Enter Waves V9.6. This wasn't just a bug-fix update; it was the glue holding many studios together. It bridged the gap between the legacy V9 shell and the future V10 licensing model. If you are still running a "vintage" Mac Pro (the cheese grater) or a 2015 MacBook Pro that you refuse to let die, V9.6 is likely your best friend. Here is why this specific version became a cult classic:
V9.6 represented the tail end of the USB flash drive era. While Waves was pushing hard for Cloud Licensing, V9.6 allowed for a relatively painless transfer between machines. For engineers who moved between a studio console and a laptop, this was peak reliability. Waves Complete V9.6 -2016.08.08- OS X
Long-time users will remember the horror of the early Waves Central updates. V9.6 existed in a sweet spot where installation still felt relatively "old school." You could install your bundle, point your DAW to the folder, and go . There were fewer background services eating up your CPU. Enter Waves V9