Waves have released a new, updated version of their popular channel strip plug-in which was developed alongside Grammy-winning mix engineer Andrew Scheps. Expanding on the capabilities of its predecessor, Scheps Omni Channel 2 introduces new compressor, saturation and filter options, support for third-party insert plug-ins and more.
The plug-in’s Odd, Even and Heavy harmonic saturation options have been joined by Crush, a new offering which is capable of providing an even more aggressive level of distortion. The Pre module also benefits from a new 24dB/octave resonant filter option, which Waves say is great for sound design applications as well as being used as a utility. The compressor section has been expanded, too, with the previous VCA, FET, and Opt models joined by a new Soft-Knee mode.
Whilst the original version of Scheps Omni Channel allowed users to load an additional Waves plug-in at its insert point, this update has made it possible to load any VST3 plug-in, even those made by other companies. The plug-in’s signal chain is customisable, allowing the modules (including the insert point) to be placed in any order for ultimate flexibility.
A range of new Focus presets prepared by Andrew himself are also included in the update, and incorporate the newly added modules and features. For those not familiar with the function, Focus presets not only provide a starting point for common sources such as vocals, drums, bass and more, but also visually highlight the key controls that need to be adjusted to fine-tune the plug-in’s processing for the particular use case.
Compatibility
Scheps Omni Channel 2 is supported on PCs running Windows 10 or 11, and Macs running macOS 10.15 and above. It is available in VST, VST3, AU and AAX plug-in formats.
Pricing & Availability
Scheps Omni Channel 2 is available now, and is currently (18 July 2023) on sale for $49.99 — or $29.99 using the discount code “SAVE40” — before increasing to its full price of $149.
