Results for Solid State Logic

Solid State Logic has introduced the SSL Live, Bus Comp 500 Module and Sigma at the Musikmesse Prolight + Sound 2013.

The SSL Live sports an “up close and personal” control surface.

The ‘Live’ brings SSL’s unique approach to audio quality and console ergonomics to sound for the stage. SSL has been at the leading edge of analogue and digital audio console innovation for over 35 years.

Like so many multi award winning, ground breaking and much loved consoles for Music, Broadcast and Post production SSL has created through the decades, Live promises to bring something very special to the party.

Live is due to ship in September 2013.

The SSL Stereo Bus Compressor for 500 format modular racks is now available.

Often imitated but never equalled, the centre section compressor from the 1980’s G-Series analogue console is an audio production legend. It is a simple unit with a simple purpose; it makes complete mixes sound bigger, with more power, punch and drive. It brings cohesion and strength to your mix without compromising clarity. To this day it remains a key element of the SSL sound and has featured on countless classic recordings.

The availability of the Stereo Bus Compressor in a module for the 500 format makes this essential audio production tool available to users of the popular API 500 format modular rack platform.

The Bus Comp 500 Module is available to purchase from SSL Resellers worldwide, priced at £1329 GBP / $2299 USD / 1679 EUR + VAT or Sales Tax.

Solid State Logic’s Sigma is a remote controlled analogue mix engine.

Designed for the DAW user that seeks the legendary big sound of an SSL console while retaining the convenience of working in the box, Sigma is a unique analogue mix engine in a 2U rack unit, that is remote controlled using MIDI via Ethernet using a DAW or an iDevice compatible software interface.

Using proprietary MDAC control technology first featured in our Duality and AWS studio consoles, Sigma’s 100% analogue summing engine can be driven by automation data created within your DAW of choice. Sigma features 16 flexible input channels which can be individually switched between being mono or stereo for up to 32 channels at mixdown. There is accurate front panel LED metering for all channels. There are two stereo mix busses with dedicated outputs for convenient printing of stems back to the DAW and individual stereo insert points to facilitate implementation of parallel compression. Each input channel also features an individual direct output. Mix Bus B can also be injected into Mix Bus A for final mixdown.

An Artist and Studio monitoring section provides a Monitor and Headphone output. The Main monitor output has Main and Alternative connections to accommodate 2 sets of monitors. A comprehensive switching matrix enables selection of your monitor source. A large front panel rotary control uses a push-select mechanism to determine whether it adjusts Mix A, Mix B, Main Monitor or Headphone levels. There is also a Talkback input with adjustable Dim level. Control and switching of a wide range of functions including; monitor level and source, inserts, talkback, sum B>A and mono check, can all be achieved using any standard MIDI hardware control surface. A MIDI learn feature makes setup simple and easy. A pair of user assignable dual action push/hold buttons on the front panel or a foot-switch can also be assigned to the same collection of switching functions.

The Sigma is expected to ship in August 2013, priced at £2799 GBP / $4499 USD / 3359 EUR + VAT or Sales Tax.

More information: Solid State Logic

Solid State Logic has announced the release of the E-Series EQ Module and E-Series Dynamics Module for the popular API 500 Series modular rack format.

The legendary 1980’s SSL SL 4000 E is one of the all-time classic consoles and has been featured on countless great recordings. The release of these new E-Series EQ and E-Series Dynamics Modules makes the gritty tonal character of the channel processing from this much-loved console available to a new group of users.

The SSL console sound has been available in 12 different modules for SSL’s own modular X-Rack system for many years. The system enjoys a large and enthusiastic customer base (more than 15,000 modules sold) that reap the benefits of the very high-quality power supply and on board TotalRecall™ offered by SSL‘s X-Rack. The release of two modules for the widely-used 500 Series modular rack platform makes a small slice of the SSL sound available to a wider user base. The new modules will be shown at the forthcoming 2012 AES Show in San Francisco (Booth 1005)

The new E-Series Dynamics and EQ modules for API’s 500 series.

The E-Series Dynamics Module for 500 Series racks reproduces the legendary sonic signature of the fully-flavored VCA channel dynamics section of the SL 4000 E console channel strip.

The E-Series Dynamics Module features a compressor/limiter and an expander/gate, both of which return faithfully to the circuitry and key components that define the sound of the original SL 611 E Series channel strip. A true RMS converter is used in the side chain while the gain element is an all-discrete design identical to the Class A VCA chip used in the original unit.

The compressor contains additional switching options that allow a user to defeat the over-easy curve and to use a linear release instead of the more usual logarithmic curve. The result is a compressor with three distinct voices, each with its own musical character.

The E-Series EQ Module for 500 Series racks features two different EQ’s found on editions of the console produced between 1979 and 1987. Each EQ has unique response curves and tonal character.

Historically, the type of EQ fitted in an individual console was distinguished by the colors used on the LF knob caps so the two flavors have become known as the ‘Brown’ and ‘Black’ EQ’s. On the E-Series EQ Module, you can switch between these two different flavors of EQ that have been loved by generations of professional producers.

The SSL channel EQ is the classic four band design with fully parametric LMF and HMF with Q controls, which has become the industry standard channel EQ configuration. The E-Series EQ features selectable shelving or Bell curve operation for the LF and HF frequencies.

E-Series EQ & Dynamics features

• Immortal SSL SL 4000 E Series circuitry.
• Based on original SL 611 E console channel strip.
• Dynamics
  • Class A VCA replication.
  • Classic Expander/Gate configuration.
• EQ
  • “Black-242” and “Brown-02” twin EQ design.
  • Versatile four band channel EQ.
  • Bell curve option on HF and LF.
  • Fully parametric LMF and HMF with Q.

Both modules are available now from SSL Resellers worldwide, priced at £518 GBP/$889 USD/646 EUR + VAT or Sales Tax.

More information: Solid State Logic

Solid State Logic has announced the launch of Alpha-Link MX, the first of a new generation of SSL A-D/D-A converters that deliver superior SSL audio quality in an affordable format for the serious project studio.

SSL Alpha-Link MX scalable high performance DAW I/O for the pro project studio.

The new generation SSL converters build on the reputation of the highly respected larger Alpha-Link SX and AX models which are used in leading commercial recording facilities across the world alongside SSL’s AWS and Duality consoles.

The Alpha-Link MX range consists of two different 1 U units that can be used individually or combined to create larger systems. Each unit features 64 channel digital audio I/O via Fibre Optic MADI In/Out connections which can be used to connect to any suitably equipped MADI device including SSL’s own MadiXtreme, MX4 and Delta-Link computer audio interfaces, or to cascade multiple MX units. The ‘Alpha-Link MX 16-4’ has 16 analogue inputs and 4 analogue outputs, making it an ideal 16 channel capture device with 4 outputs for artist and studio monitoring. The ‘Alpha-Link MX 4-16’ has 4 analogue inputs and 16 analogue outputs, making it an ideal solution for 16 channel analogue summing with 4 channels of audio capture. Up to four MX units can be cascaded in any combination in a daisy chain. In this way systems with up to 80 analogue connections which are routable to a single 64 channel MADI In/Out connection can be created. MX units have a switchable reference level to enable matching with the rest of your studio system, with a range of settings between +24dB and +14dB. Alpha-Link MX units are configured via a set of simple, intuitive front panel controls with status indicator LED’s providing clear status and level information.

Alpha-Link MX units are available bundled with an SSL MadiXtreme 64 Mac or PC audio interface to provide the perfect high quality low cost pro DAW I/O solution.

Alpha-Link MX features

• High quality SSL A-D/D-A converter technology.
• 64 channel Fibre Optic MADI digital audio In/Out.
• Alpha-Link MX 16-4: 16 analogue In, 4 analogue Out (balanced).
• Alpha-Link MX 4-16: 4 analogue In, 16 analogue Out (balanced).
• Cascade up to 4 Units for up to 80 analogue connections.
• 44.1 to 96kHz operation with varispeed up to ± 10% (192kHz operation will be available as a free firmware upgrade by 31/12/2012).
• Switchable reference level with a range of settings between +24dB and +14dB.
• Perfect Partner for SSL MadiXtreme, MX4 & Delta-Link interfaces.
• Simple front panel setup controls.
• Dedicated tri-colour signal activity LED’s.
• BNC Word Clock sync In/Out.
• Rear panel analogue connection via standard 25 pin D-Sub.

Alpha-Link MX is available now from SSL resellers worldwide.

The Alpha-Link MX 16-4 and MX4-16 are £849 GBP / 1,449 USD / 1091.60 EUR each. I/O bundles with the MadiXtreme 64 are available at £999 GBP / $1,699 USD / 1276.47 EUR (prices excl. VAT/local taxes).

More information: Solid State Logic / Alpha-Link MX

Solid State Logic has announced the release of Soundscape V6.2 at MusikMesse 2012.

This new version of SSL’s industrial strength DAW introduces significant new features which will benefit the existing Soundscape user community and facilitate a series of ‘workflow specific’ products based on Soundscape’s highly evolved audio workflow and file management. Soundscape V6.2 actually combines two of SSL’s software products with the integration of Pro-Convert, SSL’s DAW Project translation tool. The Soundscape V6.2 Pro-Convert installation offers direct import/export to a series of third party DAW’s from the Soundscape File Menu. V6.2 imports/exports audio file and selected audio track, clip and marker data for Pro Tools 9 Sessions, Cubase/Nuendo Track-Archives, Final Cut XML and Samplitude/Sequoia EDL projects.

A new Console Control Module introduces a hardware control implementation that offers elegant physical control over the software using SSL’s Nucleus and Matrix hybrid DAW control consoles. The new hardware control implementation delivers deep integration between SSL’s multi award winning hardware control surfaces and Soundscape’s advanced audio production workflow. The Soundscape V6.2 release also enables Soundscape to be used with SSL’s MadiXtreme 64/128 PCIe audio interfaces for the first time facilitating direct connection to audio converters, MADI equipped consoles and routing systems for lower cost system specification where systems don’t require a software mixer environment. Soundscape V6.2 can still be purchased with an SSL MX4 interface if a DSP driven mixer and plug-in environment is still required. MX4 systems include the SSL Bus Compressor and EQ & Dynamics plug-ins as standard.

More information: Solid State Logic / SoundScape

Solid State Logic has announced that Rik Simpson has installed a Matrix mixing console with inbuilt signal router and multi-layer digital workstation control in Coldplay’s Beehive studio in North London.

Rik Simpson, Coldplay’s producer, invites us to the band’s North London studio to talk about how he records them, and about his long history with SSL, from working with the G Series as a fifteen-year-old to using the Matrix today.

Coldplay set up the Beehive in 2010, and Chris Martin asked Rik to be involved in the design and build of the new studio. The band recorded the majority of the Viva la Vida at the Beehive with Rik as engineer. Viva la Vida went on to win three Grammys and Rik went on to co-produce (as well as engineer) Coldplay’s fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto, at the Beehive last year. He tried out the Matrix in the process – and kept it.

The six-minute video of Rik talking about how he records and mixes the ‘Best British Group’ (BRIT Awards 2012) is available here: www.solidstatelogic.com/music/matrix/video.asp

More information: Solid State Logic

Solid State Logic has announced the release of Duende Native, a collection of plug-ins which are functionally and sonically identical to the highly acclaimed, but now discontinued DSP powered Duende plug-ins, but they run natively using your host computers processing resources.

The Duende Native Plug-in suite is a collection of audio processing tools which bring professional audio quality, sophistication and benchmark performance within reach of all DAW users. Duende plug-ins provide the superior precision, advanced feature set and legendary tonal characteristics of SSL console products in affordable VST/AU/RTAS^* plug-in form. They are quite simply the easiest way to get your hands on professional tools that will help you achieve professional mixes that sound like a record.

The foundations of the Duende Native collection are plug-in adaptations of two SSL console classics; the EQ & Dynamics Channel plug-in provides an EQ & Dynamics processing solution with all the power, precision, flexibility and signature tone of an SSL console channel strip… the legendary Stereo Bus Compressor plug-in gives you the classic SSL stereo master bus compressor that brings power and punch to your mix without compromising clarity. In addition to these SSL classics Duende Native includes Drumstrip and Vocalstrip which are ‘task specific’ plug-ins that each gather together a set of carefully selected and lovingly crafted processing tools to get you straight to outstanding Drum and Vocal sounds quickly and easily. X-EQ and X-Comp are both mastering grade processors that deliver superb balance of precision and tonal character. X-Verb is an incredibly powerful and flexible processor which brings beautiful hardware standard Reverb to your DAW.

Duende Native plug-ins are available to purchase individually from the SSL web store. Two boxed product bundles; Duende Native Essentials (includes; EQ & Dynamics Channel and Stereo Bus Compressor) and the Duende Native Studio Pack (includes; EQ & Dynamics Channel, Stereo Bus Compressor, Drumstrip, Vocalstrip, X-EQ and X-Comp) are available exclusively from SSL Resellers worldwide.

All Duende Native Plug-ins are available for a free, fully functional initial 30 day demo AND for ongoing periodic free demos. Duende Native is fully 64Bit capable in suitable Mac and Windows Operating Systems.

More information: Solid State Logic / Duende

^*RTAS compatibility achieved using an FXPansion wrapper.