SSL

Hi, I owned this mixing console for 3 years. It was interesting to have and learn to use such a hardware. I personally consider it to be for knowledgeable and experienced users only, as it's not that easy to use at first and it took me a long while to learn the basis. Granted, I'm not a veteran sound engineer but rather the self-taught kind. Yet... even experienced sound engineers who came at home made me the same remark. With this review, I just want to warn everyone who would consider buying this mixer. I consider this mixing desk as a beautiful, very efficient and advanced control surface, with high-quality analog summing, yet quite pricey... Do not forget that this device's channels include no preamp, equalizer or compressor, so keep in mind the additional cost this lack involves... And, don't forget the price of cables... So keep it all in mind before building your system around it, so as to determine if it suits your needs, workflow and what you can afford. As far as I'm concerned, if I were to do it again, I would choose an analog console with preamps, EQs... Plus, I'd get additional preamps, compressors and other gears.

The SSL 4000 G+ is an extremely famous and highly popular analog console used by professionals in all sorts of popular music. It has 48 channels that each have a preamp and a parametric EQ. It also has a few built in compressors as well as a ton of other features that would take way too long to go into here, but I would recommend those truly interested to look up the specs on this console, as they are pretty easy to find. UTILIZATION The configuration of the SSL 4000 G+ will certainly take a new user some time to get used to, as there are a ton of features available on this console and it can really take years of use to fully understand everything this console has to offer. While it is easy to access and use the basic preamp and EQ features, the SSL 4000 G+ can get extremely in depth and will take some time to learn it all, no matter how experienced of an engineer you are. I have never seen the manual for the SSL 4000 G+ console, but if you have one it is definitely a good idea to have it around while trying to learn this impressive console. SOUNDS The sound quality of SSL 4000 G+ is all around just about as good as it gets. The preamps are extremely clean and full sounding and are great for recording just about anything, while the EQs are also super clean with a good amount of control over what you are cutting and boosting. This is an awesome console for popular rock and pop music, but is absolutely qualified to record any and all genres of music. This console is probably the cleanest sounding board that I have ever used, and that is really saying a lot! OVERALL OPINION I first used the SSL 4000 G+ console about four years ago and I have been unable to replicate the sounds I get with this console with any other type of console. While my first choice for recording consoles is Neve, the SSL has a totally different quality to them and while both console are great, they simple excel best in different places. If you are recording popular music I believe there is no better console than the SSL 4000 G+, but if you are after a more vintage sound, Neve is the way to go. The SSL 4000 G+ is one of the most popular consoles ever made for a reason and I expect to see this beauty around and being widely used for years and years to come.

The SSL XLogic G Series Stereo Compressor is an analog compressor that emulates the compressors on the SSL G series consoles. I believe it has XLR connections and also 1/4 inch, but I'm not sure as the one I use has been pre mounted. It is in rackable form, and will take up a single rack space unit. UTILIZATION The configuration of the SSL XLogic G Series Stereo Compressor is really easy to follow and to use. Starting from the left, you've got a meter, and then knobs for threshold, attack, ratio, release, and make up. It then has buttons for compression in or out and for an external side chain. On the right side of the unit, it has a knob and a button that allows you to auto fade and set the rate at which you would like to do so. It is easy to use and won't take too long to get a good sound from this. I don't have a manual for this, so I can't say whether or not it is useful, but you should be able to use this pretty easily without a manual. SOUND QUALITY The sound quality of this compressor is brilliant and rich in tone. It is great for all types of applications, and excels on guitars, drums, vocals, and bass guitar. It is an overall great sounding compressor that will work well with anything you'd like to use it with. While it won't color the sound, it offers a transparent tone that add punch and clarity to your signal. In my opinion, this is a great replication of the original G Series console compressors and are some of the best compressors out there. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the SSL XLogic G Series Stereo Compressor for about three years and it is one of the best compressors I have used. It adds a clarity to your signal that is tough to replicate. Because of the steep price tag, this probably isn't suited for home studios, but on the other hand, would be a great choice to have as an all purpose compressor. SSL makes top quality products and this is one of their best.

The SSL G384 is a rare and hard to find compressor. SSL doesn't have all that many older compressors in terms of outboard gear, as of course they are best known for their consoles. The G384 is an analog piece of gear, with XLR connections in the back for inputs and outputs. It is rackable and will take up a single space. UTILIZATION The make up of the SSL G384 is one that has been repeated a lot, as there isn't anything out of the ordinary going on here. It has basic dynamic processor parameters like threshold, attack, ratio, release, gain make up, and a compression bypass button. For those with any experience with compressors, this should definitely be an easy piece of gear to learn how to use. I've never had a need to look at the manual for the G384, so I can't say anything about it's make up... SOUND QUALITY The tone quality of the SSL G384 is definitely as I expected to be - punchy, crisp, and full of life. It absolutely has the SSL sound, all within a compact piece of outboard gear. It can be used on pretty much anything that you'd like to have some compression on, as it is versatile and you can manipulate the sound in a variety of different ways. I love using it on drums mostly, but like I said, it can be used all over the map... OVERALL OPINION Like I said to start off with, the SSL G384 is very hard to find! I've only ever seen one in a studio - the one that I have used. I do think that you can find them here and there, but you definitely need to have a keen eye and do a good amount of research to find one that is in good shape and at a decent price. Of course no matter where you find one, it is going to cost a lot of money since it is made by SSL. However, for those professional engineers and studio owners looking for an authentic SSL compressor without having to get an entire console, the G384 is a hot item to find...

The SSL XR626 Stereo Bus Compressor Module is a single channel of the type of compressor you'd find in a SSL console. The unit is designed for placement in the X-rack series of modules. It is a pretty basic compressor, made up of all analog components. It is rack mountable, but not in a traditional rack space, rather in the SSL X-Rack. UTILIZATION I didn't have any problems using the SSL XR626 Stereo Bus Compressor Module rat off of the bat. It has only parameters that are generally seen on compressors, like threshold, make up, attack, release, and ratio. It has an overall beautiful looking face, which contains a nice VU meter. If you've got knowledge and experience with standard compressors, this one can be used without any help from a manual. SOUND QUALITY If you have used the compressors built into SSL consoles, you probably already have a good idea about what the XR626 Stereo Bus Compressor Module can do. If not, suffice it to say that this has one of the cleanest sounds for a compressor that I've heard. It is extremely tight and punchy sounding, with a lot of clarity. It is suitable for compressing any instrument at all, as the flexible parameters make it possible to get a wide array of compression sounds... OVERALL OPINION If you're looking to get that SSL compression sound and don't have an SSL console, there is no better way to get the sound than with the SSL XR626 Stereo Bus Compressor Module. The price is not cheap, but I would imagine that most people reading this will understand that you're going to have to pay a good amount of money to get a top end, legit SSL compressor. If you've got an X-Rack case and are looking to build, or just want an SSL compressor of this type, you will not be disappointed with the XR626.

The process of installing the SSL X-ISM was quick and easy as after I downloaded it from the SSL website. It is a free piece of software so anyone can go to the website now and install this within a few minutes - all you have to do is sign up on their site and you can get this and a few other free plug-ins. The purpose of the SSL X-ISM is to monitor inter-sample peaks which can add distortion to a mix. The interface is quite basic as it simply has a few meters and no real parameters. A manual isn't necessary at all for this plug-in as there isn't anything that you can do with it that it doesn't do own its own. SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE While I only use the SSL X-ISM plug-in on the master fader of a session, I've never had an issues running this. It doesn't take up much processing power at all and I can't imagine that anyone would be using more than one of these in a single session anyway. While they don't offer an RTAS version of this, if you have the FXpansion VST to RTAS wrapper like I do you can run it in Pro Tools. I am currently running it on a Mac Book Pro that has a 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of RAM while I run Pro Tools LE 7.4 with a Digi 002R audio interface. Even if you have a lesser system, this won't present any problems in terms of performance. OVERALL OPINION I've had the SSL X-ISM for a few months and I'm definitely glad to have it in my arsenal. While I tend to use it sparingly if at all, it does do a great job of monitoring the inter-sample peaks and is a lot of help to limit distortion. I would definitely recommend downloading the SSL X-ISM plug-in as you never know when you might have a need for it and its free!

The SSL X EQ was easy to install as I had no compatibility issues with my computer and setup. The configuration of the plug-in is easy to follow and just about as straight forward as a parametric EQ can get. It has five bands and controls for gain, frequency, and Q for each. It also has a nice graph that can be controlled to zoom in on exactly what you want to do. I don't have a manual for this but it was easy enough to install and figure out that I didn't need one, but can't say how thorough it is. SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE I am running the SSL X EQ on a Mac Book Pro with a 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of RAM. I am using it in Pro Tools LE 9 and a Digi002R audio interface. I have never had any problems running this plug-in with this configuration as it has always run smoothly. I've been able to run up for four or five of these at once on different tracks. It has always been stable with this configuration and have had no issues with it whatsoever. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the SSL X EQ about a year and in that time it has become one of my favorite EQ plug-ins because of the high sound quality and the ease of use. The sound is clean and it won't color your tone beyond what you set it to do. This is definitely better sounding and more versatile than Digidesign EQ III, but of course will cost you much more because EQ III is free with Pro Tools and SSL X EQ is not. The price is a little expensive I think, but it is definitely a great EQ plug-in just as capable as any EQ plug-in out there. I compare this to the eq bundle that comes with pro tools. But this can be used with a wide number of DAW’s.

The SSL LMC-1 (listen mic compressor) is a free plug-in that emulates this portion from an SSL board that has become so popular. I was able to download the software from the website and had it running in only a few minutes. This can't be used in Pro Tools unless you have the VST to RTAS converter as it only comes in AU and VST for Mac. Beyond this I didn't have any compatibility issues or any other real problems as the whole process went pretty smoothly and was pain free. The interface of the software is quite easy to follow as it simply has a large knob for either less or more compression and input and output knobs. It also has metering for both input and output. I don't think that you need a manual for this plug-in and I'm not even sure if they make one because it is an online only product and is incredibly easy to use. SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE I've never had any problems running the plug-in within my configuration as it won't take up much processing power at all. I am running the plug-in on a Mac Book Pro that has a 2.2 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4 GB of RAM. While they don't have the plug-in for RTAS format, I do have the VST to RTAS wrapper that allows me to use this plug-in in Pro Tools, but without the wrapper you can't use this in Pro Tools. I run Pro Tools with a Digi 002R audio interface and I can't say I've ever had any problems running this plug-in within this configuration. Even if you don't have the best system, I don't think you'll have a problem with this one as it doesn't take up a lot of processing power. OVERALL OPINION I've had the SSL LMC-1 for a few months and I'm definitely a fan of this plug-in, mostly of course because it is free! I don't use it all the time, but it definitely has a pretty cool sound and is unique. It is great for cranking it up and getting some really cool overdrive sounds and since it is so easy to use, I never have a problem getting the sound that I want from it. I can't complain at all about the SSL LMC-1 as it is free and is a pretty cool plug-in, however, I don't know if I would buy this plug-in if it wasn't free. However, since it is free I would definitely recommend downloading it and trying it out for yourself now!

The SSL Xlogic Alpha Channel is an analog channel strip that is designed by and after the classic SSL consoles. It has 1/4 inch connections in the back as well as an XLR input in the front of the unit. It is indeed a rackable piece of gear and will only take up a single rack space unit. UTILIZATION While the make up of the SSL Xlogic Alpha Channel has a lot to offer, it isn't too complicated or hard to figure out. The unit contains both a high class pre amp and a series of EQ sections. The pre amp has buttons for choosing either Hi Z or XLR input, as well as a pad, phantom power, and a phase switch. It also has knobs for level and variable harmonic drive. It then has an insert section with a few buttons as well as filter buttons and an EQ in/out button. There are then three EQ sections - one is a low end filter, one is middle, and one is high. It also has an output section with a leveling knob and a lite limit button. Everything is laid out smartly and after a little bit of use you should be able to understand everything that this unit has to offer. The manual for the SSL Xlogic Alpha Channel is pretty thorough, but isn't really necessary unless you are new to channel strips. SOUND QUALITY The sound of the SSL Xlogic Alpha Channel is incredible and is definitely has that SSL tone that you are probably looking for if you buy or try this out. It can be use for any recording application and I've used it on everything from drums to lead vocals with good results. It has a lot parameters to insure that you can get the tone that you are after. It won't really color your sound, but does have its own unique sound that is extremely clean. Overall, this is truly a great sounding channel strip. OVERALL OPINION I've been using the SSL Xlogic Alpha Channel for about a year and I can truly say that this is a great channel strip. I'm a big fan of SSL's products and the XLogic Alpha Channel provides a great sounding unit that really won't break the bank. The very reasonable price makes it a legit option for home studio owners and professionals alike. I can't say enough about how great this channel strip sounds and if you are looking for a great channel strip with a super clean sound, this needs to be tried out.

The SSL Duende is a DSP board based set of plug-ins that are modeled after some of the analog SSL consoles. This version contains both a channel strip that has compression, a gate, EQs, and filters while the other plug-in is a compressor. The machine I use this plug-in set with is an Apple Mac G5 and I run the plug-in with a Pro Tools HD system. UTILIZATION Installing the SSL Duende takes a little bit longer than most plug-ins because it has the DSP board that also needs to be installed in addition to the software. However, if you follow the instructions properly it isn't all that hard and once the DSP board is installed you never have to touch it again. I had no compatibility issues at all with my configuration and it has always run flawlessly for me. The interface of the plug-in is also pretty easy to understand even though there are a lot of different parameters and sections to them. The manual for SSL Duende is pretty necessary to have around so you can install the DSP board properly, so unless you have previous experience with it I would recommend having it around. GETTING STARTED I usually have no problems at all running a bunch of different SSL Duende plug-ins at once, as I've never had an instance where I was running out of processing power because of them. This all has to do with the DSP board that does all the work so your computer does not have to. It also makes the sound quality of the plug-ins extremely high as these truly sound great. OVERALL OPINION I've been using SSL Duende for about a year and I've found it to be a great set of plug-ins. All of the EQs and compressors sound awesome and are great for an endless variety of applications. While the price of SSL Duende isn't cheap at all, it is designed for professionals and those who want that great SSL sound without having to spend an incredible amount of money. Overall, great for both home and professional studio owners who want an awesome set of plug-ins that won't tax your computer.

(Originally written by Billy B覯nia/translated from Audiofanzine FR) No installation problems. SUITABILITY/PERFORMANCE My configuration: Mac OS 10.5, Core 2 Duo, 2 Gb Ram. Works perfectly. Fool around a couple of seconds with the settings and you'll understand how it works: echo, reverb, detune, wind noise.... OVERALL OPINION I tested it yesterday: It's a great and easy tool to create frightening atmospheres (horror movies, David Lynch). Excellent sound quality for a free plug-in.