Waves Audio Black Friday Sale in 2023

With the Black Friday plugin deals season ahead, you’re wondering if Waves Audio will have a sale this year. In this article, we’re going to answer whether a Waves Audio Black Friday sale will happen or not, and where to get the best deal.

All The Ongoing Waves Audio Sale Deals Right Now

Waves Audio Black Friday – Will There Be A Sale??

Waves Audio has been offering Black Friday sales for several years. In 2022, they offered their lowest-ever Black Friday prices on plugins and bundles, with discounts of up to 90% on some products. Waves runs several specials at the beginning of each month and more on the 15th of each month, both of which expire at the end of the month. These specials vary in discounts but almost every product goes on sale a few times throughout the year. 

Freebies

Waves Audio has a tradition of releasing free plugins on Black Friday. In 2022, they released a free VST plugin called Lil Tube saturator. Interested users can sign up in advance to reserve their free plugin on the day of the sale. Here is a list of the free plugins they have offered in the last 5 years:

1. Lil Tube saturator (2022)
2. Lofi Space (2021)
3. CLA Echosphere (2020)
4. Berzerk Distortion (2019)
5. Sibilance De-Esser (2018)

How to make the most of the sale: which Waves Audio Black Friday deal(s) should I get as a priority?

Here are the top 3 plugins that we recommend:

1. The SSL E-Channel strip plugin is a highly accurate emulation of the renowned SSL 4000 console channel strip. This strip includes a 4-band EQ, high-pass and low-pass filters, compressor, expander/gate, and a de-esser, making it ideal for enhancing tracks with warmth and character.
2. The CLA-2A Compressor plugin is recognised for its smooth and transparent compression, this plugin is particularly effective for vocals, bass, drums, and other elements requiring subtle levelling or limiting.
3. The L1 Ultramaximizer/Limiter is a widely used plugin in mastering studios. It serves as a transparent limiter, capable of enhancing the perceived loudness of tracks without introducing distortion or artefacts. Ideal for making tracks sound louder and more competitive in the context of modern streaming platforms.

If you’re looking for a bundle that includes some of their most popular plugins at an affordable price, I would recommend the Gold Bundle. It includes over 40 plugins, including some of the ones mentioned above, as well as some other great ones like the H-Delay Hybrid Delay and the Renaissance Reverb.

The absolute best deal is the Platinum Bundle (60 plugins) that they offered for $99 instead of $239 for 48 hours after releasing their free plugin last year. 

How To Get Waves Audio Plugins Cheaper Outside Of Sales Like Black Friday Deals?

Subscription

Waves offers the Creative Access subscription program, providing access to over 220 plugins, including future releases, for a monthly or annual fee of $24.99 or $249.99, respectively. Subscribers enjoy a free trial, demo options, personal technical support, and free updates for the included plugins. The subscription encompasses StudioVerse, an AI mixing assistant, helping users overcome knowledge barriers in mixing. This model allows users to save money in the short term while testing out all plugins, avoiding upfront costs, and providing continuous additions of new plugins at no extra charge.

The biggest inconvenience obviously is in the long term, you don’t actually own the plugins. Access will stop when you turn off the subscription. Should you integrate Waves plugins in your workflow in the long run, we recommend waiting for the best sale and purchasing the license(s) outright.

Bundles

Outside sales events like Black Friday or special promotions, Waves bundles allow you to get a heavy discount versus purchasing all the plugins individually. Check out Platinum, Horizon or Abbey Road bundles.

Crossgrades

Waves Audio regularly offers a discount on their products when you already own one of their plugins. The discount can be up to 30% off the regular price. You can check your account to see if you are eligible for any discounts. If you are, the discount will be automatically applied to your purchase at checkout.

Special Limited-Time Crossgrade Offers: Waves has also collaborated with Native Instruments in the past to provide crossgrade offers for their respective bundle customers. These offers provided substantial complementary discounts on bundles like Waves Renaissance Maxx and Gold bundles.

Second-hand licenses

You can now get a bonus 2nd license for Waves plugins and bundles covered under the Waves Update Plan, for use on multiple devices. If you have plugins or bundles currently covered under the Waves Update Plan, access their Register Your 2nd Licenses page.

Education discounts

Waves Audio offers eligible students and faculty members an exclusive discount of 35% off Waves Creative Access plugin subscriptions (Waves Essential or Waves Ultimate) as part of their ongoing support for aspiring producers, audio engineers, and musicians. These discounts are available on 6-month or 12-month subscriptions.

To qualify, you need to email Waves Orders with the following information:

1. A valid student/faculty ID from a recognized educational institution.
2. Additional official identification (e.g., driver’s license or passport).
3. A completed Waves student/faculty discount application form.
4. Your Waves Login name.

How to prepare for Waves Audio Black Friday Sale?

1. Sign up for Waves’ mailing list here to receive this year’s free plugin as soon as it drops!
2. Start saving your cash now. The amount of discounts on music software, instruments & sample packs on Black Friday is crazy. To get the most bang for your buck start putting aside a bit each month, so you have some to play with when those juicy deals drop.
3. Make a wishlist – Know what Waves Audio plugins you want before Black Friday. It helps you skip irrelevant deals.
4. Identify needs and set goals – Focus on Waves Audio plugins you’ll actually use. Don’t waste money on software that’ll sit unused. Think about your music projects for the next year. Pick plugins that help you achieve those aims. Older versions might be cheaper.
5. Bookmark this page. We update this hourly during the Black Friday period, and you’ll get all the most up-to-date deals by doing so.
6. Make sure to join other communities. Places like Reddit and Facebook can be great places to find more information about these deals and stay informed.
7. Create a Plugin Boutique account to make use of the freebies & get the best plugin deals.

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