Year/Release Date: June 23, 2026
Version: 17
Developer: Waves
Developer Website: www.waves.com
Format: STANDALONE, VST, VST3, AAX
Bit Depth: 64-bit
Tablet: Available
System Requirements: Win 10+
- 9.84 GB
Waves Ultimate is a complete suite of professional audio plugins from Waves Audio, designed for mixing, mastering, and sound processing in music production.
- over 200 audio processing plugins
- equalizers, compressors, limiters
- reverb and delay effects
- vocal processing tools
- analog studio equipment emulations
- plugins for noise reduction and audio restoration
What’s New :
June 23, 2026
All Waves Plugins: Major Update to V17
New Features and Improvements in Waves V17
New: An improved preset menu system, replacing both the old pop-up menu and the preset browser. It combines the features of both solutions, supports pop-up and standalone display modes, text search, and easy navigation. Added to all Waves plugins except Q-Clone, Curves Equator, Curves Resolve, the IR1 series, IRLive, the GTR series, Tune Real-Time, X-Noise, and Z-Noise.
New: COSMOS Sample Finder, Curves AQ, InTrigger Drum Replacer, Key Detector, StudioVerse, and Sync Vx now run fully natively on Apple Silicon, without background processes dependent on Rosetta 2.
MondoMod: A completely redesigned graphical interface.
PSE (Primary Source Expander):
Added a 5 Hz frequency shift to increase gain before feedback on open mics.
Ducking attenuation range has been expanded to -60 dB for more flexible dynamic control.
CLA MixDown: Added a Link In/Out parameter, allowing simultaneous adjustment of input and output levels with a single action.
WLM / WLM Plus: WLM is now available as an AudioSuite plugin, allowing full offline analysis of program loudness without realtime playback.
EMO-Q4: Added a real-time spectrum analyzer with an Offset control for customizing the display in both SoundGrid and the native environment.
REQ (Renaissance Equalizer): A real-time spectrum analyzer is now available in the SoundGrid environment.
Q10 and F6: Added pinch gesture control for the Q parameter on touchscreens. Sync Vx: Added support for Samplitude and Sequoia in VST3 and ARA formats.
StudioVerse Audio Effects: Macro control pages expanded to 13 pages with 8 macros each.
Bug fixes in Waves V17:
Fixed in all Waves plugins
– Sidechain switching now works correctly in Luna on Windows (VST3).
– Fixed a crash in Pro Tools with SyncroArts RePitch 2 installed.
Fixed in all instrument plugins
– Loaded presets are now correctly saved when dragging MIDI clips in Cubase/Nuendo.
Fixed in Waves applications
– Application windows on macOS now correctly restore after being minimized via the Dock. Curves Series (AQ, Equator, Resolve)
– Fixed a crash in Pro Tools with SyncroArts RePitch 2 installed.
CLA MixHub
– Pro Tools no longer freezes when closing the plug-in interface while actively typing.
COSMOS
– Ableton Live analysis files (.asd) no longer trigger an unnecessary “Changes Detected” notification.
Curves AQ
– The SC Listen button becomes inactive when no sidechain is connected.
– Nodes opened in the Learn zone now respond correctly to user actions and remain interactive.
Doubler
– Enabling and disabling Low Gain EQ no longer causes clicks in audio.
GTR Tool Rack / Solo Tool Rack
– Using the Move Left command for the amp in the Stomp section no longer causes interface corruption or crashes.
IDX Intelligent Dynamics
– Plug-in bypass is now fully synchronized with the host bypass system in all supported DAWs. Immersive Wrapper
– 7.1 and 7.1.2 components now route correctly in Logic Pro.
L4
– Loudness Meter settings (Short/Long) are now correctly saved and restored when reloading a project.
Magma BB Tubes
– Tone Pre and Post controls now respond correctly to Touch & Slide controls in LV1.
MultiMod Rack
– Bypass Mod FX and the hamburger menu now work correctly.
ReelADT
– Mute, Phase, Sync, LFO On/Off, and Monitor buttons are now correctly assigned to hardware controller switches in live applications.
Waves Harmony
– Scale settings are correctly saved and restored between scenes in LV1 and SuperRack.
WLM Plus
– CSV log export on macOS now includes all necessary data. H-EQ
– The Stereo Link function now extends to the Phase Invert button, inverting both the left and right channels simultaneously.
RChannel
– The filter type drop-down menu now opens correctly in the classic interface.
CR8 Creative Sampler
– The global output level is now saved correctly in presets.
– The Poly Aftertouch modulator now works correctly in all supported hosts.
OVox Vocal Resynthesis
– Bypass Mod FX and menus now function correctly.
– The Poly Aftertouch modulator now works correctly in all supported hosts.
Scheps Omni Channel
– The Full Reset and PA Default presets are now displayed at the top of the preset menu.
– The HPF frequency is now correctly adjusted via Touch & Turn in LV1/SuperRack.
– Pro Tools no longer freezes when closing the interface while typing.
StudioVerse
– Hosts no longer freeze when loading presets. – Gain reduction information is now displayed correctly in Pro Tools when SyncroArts RePitch 2 is installed in the AAX folder.
– The mouse cursor no longer jumps when clicking on values in the Edit window.
Macro assignments.
– Module parameters inside Chainer plug-ins (CLA MixHub, Scheps Omni Channel, AR TG Mastering, MultiMod Rack) can now be assigned to macros.
Sync Vx
– The Dynamic Split function now works correctly in REAPER on macOS and Windows.
– The progress bar now completes correctly on Windows systems where the svml_dispmd.dll file is installed in C:\Windows\System32.
TG12345
– The M/S mode now displays correctly after reloading a project.
– Automation lines display the correct units (dB and kHz) for all parameters.
New StudioVerse premium feature: Mix Unlock
Mix Unlock is a real-time stem splitting technology right inside your DAW. It allows you to split any stereo track into:
– Stem 2: Vocals + Instruments (vocals and instruments)
– Stem 4: Vocals, Drums, Bass, and Instruments (vocals, drums, bass, and other instruments)
With Mix Unlock, you can:
– Correct existing mixes;
– Create mashups;
– Change the balance of elements;
– Select individual instruments;
– Rework completed tracks even without access to the original multitrack session.
Mix Unlock is a premium feature of StudioVerse Audio Effects and requires a separate license.
It is available:
– With a separate perpetual license;
– In the Waves Essential and Waves Ultimate subscriptions.
– Additionally, for a limited time, the feature is free to all owners of any Waves V17 plugin.
Installation :
Installation video from minusmaker
https://disk.yandex.ru/i/ZKS9JWM3TcbjOA
Uninstalling a previous version
- Stop: Task Manager – Background Processes – WavesLocalServer, WavesPluginServer
-
Uninstall Waves Central (preferably using programs like Revo Uninstaller or Uninstall Tool)
-
Clear the paths:
C:\Program Files\Waves Central
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Avid\Audio\Plug-Ins\WaveShell
C:\Program Files\Common Files\VST3\WaveShell
C:\Program Files\VSTPlugins\Waves StudioRack for OBS.dll
C:\Program Files (x86)\Waves
C:\ProgramData\Waves Audio
C:\Users\Public\Waves Audio
C:\Users\User Name\AppData\Local\Waves Audio
C:\Users\User Name\AppData\Roaming\Waves Audio
C:\Users\User Name\AppData\Roaming\Waves Central -
Clean the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Waves -
Reboot!
- Install Waves Central (in 1-Installer)
- Launch it, select Offline Installer, find the Waves folder (in 1-Installer), select a partial or full version of Waves Ultimate
- Apply the Waves Ultimate 2025.3 patch.exe
