Oxford, England (August 10, 2023)—Solid State Logic has introduced the new 4000 B Dynamics (B-DYN) 500 Series module, which recreates the original circuit design found in the channel strips of SL 4000 B consoles and crams it all into a standard 500 Series unit.
As SSL’s first console, released in 1976, 4000 B desks were used in ‘The Stone Room’ at Virgin’s Townhouse Studio (London), Le Studio (Montreal) and Record Plant (LA). You’ve heard them on tracks like Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight” and Peter Gabriel’s “Intruder,” both of which feature notable compression on drums and vocals.
The dynamics Section in the SL 4000 B console channel strip was unlike any other SSL channel dynamics module that followed, using the fader VCA as its gain element, rather than a dedicated VCA; it had a design similar to the topology of the SSL Bus Compressor. This VCA ‘feedback’ design has been inherited by the B-DYN module, offering compression with its own unique sonic signature—very different from the later E and 9000 Series. These similarities are also evident from B-DYN’s ‘Auto’ release setting, which offers a program-dependent release time as found on the Bus Compressor.
Solid State Logic Launches G3 MultiBusComp Plug-In
B-DYN’s dynamics processing is divided into two sections, Compressor/Limiter and Gate/Expander. The compressor offers fixed compression ratios 2:1, 4:1, and limiting ratio 10:1. Release times are also fixed at .2, .4, .8, 1.6, and programme dependant ‘Auto’. Setting B-DYN’s Compressor Ratio and Release controls to ‘DS’ the module optimised for reducing sibilance or, De-Essing. The De-Ess ratio is 10:1 with filtered S/C input signal, delivering broadband compression triggered by sibilance typically in vocal sources. The ‘DS’ release is automatically varied in response to the program signal between release rates of 30 & 50 ms. When the ‘Out’ ratio is selected, the compressor is bypassed. Compressor Ratio & Release in ‘DS’ mode work independently.
The SSL B-DYN 500 Series module runs $699.00.
