Waves Mercury Bundle
← Back to Gear Reviews

Waves Mercury Bundle

★★★★☆
4/5 — Plugin — Bundle
~£349
Approx. UK RRP

Waves' flagship Mercury Bundle includes over 200 plugins — the world's largest collection of professional audio plugins covering every conceivable mixing and mastering application.

Specifications

Plugins200+ individual plugins
IncludesSSL, API, Neve, Abbey Road emulations, vocal tools, mastering suite, and more
UpdatesSubscription or perpetual options
FormatsVST, AU, AAX
LicensingWaves Central licence manager

Scale of the Collection

Over 200 plugins is an almost absurd quantity. The Mercury Bundle covers hardware emulations of SSL, API, Neve, and Abbey Road consoles and processors; vocal tuning and repair tools; mastering EQ and compression; creative effects; noise reduction; spatial processing; and much more. For any conceivable mixing or mastering application, a Waves plugin exists for it.

Hardware Emulations

Waves' SSL Channel Strip, API 2500, Neve 73 Preamp EQ, Abbey Road RS56 Passive EQ, and many other hardware emulations are widely used in professional sessions. The SSL Channel Strip in particular is a staple on mix buses worldwide. The sound of these emulations is generally very good — not always class-leading, but professional.

Vocal Tools

Tune Real-Time, Clarity Vx for vocal isolation, CLA Vocals, the ReVox voice processing collection, and many others make the Mercury Bundle particularly strong for vocal production. Many vocal producers use Waves tools as their primary vocal processing chain.

Who Is It For?

Producers and engineers who want a comprehensive toolkit covering every mixing scenario. The sheer breadth of the collection means something in the Mercury Bundle is almost certainly the right tool for any task you encounter.

Pros & Cons

✓ Pros

  • 200+ plugins covering every application
  • Legendary hardware emulations (SSL, API, Neve)
  • Abbey Road reverbs and vintage tools
  • Regular sales make it accessible
  • Industry standard presence

✕ Cons

  • Licence manager (Waves Central) can be complex
  • Some plugins feel dated vs modern alternatives
  • Better alternatives exist for specific tasks
  • Perpetual licence requires update subscriptions for new versions

Verdict

The Waves Mercury Bundle is the most comprehensive plugin collection available. 200+ plugins covering every mixing and mastering application, with excellent hardware emulations and industry-standard tools. The licence manager adds friction, and specific individual plugins have been surpassed by newer alternatives. But as an all-in-one professional toolkit, nothing else comes close to the Mercury's scope.

Check Price on Amazon UK →