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SSL Console Bundle for MX4

 User Guide  V1.1

 

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English Edition V1.1 

 

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Plug-Ins included:

SSL Console EQ and Filters V1.5 / SSL Console Dynamics V1.01 / SSL Console Bus Compressor V1.0

Congratulations on your  purchase of the SSL Console Bundle, the real  
SSL processing solution  for  your  SSL Mixer  V6 or  SSL Soundscape V6 
Software.

As you

ʼ

re sat  here reading this,  the chances are high  that  you  have a 

pretty  good  understanding  of  who  we  are  and  our  outstanding 
reputation in audio recording technology. 

How did we get here? 

Well, there were no great plans to make SSL into a  major manufacturer 
of  mixing  consoles  when  it  all  started  back  in  the  seventies  -  the 
company began with nothing more than an enthusiasm for music and
the concept of recording. 
Along the way  that spirit, coupled with a passion for  excellence in music 
recording  tools,  helped  build  a  multi-million  dollar  international 
business.  SSL

ʻ

s  HQ  may  be  a  little  bigger  now  than  it  was  in  the 

seventies, but passion and innovation still lies at its heart.

Building  on  the  technology  of  the  former  Soundscape  Audio 
Workstation,  whose  parent  company  Sydec  we  acquired  in  2006,  we 
decided  to  embark  on  a  technology project  to  include  the SSL Mixing 
and processing facilities on a PCIe Audio Card, useable right inside the 
SSL Soundscape V6 DAW  and also inside a  standalone virtual  Mixing 
Console  (SSL Mixer  Software),  enabling any PC  DAW  User  to benefit 
from the abilities of an SSL Console „in the box“.

So the SSL MX4 Card was born, enabling demanding DAW  users, who 
don

ʼ

t  have  the  budget  (or  the floor  space!)  required  to  install  a  large-

format  SSL  console,  to  entirely   mix  „in  the  box“  with  the  workflow 
benefits and Sonic DNA, that made SSL famous.

The 

Double Precision 

Algorithms of the SSL Console Bundle Plug-Ins 

give  you  the  true  SSL  Sound,  not  available  from  any   other 
manufacturer than SSL.

With  128  Ins  and  Outs  per  Card  and  a  truly   powerful  realtime  DSP 
Engine with  the latest generation  DSP and Processing Plug-Ins, based 
on the digital technology  behind SSL

ʼ

s C-Series consoles, MX4 delivers 

the  complete  SSL  mix  experience  –  powerful  channel  EQ

ʻ

s/Filters, 

Channel Dynamics and the legendary Bus Compressor, all useable with 
class  leading  low  latency performance to  form  a  complete  system  for 
Tracking/Monitoring,  Mixing  (including  fine  Outboard  Gear),  all  tightly 
integrated into the heart of a DAW based production.

The SSL Console Bundle Plug-Ins gives you the tools to get  the sound 
heard on 90% of all Hit Records from the past 3 decades.
We hope you  will  enjoy recording and mixing your  music  with  the SSL 
Console Bundle and your MX4.

Please  store  your  MX4  User  Registration  Card  in  a  safe  place, 
since it contains the Authorisation Codes for the Console Bundle.

Please also register your product on our website.

For product news and software updates please register 
a

t www.solidstatelogic.com 

1. Introduction

                 

 

SSL Console Bundle for MX4

                                                                             Page 3

Summary of Contents for SSL Console Bundle

Page 1: ...User Guide V1 1 ...

Page 2: ...cluded Plug Ins Page 6 General Plug In Controls Page 7 Plug In Top Bar Page 9 5 SSL Console EQ and Filters Page 10 EQ Section Page 10 Filter Section Page 11 Special EQ Controls Page 12 6 SSL Console Channel Dynamics Page 13 Compressor Limiter Section Page 13 Gate Expander Section Page 14 Input Output Section Page 15 7 SSL Console Stereo Bus Compressor Page 16 8 Support Page 18 9 Copyright and lega...

Page 3: ...SSL Mixer Software enabling any PC DAW User to benefit from the abilities of an SSL Console in the box So the SSL MX4 Card was born enabling demanding DAW users who donʼt have the budget or the floor space required to install a large format SSL console to entirely mix in the box with the workflow benefits and Sonic DNA that made SSL famous The Double Precision Algorithms of the SSL Console Bundle ...

Page 4: ...ide the mixpander 5 9 DSP platforms is available for direct 48 bit operations The MX4 PCIe Cards however provides a huge amount of 48 bit memory needed to run multiple instances of the plug ins Especially with Mixpander based Systems you therefore may encounter situations where you are not able to load more SSL Console Bundle plug ins because there is no more 48 bit memory available indicated by t...

Page 5: ...it has been generated for and also only workʻs with the unique Unit ID DSP serial number of the MX4 or Mixpander card But it will work on every PC with this device and Plug In installed To use the plug in on multiple systems working under the same software instance please use Password Sharing as described in the SSL Mixer or Soundscape V6 software manual In order to use the SSL Console Bundle plug...

Page 6: ...sole Dynamics V1 0 Four different Plug In Versions are included mono to mono mono to mono with side chain input stereo to stereo and stereo to stereo with side chain input The Mono Version with side chain SC is in fact a 2Ch In 1CH Out Plug In the Stereo Version with side chain SC is a 4CH IN 2 CH Out Plug In The SC Input is derived from the last Input s meaning that the Mono Version uses In1 for ...

Page 7: ...e Before we dive deeper into the specific Plug In Controls letʻs have a look at the more general functions shared across all SSL Console Bundle Plug Ins Rotary Pots Hovering with the mouse over any rotary will immediately activate it and a read out of itʻs parameter value appears above the pot The rotary pots can be controlled by clicking and dragging in a rotation manner Moving the mouse pointer ...

Page 8: ... which means it has to be the active Window In order to prevent erratic parameter changes you therefore have to first click on the GUI you want to change before the Mouse Over and Scroll wheel are able to detect the Knobs Details on Rotary Knob Precision All rotaries inside the SSL MX4 Plug Ins and Mixer Applications follow the rotational Click Drag principle which allows the control resolution to...

Page 9: ...on will pop out once the plug in is tweaked and the current setting is lost The stored version is not overwritten in the temporary memory until the button is STORE TEMP pressed again TIP The temporarily stored version will not be saved with a preset but it can be saved as a separate preset by pressing the recall button and then saving as a preset Plug In Bypass Pressing the BYPASS button removes t...

Page 10: ...frequency range of 40Hz 600Hz and is capable of up to 16 5dB of cut or boost The HF section operates over a frequency range of 1 5 kHz 22 kHz and is capable of up to 20dB of cut or boost Normally these shelving curves have a degree of overshoot undershoot depending on whether you are boosting or cutting below the selected HF frequency or above the selected LF frequency De selecting the E button re...

Page 11: ...ng This is particularly useful for drums since relatively high Q is available at low gain settings However it is not so suitable for overall EQ or subtle corrections as you need to adjust the Q to maintain the same effect when the gain is changed Filters Section The filter section of the SSL Console EQ and Filters plug in includes a 12dB octave low pass filter and an 18dB octave high pass filter T...

Page 12: ...g Frequency Gain and Q Factor For the filters the X axis is used to change the cut off frequency The low and high EQ bands use the X axis to change frequency and the Y axis to change gain The low mid and high mid bands additionally have the Q Parameter The Q Factor can be changed with the scroll wheel of the mouse whilst the X and Y axis are used to change frequency and gain respectively TIP The G...

Page 13: ...0 1 to 4 seconds The Compressor Limiter has two modes of signal detection Peak and RMS These modes of detection either act on peaks of the incoming signals or on their RMS average levels This gives two very different modes of compression and limiting with Peak Mode giving far more dramatic compression characteristics DYN IN In pressed state the Compressor and Gate Expander Sections are active In n...

Page 14: ...ion The green LED Meters indicate the amount of gain reduction on the expander gate next section Gate Exp Section The gate expander section contains a number of useful features including a variable range from 0 to 40dB a variable threshold from 30dB to 10dB a fixed attack time switchable to Fast Attack of 100μs a variable hold time from 0 to four seconds and a variable release time from 0 1 to 4 s...

Page 15: ...cs Section is not in circuit its side chain input is also bypassed Input Output Section The Input and Output Sections consists of a 20dB output gain control and a 6 segment LED meter When using a version with side chain the Input Section contains the SC IN button which in pressed state forwards the signal from the side chain input to the level control module of the Compressor and Gate Expander Sec...

Page 16: ...r compression Bus Compressor Parameters Compression Meter Shows Gain Reduction with a simulated moving coil meter that mimics the real ballistics of the SSL Bus Compressor meter found on thousands of SSL Consoles around the world For experienced SSL Operators this Meter provides an authentic Gain Reduction feedback and should allow them to instantly feel at home THRESHOLD Continuously variable fro...

Page 17: ... timed fade down or up with a fade time of 1 to 60 seconds Pressing the switch will fade out the audio in the time set with RATE pressing the switch again will fade the audio back up at the same rate however the fade time can be adjusted with RATE at any time including when a fade is in progress The AUTOFADE switch will be illuminated whilst the signal is fading down so the button appears to be pr...

Page 18: ...mation there is kept up to date by our support staff to make sure all information is accurate All information is available to you 24 7 365 If you canʼt find your answer or a solution to your issue you can submit a question via the site to our support staff for resolution URL http www solidstatelogic com support SSL Console Bundle for MX4 Page 18 8 Support ...

Page 19: ...0 K Series Solid State Logic SSL SSL Mixer V6 SSL Soundscape V6 Super Analogue and made for MX4 are trademarks of Solid State Logic All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged As research and development is a continual process Solid State Logic reserves the right to change the features and specifications described herein without no...

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