SSL Duality-Sunshine Coast Recording Studio-Day 1 results

by **NYMo** » Thu Oct 22, 2009 11:36 pm

Hi there,

Congrats Angus....looking forward to having a play on that
SSL, myself ;-)

Cheers
N
Y
M
O

by **DwaneHollands** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:56 am

Is it this puppy?

http://www.solid-state-logic.com/music/ ... /index.asp

by **jkhuri44** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:23 am

i just made a sex wee wee.

by **TimS** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:01 am

jkhuri44 wrote:i just made a sex wee wee.

Ohh man!!!
Too much information..

by **wez** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:49 am

so is this what SSL is calling their flagship console these days? no more million $+ 9000 series-style desks? or is there something else in the wings? i haven't been keeping up.

would be sad if there wasn't because it would be the end of an era. although completely understandable. $250k? a new big SSL for less than my house is worth? hmmmm, something to think about.

enjoy!

by **DwaneHollands** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:08 pm

That console is nuts!

So it's got 48 INS and outs that you patch pro tools into? Is that to use the ssl analogue circuitry to give it 'that sound'? Does it act as a control
surface for pt or is that too low brow for this console? Do you run plugins on the console (ssl ones)?

Crazy stuff man!

by **James Chia** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:31 pm

That thing looks amazing..I've seen one at ABC Sydney.

by **jkhuri44** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 12:32 pm

TimS wrote:
jkhuri44 wrote:i just made a sex wee wee.

Ohh man!!!
Too much information..

thats what everone's thinking,
lol

by **DwaneHollands** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 3:01 pm

What's your opinion on the SSL X-rack?

by **DwaneHollands** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 9:46 pm

Yeah looks like a tidy little lunchbox. Made that signal path affordable for mere mortals. However at 2.5k for just th empty lunch box you'd want to make sure that sgnal path was worth it...lol

by **DwaneHollands** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 10:57 pm

Yeah it's still not loose change. But it's a magnitude cheaper than 'the real thing' ha ha.

I read recently on black lions site about a guy who got a 002 or 003 modded by BLA and he Sent the tracks to a large studio. They asked him where and what he tracked on and when he told them they didn't believe him. The studio owner flew to his studio too see it. Apparently really ticked off when he saw/heard it. Since he spent a million on his console and this project studio sounded as good.

I always tend to think in road maps. Thinking perhaps BLA modded 003, SSL x-Rack might be an exceptional signal path/route.

by **DwaneHollands** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:15 am

What's the general consensus on SSL preamps. I understand you mentioned you have the VHD's in your console. (variable harmonic distortion). I realise you have used them yet. But are SSL in a league of their own, over some of these neve preamps you guys are always bidding on. Lol. Is it like this - everyone talks shop about commodores and falcons cause they own them, but tend not too talk about the ferraris and bugatti's - since it's unlikely they'll ever own one.

Since the consoles have been out of reach for most project studios (until x-rack) are they the ultimate in preamps, comps, eqs? Or are they simply in the top 10 with the other titans? Horses for courses. Personal preference. Subject matter specific.

(ran out of cliches)

by **heathen** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 9:39 am

One thing that really pissed me off about the X-rack eq's is that they dont have the HP/LP filters on them, they are on the pre's, I know this is the way the desk's are configured but........... the filters would have been better served on the eq modules.

I played with one for about an hour and was'nt really into it. There is more to a big console than just having a few of its modules. Anyway I'd love a Duality but never will never get one so I'll just keep collecting nice analog bits and pieces for sweetening channels.

Dwane, there are some really really nice old Pre, eq and comp modules out there that are priced very reasonably, neumann, telefunken, ANT, siemens, Filtek just to name a few. Getting pairs of these and racking them is pretty cheap compared with buying new gear.

Anyway great news Angus, wish I were there to play also. :)

Jamil, hope you did'nt make too much of a mess, ewwwwww, heh.

by **13thbeach** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:45 am

heathen wrote:Dwane, there are some really really nice old Pre, eq and comp modules out there that are priced very reasonably, neumann, telefunken, ANT, siemens, Filtek just to name a few. Getting pairs of these and racking them is pretty cheap compared with buying new gear.

Its the only way I could afford to buy anything at the start. Well worth the dollars, and the hunt for cool old gear is alot of fun.

by **heathen** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 12:23 pm

13thbeach wrote:
heathen wrote:Dwane, there are some really really nice old Pre, eq and comp modules out there that are priced very reasonably, neumann, telefunken, ANT, siemens, Filtek just to name a few. Getting pairs of these and racking them is pretty cheap compared with buying new gear.

Its the only way I could afford to buy anything at the start. Well worth the dollars, and the hunt for cool old gear is alot of fun.

Yeah I was comparing acoustic guitar tracks from 2 years back with my 500 series pre's, then recorded the same guitar with the same mic through the v676b's Rob racked for me a few weeks back, was a night and day difference, the vintage stuff is very cheap for what you actually get. Especially when you find NOS gear, ohhhhh yeah!!!

by **TimS** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:24 pm

13thbeach wrote:
heathen wrote:Dwane, there are some really really nice old Pre, eq and comp modules out there that are priced very reasonably, neumann, telefunken, ANT, siemens, Filtek just to name a few. Getting pairs of these and racking them is pretty cheap compared with buying new gear.

Its the only way I could afford to buy anything at the start. Well worth the dollars, and the hunt for cool old gear is alot of fun.

Absolutely!!
I really enjoy this aspect of gear - even though I have 2 SSL 502 EQ modules and a Byer 66 to be racked and given some love by Rob..
Just short of cash right now after spending up on a few items..

by **heathen** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:45 pm

TimS wrote:
13thbeach wrote:
heathen wrote:Dwane, there are some really really nice old Pre, eq and comp modules out there that are priced very reasonably, neumann, telefunken, ANT, siemens, Filtek just to name a few. Getting pairs of these and racking them is pretty cheap compared with buying new gear.

Its the only way I could afford to buy anything at the start. Well worth the dollars, and the hunt for cool old gear is alot of fun.

Absolutely!!
I really enjoy this aspect of gear - even though I have 2 SSL 502 EQ modules and a Byer 66 to be racked and given some love by Rob..
Just short of cash right now after spending up on a few items..

Geez I thought you would have those 502's racked already. I might get my Calrecs done next or the Neumanns or......... heh.

by **DwaneHollands** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:23 am

Thanks for the advice guys!

OK, so it's kind of an even playing field in that vintage versus new. The X-Rack alone is 2.5K empty. Off ebay they're around 1100-1400. But that's still not any sound! I was interested in that the modules were around 1000-1400 which seemed close to the 500 series. Although I realise some of the 500 series can be as cheap as 500 bucks. And five fish Audio have pre's from around 500 new.

I'm still learning about this analogue summing "out side the box" thing. I mean for a noob it sound almost ridiculous that an analogue signal path would be cleaner than a digital one. But as I said I'm learning!

by **DwaneHollands** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:41 am

Cleaner is probably the wrong term.
I would say 'more character' or 'better width and depth' etc.

OK I see what you mean. Perhaps greater separation aswell?

by **DwaneHollands** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:45 pm

Ahhhhh...

by **heathen** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:35 pm

To put it in perspective, I sold all my 500 series gear cause I hated the sound I was getting (some people love 500 stuff so I'm just saying me), I started again by buying a pair of ANT eq's for 500 bucks and Rob racked em for a bit less than that so all up less than a grand for a super sweet stereo eq, these modules came from consoles which cost $100 000 in the 80's. Now I have a draw full of em to get racked.

So if you think about it $1000 for a new 500 series eq, or you can have vintage German broadcast quality for around a grand maybe $1500 for a pair racked. I'm not going back, after I get my expensive landscaping done I'll be getting all my cheap eq's racked.

As for analog summing I'm interested as in geez an SSL Matrix would make my life easy but I dunno, I think digital summing is ok it's the plugins which really screw things up to me. Still I'd like a nice expensive analog mixer but I'm not getting one,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, yet.

by **TimS** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:43 pm

I just saw tunetown's Neve 51 series rackjob that Rob did last week..
Very nice...

by **heathen** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:48 pm

TimS wrote:I just saw tunetown's Neve 51 series rackjob that Rob did last week..
Very nice...

Mmmmmmmm sweet!

by **DwaneHollands** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:50 pm

Thanks for the advice! That's interesting about the cheap eq you're getting racked. Is the brand ANT or does that just stand for antique? BTW, talking about analogue summing Black Lion Audio have just released a modified version of the SM Pro PM8. it's US$895 for the box, including the mod. To mod the box that you already have it's US$695

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/Products/ ... umming+Box

it's red!

Their convertors sound really good. (by that I mean the reports. Haven't heard them myself)

by **heathen** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:41 pm

DwaneHollands wrote:Thanks for the advice! That's interesting about the cheap eq you're getting racked. Is the brand ANT or does that just stand for antique? BTW, talking about analogue summing Black Lion Audio have just released a modified version of the SM Pro PM8. it's US$895 for the box, including the mod. To mod the box that you already have it's US$695

http://www.blacklionaudio.com/Products/ ... umming+Box

it's red!

Their convertors sound really good. (by that I mean the reports. Haven't heard them myself)

ANT took over Telefunken, check this link.

http://vintageaudiogearbox.com/goods/EQ ... W695B.html

by **DwaneHollands** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:20 pm

Angus,

so you whack it through the mic pres to make the signal high impedence again? Kinda like reamping? Then back into DAW?

I don't have 16 outs as yet. One day though. So if I had a 48 track monster I'd need to sum 48 or would I use stems. Suppose
the ultimate would be 48 separate I'm guessing. So if you had racks if different gear would you flavour
different tracks/stems with different pres
or eq before outputting to the final stereo analogue buss? Perhaps giving more
distinction between parts?

Heath, so your getting a pretty good deal then! Thy are saying 1300 us for a racked pair. You're doing a little better than that. Interesting about the tight bottom end they talk about. And adding 12 and 16 kHz without harshness. I'm always noticing harshness when I add top end. In fact I think even my monitors are masking some of that.

by **DwaneHollands** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 12:05 am

Great thanks for clearing that up for me. I'm startig to understand it a bit more.

Another perspective to throw into the "Mix". Lol. Bad pun.

by **heathen** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 7:38 am

Yeah I was having the same probs with the top end getting a bit harsh, these little eq's really do rock and boost in a very pleasing way. The bottom end is very tight and is great on kick to bring out that oooomoh. They kick the arse of the Avalon 2055 in the low end. The trick is to look on German ebay, that's where you'll find these babies. Sometime people are on to them sometimes they just end up going cheap.

So for a smallish budget you can get eq's that rank up there with the best of them with the Neumanns and ANT/Telefunkens. The only thing is they have fixed 2-3 DB steps for gain control, but so do the API eq's.

Part of my collection.

by **HA_DA_JA** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:26 am

Hey I have a speck asc non 500 version. I loved it but have not used it since getting the Tube Tech EQ1A.

by **DwaneHollands** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 10:51 am

I suppose that's part of the trick with getting that really hi-fidelity sound right? You know when the vocals just sound like crisp velvet like shimmer without being harsh.

What are Telefunken V72? I think I read about them used in german radio stations back in the day to have a consistent high quality signal path but with fixed 34db of gain. I noticed a few of them on ebay. I've seen v72 mentioned a few times around the traps.

SSL Duality-Sunshine Coast Recording Studio-Day 1 results

?

Man!

Hmmm

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