Waves Kaleidoscopes is a suite of modulation effects featuring dual engines that can interact in a variety of ways.
Plugin giant Waves has released Kaleidoscopes — a modulation effects toolbox they want to be “your new musical FX partner”.
The suite is centred around four effects: phaser, flanger, chorus, and tremolo, all of which are modelled after classic hardware units and can be combined to create unique sonic colours.
With the Arturia modulation bundle only being released a few days ago, Waves has answered back with its own take on classic modulation tones. The main feature of the suite isn’t its discreet elements, but the way that the dual engines that allow you to combine and intertwine the effects.
Both of the engines feature controls for speed, resonance, depth, and width. You can also choose from a range of waveforms for modulation that can be synced to the track tempo. The trigger section includes input-sensitive envelopes and intelligent triggers, which allow the effects to react to the signal while tracking or just playing.
For further versatility, the engines can be run in parallel or in series, also integrating a Thru mode if you want to run dry and wet signals in parallel. You can also use any external sidechain signal from another DAW channel as the modulation input for Kaleidoscopes.
Waves has modelled the plugins on classic analog effects, drawing on different eras for inspiration: ’60s for phasing and tape flanging, ’70s for tremolo and of course the ’80s for chorus. You can combine any of these effects using the Dual Cascade feature while running them in parallel will maximise the wetness.
Read more about Kaleidoscopes on the Waves website.
