If you’re looking to add that proverbial “glue” to your mix, you’re in luck: Solid State Logic has announced the release of the SSL Bus Compressor Classic, a refresh and revival of the discontinued and highly sought-after SSL FX384 in a 1U rack-mount format, now available for order at B&H.
The new SSL Bus Comp Classic was developed by the same engineers as the original and is built around the same classic circuit as the FX384, so it’ll give your mixes that unmistakable SSL sound. The added Variable VCA drive control can give you the clean SuperAnalogue tone invoking the 9000 K console and can seamlessly transition to the raw grit and bite you hear from the FX384, reminiscent of the 4000 consoles—all via THAT 2181 VCAs.
The SSL Bus Comp Classic uses precision six-stepped controls for attack, ratio, release, and side-chain high-pass filtering with a bus compressor layout that should be familiar to any engineer. It’s a versatile machine, featuring genuine stereo external side-chain input to help facilitate creative compression techniques, such as the ability to affect individual stem bounces using the full mix as a side-chain source—the possibilities are up to you.
If you’re in the market for a top-of-the-line rack mount compression unit in a classic no-nonsense style, the new SSL Bus Compressor Classic is a no-brainer, giving you the vaunted SSL sound in a single unit.
