THE BUS | Compressor Packs 5 decades of SSL Bus Comp tech into a convenient rackmount unit Excels as a drum buss compressor, parallel compressor, and master buss compressor Contains 100% analog circuitry, with stepped, digitally controlled front-panel pots 2 channels with 4 modes of operation: Classic Stereo, Σ S/C Stereo, Dual Mono, or Mid-Side Authentic SSL Bus Compressor circuit with high-performance 2181 THAT VCAs Multiple compression modes based on the XLogic, early 4K, and more supplies maximum sonic flexibility Negative compression ratios give rise to creative pumping effects Attack and Release time constant options, plus an Auto 2 setting, unlock added versatility 2 ranges of precision MDAC-controlled make-up gain Variable sidechain highpass filter makes tailoring the compressor’s behavior a piece of cake Mix control supplies dead-simple parallel compression Super-accurate moving-coil gain-reduction meters Includes an unlockable Transient Expander bonus mode 2-band, parallel dynamic D-EQ includes LF and HF bands 16 selectable frequency points per band gives you plenty of sound-shaping options Includes both Compress and Expand modes 3 choices of time constants for each EQ band: Nominal, Fast, or Auto Each EQ band boasts a 0.5dB–15dB adjustable range HF band can be switched to a bell shape, with selectable frequencies covering high-midrange and high frequencies G-Series mode changes the LF filter to a second order with a degree of under and overshoot Tri-color activity LEDs and individually bypassable EQ bands External sidechain I/O allows you to trigger the compressor with an external signal Configurable processing order ensures maximum flexibility Sleep and auto-sleep modes Since the first SSL 4000 B console was released in the late 1970s, Solid State Logic’s famed Bus Compressor has been the audio engineer’s tool of choice for gluing a mix together. The Solid State Logic Bus continues in this fabled tradition, packing five decades of analog-fueled dynamic punch into a convenient rackmount piece of hardware. The SSL Bus Plus boasts an authentic SSL Bus Compressor with multiple modes based on the XLogic, early 4K, and more for maximum sonic flexibility. The Bus also includes the D-EQ, a powerful 2-band analog dynamic equalizer for added sound shaping. Both the Bus Compressor and D-EQ are jam-packed with versatile features, enabling you to mold your mixes into an endless variety of sonic textures. The Bus contains 100% analog circuitry, with stepped, digitally controlled front-panel pots. This 2-channel processor gives you four modes of operation, external sidechain I/O, configurable processing order, sleep and auto-sleep modes, and a whole lot more. If you’ve been waiting to pull the trigger on an SSL-style bus comp, now’s the time — the Solid State Logic Bus is their most advanced compressor to date. Innovation To complement the new feature set, we sought to bring improvements that would benefit recallability and technical performance. All of the pots on THE BUS are stepped and read by a microcontroller which translates the pots position into the required circuit configuration or electrical parameter. This innovative approach not only makes recall significantly easier, it also means THE BUS is not subject to pot tolerances – perfect for precision processing applications like mastering. Dynamic Analogue Equaliser: D-EQ THE BUS incorporates a host of advanced processing tools including the new Dynamic Analogue Equaliser (D-EQ). The D-EQ is a powerful 2-band Dynamic EQ that can be placed before or after The Bus Compressor. Many engineers are familiar with Dynamic EQ plug-ins inside the DAW but analogue Dynamic EQs are few and far between. A Dynamic EQ is a more ‘intelligent’ form of EQ that changes the gain of an EQ band proportionally in response to the signal level once above a set threshold. It allows you to modify the contrast between background material (under threshold) and forward material (above threshold). THE BUS Settings The way engineers and producers use bus compression varies greatly. Some ‘set-and-forget’ and construct a mix into the Bus Compressor, others fine-tune time constants to work with a particular production, often applying it as the final polish to a mix. We caught up with a selection of the world’s top producers and engineers to get their feedback on THE BUS and see how its legendary glue and punch, in combination with new advanced processing tools, takes their bus processing to the next level.
