

#Ssl duende reviews series
The V6 Channel Strip is based on the XL 9000 K Series console, and includes separate high and low pass filters, an independent compressor/limiter and gate/expander, a 4-band parametric EQ that is assignable to the dynamics sidechain, variable processing order, as well as input and output gain adjustment and phase inversion. Let’s dive in and see what each of these new modules have to offer, and how they fare in use.Ĭhannel Strip: SSL was the first mixing console manufacturer to feature dynamics and EQ on every channel with the SL 4000 B Series in 1977. Though I was not a Duende V5 user, I still appreciate the newly redesigned GUI’s for each plugin. The entire collection includes a Channel Strip, Bus Compressor, X-Comp, X-EQ, Vocalstrip, Drumstrip, X-ValveComp, X-Saturator, and X-Phase.
#Ssl duende reviews upgrade
Owners of Duende V5 have access to a free upgrade to the SSL Native V6 Bundle (which conversely is host-based, so you’ll need to account for the CPU usage), and both Duende and the Native V6 Bundle plugins can be used together in the same DAW. Duende also included a hardware DSP processor-an external unit that handles processing duties without taxing your computer’s resources. To start, this V6 bundle is a continuation of the SSL Duende V5 suite of software. I’ve tried and used many of these emulations, but I’m excited today to review the SSL Native V6 Bundle, made available by none other than SSL themselves. Today, many major plugin manufacturers (including Slate, IK Multimedia, Native Instruments, and Cytomic) have attempted to emulate the SSL sound. Bob Clearmountain, Frank Fillipetti, Chris and Tom Lord-Alge, and many others all took advantage of the signature punchy sound of SSL consoles, helping to craft some of the timeless records that have become a part of the soundtrack to our lives. The flexibility of re-routing the signal (placing the EQ before or after the compressor, choosing the insert point, etc.) reduced the amount of console cable spaghetti buildup when trying to accomplish traditionally complex routing.

The gating and compression on these channel strips are a huge part of the signature SSL sound. The SSL 4000 Channel Strip falls into this elite group, having been used on some of the best-selling rock, hip-hop, and pop records of all time. In the history of recorded music, there’s a relatively small amount of vintage equipment that is still coveted and used around the world today. Though there are many SSL emulations available, the Native V6 Bundle is the only collection that is built to the exact design specs as intended by SSL.
