Recording - February 2018 - 60

REVISITED
prefer to use those tools, but RestoreRig is definitely a
great set of basic tools to have included with WaveLab.
The MasterRig plug-in, which is Steinberg's answer to
iZotope Ozone, has also received some minor enhancements to the Maximizer and EQ modules, and additional
presets have been added.
A longtime feature request has also been added so that any
plug-ins in the Playback Processing slots of the Master section
do not influence the excellent built-in metering of WaveLab.
With the growing popularity of room correction software, lossy
codec simulators, and other processing that you may want to monitor through but not include on the final rendered audio, WaveLab
users can now insert these types of effects while still seeing accurate
metering on their actual end-result audio. In addition, the metering
insert point can be set to be anywhere in the master section if desired.

Rendering improvements

Over the years, WaveLab has added a variety of rendering
options and variables that are part of what makes it such a
powerful final mastering application. Because these options
have become so involved, Steinberg has added Render Presets,
which have already saved me a whole lot of time. I hadn't realized how much time I was spending each day tweaking the
rendering settings for various tasks, but now that I've added my
common render settings as Render Presets, I find myself saving
lots of time and making fewer stupid mistakes when working
quickly. This feature alone is worth the upgrade price for me!
Gapless MP3 rendering has also been added. Typical MP3
encoding pads the start of the MP3 file with a few additional
milliseconds of silence. This often goes unnoticed, but it can
be a headache when you need precise or gapless audio in
MP3 format for audio loops or albums with live segues or
overlapping/crossfaded tracks. Steinberg has found a way to
address this issue, and it's very welcome indeed.
Another feature that is worth the upgrade price alone is an
improvement to the Meta Normalizer in the Montage which can
now adjust the gain/level of audio clips before any of the clip effect plug-ins. This had been an issue in previous versions of WaveLab when using dynamics plug-ins or plugins that simulate analog
equipment and need to operate at a certain level to sound right.

Other functions

Steinberg has added a new DDP Player that helps you send a DDP
image to your clients for approval, or maybe just to double-check the
DDP in your own studio (see Figure 2). My guess is that this player is
the first step along a path that will gradually add utility, as has been
the case with so many other parts of WaveLab over the years. This first
version lacks crucial features such as the ability to burn a CD or export
each track as WAV. It's also not very clear how one would send the
DDP Player to a client. It's a long way from replacing the excellent
HOFA DDP Player Maker for most pro users, but it's a promising start.
WaveLab 9.5 is now compatible with the Apple Touch Bar
found in the new MacBook Pro and potentially other new
60

RECORDING February 2018

Figure 2

pro-level Macs on the horizon. The
context-related default set of user
Figure 1
actions can be individually customized to always have access to your
most used tools and functions at your fingertips. The context
of the Touch Bar elements is linked to the currently selected
WaveLab editor, so that you can define different tools and
actions for any editor independently of each section.
The new version also adds some other minor improvements
for metadata importing and remapping, batch processing,
and a new bleep censor for easily replacing explicit words in
dialogue (and possibly some music).

Final thoughts

There are a couple of areas where WaveLab 9 needed
improvements that haven't yet been implemented in version
9.5. First and foremost, WaveLab still lacks the full plug-in
parameter automation that's pretty much standard in all
recording and mixing DAWs; there are workarounds, but I'm
waiting eagerly for a comprehensive solution.
Second, there hasn't yet been any streamlining of the process
of sending audio out to external analog gear and recapturing it in
WaveLab. Many users do work exclusively and successfully with
external analog processors in WaveLab, but I still find myself using
a multitrack DAW like Cubase, Pro Tools, or REAPER when I need
to go analog because of all of their advanced routing options.
Those small gripes aside, this is a great update and a no-brainer
if you're already using WaveLab 9. If you're still clinging to an
older version of WaveLab, or interested in trying WaveLab for
the first time, I think it's a great value for what you get. A no-hassle
WaveLab Elements 30-day trial can be found on the Steinberg
website, but to demo or use the full version of WaveLab Pro 9.5,
you'll need a Steinberg eLicenser USB key ($34.99).
Whether you're a professional mastering engineer or you just
do mastering on the side sometimes, WaveLab Pro 9.5 will cover
your needs and then some. I applaud Steinberg for its tireless work
improving and adding to this great program.

PRICE: $579.99; upgrade from WaveLab Pro 9,
$59.99; WaveLab Elements, $99.99; see Steinberg's
website for tiered update prices from other versions.
MORE FROM: Steinberg, www.steinberg.net

http://www.steinberg.net

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