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Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain Plug-in - Mac/PC AAX Native, AudioSuite, VST, AU, SoundGrid
18 Write review Item ID: AbbeyRdTGMC
$49.99

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Compatible with:

Mac
Windows
AAX
VST
AU

Software Compatibility

Most software is compatible with both Mac and Windows computers, but check to make sure.

If you're using Pro Tools, AAX plug-ins (or RTAS for older versions) are what you need. Most other Mac DAWs support AU plug-ins. VST is compatible with a number of Mac and Windows programs. Be sure you choose plug-ins that work with your DAW!

To learn more about software compatibility, check out our buying guide.

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The Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain — in Your DAW!

The Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain Plug-in is meticulously modeled on the legendary Abbey Road EMI TG12410 Transfer Console used in all Abbey Road's mastering suites since the early 1970s (and still in use today). As did the original transistor-based console, the TG Mastering Chain plug-in consists of modules — or "cassettes," as EMI called them: the TG12411 Input Module, TG12412 Tone Module (EQ), TG12413 Compressor/Limiter Module, TG12414 Filter Module, and the TG12416 V.A.L (Spread) Module (stereo component only), incorporated into the Output Module.

Related Videos: Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain

Processing signal-flow flexibility

With its processing signal-flow flexibility, the Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain, lets you customize processing chains for savory TG seasoning on your master mix bus or on individual tracks and stems. Except for input and output modules, the modules may be interchanged and switched on and off. Individual modules can also be used on different tracks and group buses during mixdown, as well as on the stereo master bus in mastering sessions. Take it from Sweetwater: With Stereo, Duo, and M-S processing modes and Stereo/Mono/L/R/M/S monitoring modes, the Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain Plug-in is a powerful tool in the studio, and for live sound applications with its dedicated Live component.

Two flavors of compression

The compressor/limiter module offers two flavors — Original and Modern — and is coupled with linear-phase, 48dB/octave sidechain filters to give you complete control over your sound. The Original setting sounds '70s-style dirty and aggressive, while Modern — an original Waves and Abbey Road circuit based on TG topology — delivers pristine sound with higher levels of perceived volume.

The Meter Bridge

Alongside the TG Mastering Chain is the Meter Bridge component (a separate plug-in), which offers an innovative approach to metering. Open one Meter Bridge component on any channel and you get drop-down access to all Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain instances in your session, giving you an accurate, at-a-glance reading of VU, PPM, Phase, and Peak, so you can stay focused on your music.

Pure Magic

Over the decades, the TG12410's distinctive solid-state sound has proven itself on countless classic recordings. Whether deployed as a complete console in the mastering stage, or with select modules during mixdown, the TG can be counted on to bring the magic — the same magic heard on albums like Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon, Nirvana's In Utero, and Radiohead's OK Computer. Thanks to this Waves/Abbey Road collaboration, the TG12410 is available for the first time outside of Abbey Road Studios and you can now bring the very same magic to your own productions.

Waves Abbey Road TG Mastering Chain Plug-in Features:

  • Integral part of the Abbey Road sound since the early 1970s to the present day
  • 5 modules that can be used independently
  • Use in mastering or in mixing sessions
  • 48dB/octave linear-phase sidechain filters
  • Unique to the plug-in: compressor modes, sidechain filters, and meter bridge
  • Meter Bridge component provides an innovative approach to metering
  • Stereo/Duo/MS processing modes
  • Stereo/Mono/L/R/M/S monitoring modes
  • Live component
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Tech Specs

  • Software Type: Mastering Chain Emulation
  • Platform: Mac, PC
  • Upgrade/Full: Full
  • Download/Boxed: Download
  • Bit Depth: 64-bit
  • Format: AAX Native, AU, VST, VST3, SoundGrid (hardware required)
  • Hardware Requirements - Mac: Intel Core i7 or higher (M1 support), 8GB RAM minimum
  • Hardware Requirements - PC: Intel Core i5 / AMD Quad-core or higher (AVX required), 8GB RAM minimum
  • OS Requirements - Mac: macOS 10.15.7 or later
  • OS Requirements - PC: Windows 10 or later (21H2), 64-bit
  • Manufacturer Part Number: ABRDTGMC

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Customer Reviews

3.9 out of 5

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Try it. You won't regret it.

The mid-side is worth the price of admission alone. The presets are very good. Flexible plug-in that is creative and usable. Shhhhh, don't tell anyone that it's the secret sauce on some of our mixes.
by Sweetwater Customer on

Stop blaming this plugin for the bad performance of your gear/software

How hard is it to write an unbiased review on a Waves plugin? well, impossible... if you don't have a performance machine at the centerpiece of your studio. It's kind of amazing how many reviewers on here don't understand that they can't skimp on their computer, nor can they continue to use old OS from 5-6 years ago w/o having constant problems. look, I know. nobody wants to spend extra money on expensive computers, and updating OS can cause issues with your DAW license/compatibility, but you have to find the right balance to properly supplement your recording/mixing workflow.

To give you some context, I have a very powerful computer (running with a not-so-powerful interface), and I put the Waves Abbey Road stuff on every mix. The TG Master is the perfect option for giving your master bus that analog "juice" that it needs when working mostly in-the-box. I have a very short signal chain and do all my mixing in the box, and I use mostly darker ribbon mics and dynamics in my heavily acoustically treated space, so my tracks often start off VERY flat and "perfect", with little to no character beyond that of the instrument or voice being recorded, but with infinite options when it comes to adding said character and chaos after the fact. Picture my studio as a giant vocal booth. It's not too big, very dry, and allows for a ton of flexibility when mixing.
So, When I'm doing my final mix/master, the TG mastering chain ALWAYS goes right before my master limiter, and after my basic EQ & saturator. I'm a man of habit when it comes to my master bus processing.
The TG tape EQ section is absolutely wonderful, it brings dark mixes to life, and adds a little necessary "umph" to already bright or shimmery mixes that need it. It is also AMAZING for making samples sound more natural and blend better with live instruments. hidden weapon right there!
I love the tone section on this thing, but rarely use the limiting section as i prefer the TG12345 limiter for most applications. I don't use much limiting on my master bus except for a sometimes heavy-handed MAXIM with the threshold at around 3-5db depending on genre and feel. If i'm going for more of an oldschool sound though, the TG mastering limiter can't be beat. Its not something you understand until you get really good at recording though, because vintage sounds come from the recording themselves, not the mix. The mix can only emphasize or de-emphasize what is already there. The TG Mastering Chain (as well as the entire Abbey Road Plugin pack) is absolutely perfect for getting that tone without breaking the bank. I am the last guy to praise a plugin this much, but I really think Waves nailed it on this series. EMI has a rich history and I can get my little slice of that sound for very cheap. I love that!!
The monitoring section is VERY handy for checking my mono mix, as well as the "mid" and "side" monitoring options. I stay away from the spreader, but I stay away from ALL spreaders. All they do is mess with phase, and I don't want that happening on any of my masters, however it can be helpful for spreading out room mics when working in stereo.


all of this being said, I owned the entire Abbey Road bundle for over a year before I understood how and when to use them. These plugins are heavily colored, require a bit of dialing-in, attention to your gain staging, mic placement, and overall the quality of sound on your front end (rooms, mics, & pre's). Once your front end sounds great, everything else becomes that much easier. The ugly truth is that you cannot escape that fact, even with plugins.
by Asher Myers from Chicago on
Music background: Multi-instrumentalist, Producer, Recording Engineer

Amazing Plugin

I have tried out lots of different mixbus and mastering chains using combinations of different plugins. What I like about the Abbey Road mastering chain is that the processing is all done within a single plugin. The compressor is amazing. I love that you can do mid/side processing too. The spreader is the most natural stereo widener that I have heard ( anything between 1 and 2 sounds lovely!). The only other thing I would do for the final polish/loudness is add a limiter afterwards. The quality of my mixes and my mix process has just gone up a level.
by Philip Gebhardt from UK on
Music background: Musician

Very well engineered!

Purchased this from Waves and I am very pleased with its performance! If you go to the waves site and look at the reviews, you will see there are 797 reviews with a 4.9 out of 5 star average. Sweetwater has only a 3.5 star average out of 13 reviews and is by no way what this plug-in deserves.
by Andrew Hall from Chicago on
Music background: Singer/Songwriter and Recording

Masterpiece

I'm alarmed at the low review score for this. It's the finest plugin in the planet and it is just as great for a rank mixing newbie (with dozens of perfect presets) or a dedicated old school knob twirler. It's worth far more than it's price and it is a must have.
by Will from oregon on
Music background: Producer

Since the early days of DAW software, Waves has been a dominating force in music and audio production. For those of us here at Sweetwater who've been recording since the industry switched over to computer-based studios, it's impossible to imagine sessions without L series Ultramaximizers, MaxxBass, and other staples. Since then, we've been impressed every time Waves has brought top producers such as Jack Joseph Puig and Chris Lord-Alge to Sweetwater to show off their next cutting-edge creations, and Waves is constantly adding new and innovative plug-ins to their catalog. And with cool new gear such as their SoundGrid series, Sweetwater engineers have discovered just how easy it is to use Waves plug-ins live.

See also: Dynamics Plug in , Waves, Waves Equalizer Plug-ins, Waves Dynamics Plug-ins
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