled valve tape machine sound and faithful emulation of wow and flutter, this extraordinary plugin can enhance any track with the impression of two separate takes, giving you results as close as possible to real double tracking. Other classic Abbey Road tape effects such as flanging and phasing can also be achieved with ease.
All the character, depth and panoramic sound of this inimitable classic effect can now be created digitally, simply and for real: Reel ADT.
- Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios
- Genuine tape-sounding ADT plugin
- For the first time ever, a full exact recall automation of the ADT effect
- Different tape sounds for source and ADT signals
- Exclusive 2-voice component
- Separate drive control for each path
- Manual and automatic control
- MIDI-assignable manual control for the most authentic user experience possible
- Special components for optimal, low-latency performance in live shows (doubled signal can only be delayed)
A passive equalizer with powerful sound-shaping capabilities, the RS56 Universal Tone Control was originally introduced in the early 1950s and used in Abbey Road Studios to prepare recordings for the record-lathe, as part of the process we now know as “mastering.” Later, Abbey Road’s pop engineers began using the RS56 for studio recordings because of its abilities to dramatically manipulate sound – unlike the basic treble and bass EQs found on the mixing consoles of the time. This earned it the nickname “The Curve Bender.”
Waves and Abbey Road Studios have faithfully recreated the unique magic of the RS56, using advanced circuit modeling techniques based on the original schematics. Like its hardware predecessor, the Waves: Abbey Road RS56 passive EQ plugin features three bands with four selectable center frequencies for each and six different filter types, plus independent or linked control over the left and right channels. The result is an extraordinary equalizer that is as effective today as it was when it was created over half a century ago.
- Based on the legendary RS56 Universal Tone Control passive EQ
- Three bands with four selectable center frequencies for each
- Six different filter types
- Independent or linkable left/right controls
- Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios
Used exclusively by the royal family for speeches on momentous occasions, each of these three priceless microphones dating back to the 1920s and 1930s was tailored and tuned especially for its specific user: King George V, King George VI, and Queen Elizabeth. Beautifully designed and decorated with gold, silver, and chrome adornments bearing the royal coats of arms, each is a one-of-a-kind aesthetic masterpiece with its own distinctive sonic character. The King’s Microphones plugin offers stunningly accurate recreations of the originals’ unique frequency responses, with three proximity settings for each.
Discovered deep within the vaults of EMI outside London by Peter Cobbin, senior recording engineer at Abbey Road Studios, the microphones were used to record music and dialogue for the film, the first time they had been used by anyone outside the royal family. Cobbin, who worked closely with Waves on the development of the plugin, commented, "It was exciting to know we had the very microphone used by King George VI, the central character of this film, and I thought how appropriate and inspiring it would be to have the microphones present at our recording sessions. The royal microphones are works of highly-skilled craftsmanship."
- Vintage microphones used exclusively by England's Royal Family
- Recreates the original frequency responses, with three proximity settings each
- Developed in association with Abbey Road Studios
Compatibility
Running Waves on a Mac OS:
CPU:
- Intel Core i3 / i5 / i7 / Xeon
- 4 GB RAM
- 8 GB free disk space
- 10.9.5 - 10.12.1
- 10.8.5 for ProTools 10 only
- Minimum: 1024x768
- Recommended: 1280x1024 / 1600x1024
- USB displays are not supported as the primary display.
Running Waves on a Windows OS:
CPU:
- Intel Core i3/i5/i7/Xeon/AMD Quad-Core
- 4 GB RAM
- 4 GB free disk space
- Windows 7 with SP1 64 bit
- Windows 8.1 64 bit
- Windows 10 64 bit
- Minimum: 1024x768
- Recommended: 1280x1024/1600x1024
Supported Hosts - Mac:
- Pro Tools 11.3.2 - 12.6 (AAX Native 64-bit, Audiosuite)
- Pro Tools 10.3.10 (RTAS, Audiosuite)
- Logic Pro X 10.2 - 10.2.4 (Audio Units)
- Digital Performer 9.0 - 9.1.2 (Audio Units)
- Ableton Live 9.2.2 - 9.7 (VST)
- Nuendo 7.0.20 - 7.1 (VST3)
- Cubase 8.0.30 - 8.5 (VST3)
- WaveLab 9.0.10 - 9.0.15 (VST3)
- Main Stage 3.2 - 3.2.3 (Audio Units)
- Garage Band 10.1.0 - 10.1.3 (Audio Units)
- Audition CC2015, CC2017 (VST3)
- Adobe Premiere CC2015, CC2017 (VST3)
- Final Cut Pro X 10.2.2 - 10.2.3 (Audio Units)
- Studio One 3.1 - 3.3.1 (VST3)
- Media Composer 8.6.3 - 8.6.4 (AAX Native)
- Sound Forge Pro 2.5 (Audio Units)
- REAPER 5.18 - 5.22 (VST3)
Supported Hosts - Windows:
- Pro Tools 11.3.2 - 12.6 (AAX Native 64-bit, Audiosuite)
- Pro Tools 10.3.8 - 10.3.10 (RTAS, Audiosuite)
- Ableton Live 9.1.6 - 9.7 (VST)
- Nuendo 6.5.35 - 7.1 (VST3)
- Cubase 7.5.30 - 8.5 (VST3)
- WaveLab 8.5, 9.0.10 - 9.0.15 (VST3)
- Sonar X3e (VST3), Platinum (VST3)
- Sound Forge 10.0e, 11 (VST)
- Vegas Pro 12 - 14 (VST)
- Acid 7.0e (VST)
- Audition CC2014, CC2015, CC2017 (VST3)
- Adobe Premiere CC2014, CC2015, CC2017 (VST3)
- Samplitude Pro X (VST), Pro X2 (VST), Pro X3 (VST)
- Sequoia 12 - 13 (VST)
- Pyramix 9.0.7 - 9.1.6 (VST)
- Studio One 3.1 - 3.3.1 (VST3)
- Media Composer 7.0.4 (RTAS), 8.6.3 - 8.6.4 (AAX Native)
- FL Studio 12.1.3 - 12.4 (VST3)
- REAPER 5.18 - 5.22 (VST3)
Installation Instructions
- Create an account: https://www.waves.com/create-account (if you have an account, skip this step)
- Register the serial number we emailed: https://www.waves.com/account/register
- Download and install Waves Central for Mac | Windows.
- If you already have Waves Central installed, skip to step 4. - Launch Waves Central.
- Windows: via the desktop shortcut or Start Menu > All Programs > Waves.
- Mac: Applications > Waves Central. - Log into Waves Central using your Waves account information.
- Click on Easy Install & Activate.
- Select the products you wish to install & activate on this computer.
- Click on the Install & Activate button.