Waves SSL Channel vs Metric Halo Channel Strip

[luctellier]

I've been working for a while using Waves SSL Channel on my drum channel (Kick, Snare, Toms, Overheads, Hi-Hat) and I never been dissapointed but it takes a lot of CPU though... I just visited the Metric Halo website and found the Channel Strip interesting. I was wondering if any of you compared it to the Waves SSL Channel and also if the Metric Halo plugin is less agressive on the CPU than the Waves.

[karl]

Channelstrip is great on drums, particularly the compressor. Just be aware there is no hard date on when there will be accel chip or UB compatibility.

[jeronimo]

I thought ChannelStrip UB was already out...

[DanRock101]

Ok, all you MH & Waves users (oh yeah UAD 1/2 users too), that have comp'd both. How do the effects/plugs of the Metric Halo DSP , Waves & UA compare. Thoughts?

[xgabrielx]

I think the Waves SSL channelstrip is very CPU friendly today

[wakestyle]

yup, if you think waves channel is intensive, you need to upgrade to quad-core( or dual core).

[ProducerBoy]

Haven't tried MH's channel strip, but the UAD 88rs stomps the Waves SSL. Just discovered that ugly truth tonight after demoing the 88rs. I guess the SSL is getting demoted to background synths.

[Markus Stock]

I used to use MH Channelstrip when I was still in PT 5.1. I loved - essential to everything I did, particular drums. Nowadays I am using SSL E Channel and can compare them pretty well. The E-Channel is a tad more agressive and full in the lowend whereas the MH Halo Channelstrip is a little more open sounding. Both share very similiar characteristics though. Similiar great gate, similiar snappy compressor and absolutely usable EQ. I think you can interchange them pretty much and won't miss the other too much, if that SSL Snap is what you are looking for. The MH Channelstrip may be a tad more flexible, though!

[psycho_monkey]

Originally Posted by ProducerBoy

Haven't tried MH's channel strip, but the UAD 88rs stomps the Waves SSL. Just discovered that ugly truth tonight after demoing the 88rs. I guess the SSL is getting demoted to background synths.

Its a totally different sounding eq....there's definitely a place for both.

[ProducerBoy]

Originally Posted by psycho_monkey

Its a totally different sounding eq....there's definitely a place for both.

I agree. I just have never liked boosting the mids or highs on the Waves SSL. Subtractive EQ, Low end boost, and the dynamics section are nice. For my purposes, the 88rs just outperforms.

[maxiemixer]

I use Channel strip since a long time as in the box substitute for SSL for In the box mixing and I always found it adequate. The double precision eq sounds really wel and is far more frexible than the standard ssl eq. I never used the waves plugin. Maybe in the future I would consider buying it but it's too expensive so I'll stick with the metric halo where i can replicate all my tricks including all the side chain stuff (even better actually since I don't have to loose some eq for the side chain)
I can say that MH channel strip is quite powerful
Built for Pro Tools
ChannelStrip 2.2 is a complete overhaul of our 56k DSP code and Pro Tools plugin implementation. Redesigned from the ground up to take advantage of all the modern features and technologies of Pro Tools 7.3 while still providing support for earlier versions of Pro Tools, ChannelStrip for Pro Tools is now Universal Binary and supports all Pro Tools hardware including:

• Mix
• HD
• Accel PCI — All DSP types
• Accel PCIe — All DSP types

ChannelStrip also includes RTAS support, which means that you can seamlessly move your processing between the TDM DSPs and the native processor on your workstation. (from the metric halo website)

[markham]

Holy thread-resurrection, Batman!

[PatM01231]

I've been using this plug-in for a while now, but mainly just for the EQ section. I'm not sure what it is, but for some reason I just cannot get the compressor to work like I want it to. Always alters the sound too much. So my go to set up has been ChannelStrip EQ and then the SmackLE compressor. Anyone have any good tips for the compressor? I feel fairly confident with my understanding and use of compression, but I just cannot get this plug to work to its full extent for me.

[RiF]

Originally Posted by ProducerBoy

I agree. I just have never liked boosting the mids or highs on the Waves SSL. Subtractive EQ, Low end boost, and the dynamics section are nice. For my purposes, the 88rs just outperforms.

The 88RS is great and more versatile, but I really love boosting the highs with the Waves SSL Channel. That agressive, yet pleasing highs are unique! The overall EQ of the SSL Channel is very usable, but I find the compressor very one-trick-ponyesque. I never got my head around the fast-attack-mode of the compressor and wished it had an adjustable attack time. The SSL's gate is fantastic.

[karl]

Originally Posted by PatM01231

I've been using this plug-in for a while now, but mainly just for the EQ section. I'm not sure what it is, but for some reason I just cannot get the compressor to work like I want it to. Always alters the sound too much. So my go to set up has been ChannelStrip EQ and then the SmackLE compressor. Anyone have any good tips for the compressor? I feel fairly confident with my understanding and use of compression, but I just cannot get this plug to work to its full extent for me.

Make sure you use the compressor in fast mode if you are going for drums. Then just the usual stuff in bringing the threshold right down when selecting the attack speed. The ability to adjust the attack in ms is the biggest advantage with CS over Waves SSL for me.