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Waves Release New Channel Strip Plug-in - Scheps Omni Channel

Designed with Grammy-winning mixer Andrew Scheps (Adele, Jay Z, Metallica), Waves tell us that the Scheps Omni Channel delivers Andrew’s time-tested combinations of compression, EQ, saturation colours and more.

Channel strip plugins based on vintage mixing consoles can sound amazing but tend to tie you down to a very specific and limited sonic colour, which may or may not be what you want.

Modular channel strip plug-ins are designed to let you mix and match diverse processors with flexibility, but the different processors might not work together cohesively and won’t necessarily interact as a true channel strip.

Waves and Andrew Scheps have designed the Scheps Omni Channel to give you the best of both worlds. Through years of mixing diverse music genres, Andrew Scheps has perfected certain combinations of go-to processors – some based on classic hardware units, some being innovative modules developed from scratch – each with its own unique character. With the Waves Scheps Omni Channel plug-in they are all brought together in one channel strip plug-in.

Scheps Omni Channel features five modules that you can use in any order you like:

  • The Pre module provides three types of analog saturation, letting you add diverse colours of harmonic distortion as well as filters and thump (resonance) controls.
  • The Compression module features 3 completely different compressors ranging from fast to slow and smooth, with a unified control set so you can quickly compare them. A Wet/Dry control allows you to parallel compress within the module.
  • The EQ module is a 4-band equalizer; each band providing a distinct musical sound that holds up on its own or can be switched to fully parametric if surgical EQ is required.
  • The DS2 module is so much more than a de-esser, with two full-range bands and four filter types allowing it to ‘de-anything’ – remove any offending frequencies, not just S’s or T’s.
  • The Gate module gives you all the standard controls (threshold, attack and release) for gating/expansion, but also lets you adjust the maximum noise reduction to maintain a consistent noise floor.
  • If that’s not enough, Scheps Omni Channel features an insert slot that can be positioned anywhere in the chain, where you can insert an additional Waves plugin of your choice, including an extra instance of any of the Scheps Omni Channel modules.

For live sound, Scheps Omni Channel offers zero latency and full discrete control over each stereo channel. Select controls of the compressor, EQ and filters are mapped conveniently to the eMotion LV1 live mixing console, serving as the console’s channel strip.

Finally, you get a set of ‘Focus’ presets, created for different sources, which highlight the most important controls you should be focusing on to achieve your current task.

In this video, Andrew Scheps (Adele, Metallica, Jay Z) explains the idea behind his Scheps Omni Channel plugin, its inspiration from the analog and digital worlds and its exciting modules.

In this video, watch how you can create two totally distinct drum sounds - modern and vintage - each in just a minute and a few clicks, all within this flexible channel strip plugin by mixer Andrew Scheps. Also see the plugin on vocals, bass, guitar & piano.

Scheps Omni Channel Feature Summary

  • Designed with Grammy-winning mixer Andrew Scheps (Adele, Jay Z, Metallica, Red Hot Chili Peppers)
  • Flexible channel strip plugin based on Andrew’s tried and tested processing combinations
  • Pre, compression, EQ and gating modules, each with diverse options for sonic flexibility
  • DS² module: so much more than a de-esser, with 2 full-range bands and 4 filter types
  • Insert slot: Load an extra Waves plugin anywhere in the channel strip
  • Drag and drop any module anywhere in the channel strip
  • Internal MS/Duo/Stereo routing per module
  • Stereo component provides full discrete control over each channel
  • Flexible shaping of internal or external sidechain input
  • Zero latency
  • ‘Focus’ presets designed by Andrew to focus you on what’s important
  • Artist presets by Tony Visconti, Billy Bush, Ken ‘Pooch’ Van Druten & more
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