SSL console...honestly???

S

scorpio01169

New member
OK...We all know many great recordings have been made on these great boards and I'm not doubting that, and we all who have not had the privilege to have worked with one. this question is for those who have worked on an ssl console, the ssl outboard 500 series strereo compressor, eq and channel compressor tout that we can get as close to those great recordings using these units with our existing gear. My question is...if I insert these units into my signal chain am I essentially getting true ssl console sound. I have a Mackie 32x8 and if I bypass the internal preamps (which I do on occasion) and insert their eq bypassing the Mackies eqs and then....compressing with an ssl channel compressor....and then on mixdown using the ssl strereo compressor, am I getting the SSL sound? I hope I explained that well. but I'm thinking the Mackies circuitry has to come into play somewhere in there...am I wrong?
 
To really answer that question, I think you would need someone to read your Mackies schematics. Sounds like a great idea though. If you've done it before, can you tell how much of the sound is coming from the insert? or does it still sound like your Mackie? Can you insert something that adds a lot of change to the sound as a test?

Sorry I cant answer directly, I have an SSL channel w/SSL convertors. I love it.

Pete
 
Well....you got all these plug-ins that claim they are just like their hardware versions....only you can get the plugs for like $100 each.....
....so you tell me, how close can you get?

I think too much focus is getting places on a couple of pieces of gear VS an entire console and doing a complete mix through that console....plus who knows what else.
That said, I'm sure SSL isn't going to make something that is junk and then compare it to the modules of their consoles.
Also....there's all kinds of SSL consoles, so there's a lot of variables.

I guess if you think a couple pieces of hardware will give you a complete SSL console in a box or that your mixes will instantly sound like all those great recordings that were done on SSL consoles....I doubt it, but I'm sure their gear is still good and can work well for you....considering of course what else you have going on, or not.


What exactly are you doing....what are you after?
 
miroslav said:
What exactly are you doing....what are you after?
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Well I'm not really going for anything. I am about to record/produce a band and I'm not rich by any means but I have some money saved up, I have been recording for years and have gotten good turnouts with the cheap gear that I have.....I am of the belief cheap gear used properly can get you good results.....but, can these units can get me better results? and if so, is it enough to spend the money?
 
scorpio01169 said:
.....but, can these units can get me better results? and if so, is it enough to spend the money?
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I don't have a problem with buying high-end gear when my budget allows it.....how important that is and is it worth the money to you....only you can decide.

Not sure exactly which SSL pieces you are talking about, since you didn't give model names/numbers or the prices....???...but there may be other brands that will get you the same thing for less money.
 
miroslav said:
I don't have a problem with buying high-end gear when my budget allows it.....how important that is and is it worth the money to you....only you can decide.

Not sure exactly which SSL pieces you are talking about, since you didn't give model names/numbers or the prices....???...but there may be other brands that will get you the same thing for less money.
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these here
Solid State Logic 611DYN | Sweetwater.com
Solid State Logic G Comp | Sweetwater.com
Solid State Logic 611EQ | Sweetwater.com
 
The answer, to me, is no.

The aggregate sound of the Mackie + whatever SSL processors you use will not get you the same result as an SSL console. It might change the flavor of your recordings, but that's about it, IMO. Whether that is an improvement or not is up to you to decide.

Let's not forget that SSLs were not necessarily favoured for their sound. They were favoured for their features. The flexible routing, dynamics on every channel, the master buss compressor, and a very flexibly EQ lessened the need for racks and racks of outboard gear. Let's also not forget that a lot of pros started using outboard preamps directly as a result of hating the sound of the SSL preamps. It is well known that they don't sound too good. An SSL is great to mix on but not so great for tracking because of this.

SSL is a name brand like any other and with it comes a legacy. Don't buy into gear because of a legacy. Buy it because it does something you need it to do and gives you the sound you want. There are a MILLION other brands I would look at before SSL and that includes their Alpha Link converters. The only real piece of SSL gear being used broadly at the moment is their 384 G-series buss compressor. You don't see a hell of a lot of guys buying their preamps, even in 500 series format, because there are simply a lot better options.

Cheers :)
 
Even if you bought ssl eq and dynamics for each channel, you are still summing with the mackie. It will not sound like an ssl, and you probably would have to spend almost as much on enough of those units to mix with as you would buying a used ssl.

You would be better off getting the ssl plugins and mixing in the box. The mackie will blow any hope of getting the open, slick, polished sound that ssl consoles are known for.
 
Yea I also think that any thing that passes thru your Mackie is not gonna come out the other end as well as it could.

Get your 500 stuff or the software and get rid of the boat anchor.
 
Farview said:
Even if you bought ssl eq and dynamics for each channel, you are still summing with the mackie. It will not sound like an ssl, and you probably would have to spend almost as much on enough of those units to mix with as you would buying a used ssl.

You would be better off getting the ssl plugins and mixing in the box. The mackie will blow any hope of getting the open, slick, polished sound that ssl consoles are known for.
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That's what I was thinking. But i wont be getting rid of my Mackie, I love the old school feel of doing everything on the console. I was just asking the question because I'm in the market for a stereo compressor for mixdown and these units had me wondering. but as I suspected and you cleared that up.....thanks
 
On another note....instead of dropping $2200 on the SSl G comp.....get an Overstayer Stereo VCA comp, for less than half, and with all the same goodness.
 
I agree. The ssl mixbuss compressor is generally used very sparingly, just to add a little glue that gels a mix together a bit. It isn't generally used to control dynamics in a mixdown situation. In your situation, you would be much better off saving a little more money and getting a higher end used board.

Studios are getting rid of ameks, api's, and all the other high end boards for stupidly small money, because they don't fit the business model anymore.

The mackie is fine, but if you want to get to the next level, you need to upgrade the mixer. Any outboard gear you run through it will just end up sounding like the mackie, which defeats the purpose.
 
Lets say your recording and you hear something off, and maybe after a while you figure out it was a bad cord, of course you remove the cord right? Duh? Then of course it sounds better. At some point you have to realize that your Mackie is a bad cord.

It may look cool but is it helping or hurting ? There is a reason why craigslist is flooded with these type of mixers for cheap, and it aint because they sound great.
 
scorpio01169 said:
That's what I was thinking. But i wont be getting rid of my Mackie, I love the old school feel of doing everything on the console. I was just asking the question because I'm in the market for a stereo compressor for mixdown and these units had me wondering. but as I suspected and you cleared that up.....thanks
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well its close but so far away.. but I have use the g comp on the channels or ducking on a buss, and another just kissing it on a master mix at 2:1 but yea its close the output chain you need some transformer sound.

but I like the API(8mx2)-SSL-DAW or API(8mx2)-DAW for the in to DAW- API(8mx2)-SSL-2trk recorder.

I would for otb mixing get a broadcast board or even if you're into DIY electronics:

another one of my favorite API/SSL sandwich:
an ACA mix boards (2-4ch inverting amp boards and 1 ACA/booster board) summ there descrete out the daw (this takes a lot of I/O) but automate mix sends inside, then pultec like eq section to roll off the highs and lows (Just the passive eq, no tube buffer amp) between 2trk buffer and master fader. then record out

the board blanks are here:
http://classicapi.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=22_46
 
Farview said:
Studios are getting rid of ameks, api's, and all the other high end boards for stupidly small money, because they don't fit the business model anymore.
.
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That makes sense really, all the plugs and pc editing features would be the new technology from a business standpoint, ROI and all that...

My one trip to a pro studio had SSL, a huge STar Trek looking thing, they used 12 channels that day, and it was in a expensive room with expensive monitors (KRK Expose) and it sounded fabulous. Getting the tracks home though I felt like it wasnt anything that unobtainable.

The biggest difference was the tracking room and the drum sounds, that was nice.
As for the electric guitar, vocals and bass...HR could match that easily.

Unfortunately the mix was done later, somewhere else...maybe in a closet on 2" speakers?
 
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