Waves Audio Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter User Guide
WAVES
APHEX VINTAGE AURAL EXCITER®
USER GUIDE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1 – INTRODUCTION..........................................................................3
1.1 WELCOME......................................................................................................3
1.2 PRODUCT OVERVIEW......................................................................................3
1.3 CONCEPTS AND TERMINOLOGY........................................................................4
1.4 COMPONENTS ................................................................................................6
CHAPTER 2 – QUICK START GUIDE.................................................................7
CHAPTER 3 – INTERFACE AND CONTROLS ...................................................8
3.1 INTERFACE.....................................................................................................8
3.2 CONTROLS.....................................................................................................9
CHAPTER 4 – THE WAVESYSTEM..................................................................11
4.1 THE WAVESYSTEM TOOLBAR ........................................................................11
4.2 PRESET HANDLING .......................................................................................11
4.3 INTERFACE CONTROLS..................................................................................13
4.4 WAVES PREFERENCES (PRO TOOLS ONLY) ....................................................15
Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter®
User Guide
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Chapter 1 – Introduction
1.1 Welcome
Thank you for choosing Waves! In order to get the most out of your Waves processor,
please take the time to read through this manual.
In conjunct
There you will find an extensive Answer Base, the latest Tech Specs, detailed
Installation guides, new Software Updates, and current information on Authorization
and Registration.
By signing up at www.wavesupport.net
your registered products, reminders when updates are available, and information on
your authorization status.
ion, we also suggest that you become familiar with www.wavesupport.net
, you will receive personalized information on
.
1.2 Product Overview
When it was originally introduced in the mid-1970s, the Aphex Aural Exciter® brought its
distinctive sound to sele
studio as an exclusive (and expensive) rental unit.
ct sessions by leading recording artists, traveling from studio to
A true groundbreaker, the original Aural Exciter was highly regarded for its ability to
increase and enhance presence, brightness, and detail on vocal tracks and masters
alike. It was even credited as a "session player" on popular albums by the likes of
Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt, and James Taylor.
Modeled on one of only a few tube-powered units ever made, the new Waves Aphex
Vintage Aural Exciter plugin delivers all the unique character of the rare original
hardware unit, with all the advantages of software.
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User Guide
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1.3 Concepts and Terminology
While the original 402 Aural Exciter unit we modeled has only one mix mode, the
Vintage Aural Exciter plugin has two. Here’s how that came about:
When we originally modeled the unit, replicating its sound in both insert and aux
send/return modes, we realized that
each mode had its own unique sound. This is
primarily because the phase relation between the direct sound and the AX sound is
reversed, and the signal that the AX is mixed with is a pure direct, while the device’s BP
(bypassed) signal includes its own phase response which, while not fully inverted, does
affect the sound of the mix.
Producer/engineer Val Garay, one of the high-profile users who helped popularize the
original Aural Exciter, listened to th
e plugin prototype and confirmed that the sound of
our software corresponds perfectly with the hardware unit. However, he also told us that
he always used the device in a send/return auxiliary setup in AX mode. Val’s aux
send/return setup delivers “the sound” that is forever etched on hit records of the late
‘70s and early ‘80s. Since today’s users may prefer to insert the plugin directly on a
track, we wanted to make this send/return sound available in insert mode. We decided to
provide both sounds in insert mode for the user’s convenience, by introducing an
additional MIX mode. This is what we call MIX1 mode.
MIX2 mode is based on the sound of the original hardware unit’s MIX mode, as an
insert. While it may be “o
ver the top” for a mastering task, it may be just the thing for a
vocal track that needs enhancement or presence that cannot be achieved using EQ.
Due to the processor’s unique phase behavior, modulations in frequency response may
occur at certain AX MIX settings in MIX2 mode. At AX MIX settings of 1 to 4.5, the effect
is very subtle; settings of 4.5 to 7.2 result in a frequency dip; settings from 7.2 to 10 bring
about a pretty, not subtle sound.
To recap:
• MIX1, as an insert, recre
ates the har
• MIX2, as an insert, recreates the har
• AX mode is designed to be used for
Waves Aphex Vintage Aural Exciter®
dware unit’s AX mode send/return sound.
dware unit’s MIX mode insert sound.
send/return auxiliary setups.
User Guide
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Signal Path
BP
AX
MIX1
MIX2
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User Guide
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