AES = New large SSL desk

[leaker]

Reliable sources have it that SSL (Solid State Logic) will launch a new desk at AES San Francisco, with their Super Analogue technology.

It seems the price tag would be about half the price of an XL9000K.

Rumour also has it that it offers more automation and controls third-party workstations in a similar way as the AWS-900.

It would only be available in "large" framesizes (48 and more).

Wait and see...

[TonyBelmont]

There's another thread about this...

[drew]

yes, it's coming. Only a few days left now. DAW layer, Analog layers, centrally assignable Bussing like the Axiom, dual LCDs coming up over the meterbridge.....

[theother]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

There's another thread about this...

where?

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by theother

where?

http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.php?t=49447

[~ufo~]

seems to me that thread has passed up on this subject four score and a fortnight ago.

thanks for the heads up tho

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by ~ufo~

seems to me that thread has passed up on this subject four score and a fortnight ago.

thanks for the heads up tho

There was another one about a week ago in High End, but I don't have time to look it up...

[SnakeCained]

I'm sure its just a rumour.

Can't believe that SSL would make a new console without asking me

Sounds like a good product with the right balance of features for a modern board buyer.

I guess E, and G owners have to replace them with something?

any 5.1 stuff? whats the deal with the lcd screen, has it got more than one?

AES sluts I want pictures! If you can get pass the ssl doormen........

[woodworm]

I guess these are the other two related threads:
SSL rumours
Rumours about new SSL console?

[MGA]

From the Mix Mag AES guide:

SOLID STATE LOGIC DUALITY: SSL’s new Duality console is a large-format analog music mixing console for those who love analog but work with digital. Designed to closely integrate with your workstation, Duality offers split signal path, Variable Harmonic Drive mic amp, E and G equalizers, peak or over-easy compression, VCA-style or moving fader automation, and multiple stereo or 5.1-channel panning—all with the SuperAnalogue K Series sound. AES booth #610.

[djui5]

Originally Posted by MGA

From the Mix Mag AES guide:

SOLID STATE LOGIC DUALITY: SSL’s new Duality console is a large-format analog music mixing console for those who love analog but work with digital. Designed to closely integrate with your workstation, Duality offers split signal path, Variable Harmonic Drive mic amp, E and G equalizers, peak or over-easy compression, VCA-style or moving fader automation, and multiple stereo or 5.1-channel panning—all with the SuperAnalogue K Series sound. AES booth #610.

It's about f'n time!!

[~ufo~]

Originally Posted by MGA

From the Mix Mag AES guide:

SOLID STATE LOGIC DUALITY: SSL’s new Duality console is a large-format analog music mixing console for those who love analog but work with digital. Designed to closely integrate with your workstation, Duality offers split signal path, Variable Harmonic Drive mic amp, E and G equalizers, peak or over-easy compression, VCA-style or moving fader automation, and multiple stereo or 5.1-channel panning—all with the SuperAnalogue K Series sound. AES booth #610.

Cool,

can't find anything about it elsewhere, but it sure sounds interesting.
I wonder if NEVE are gonna release something to compete with this.
Since PT ambassador Tom Misner now owns NEVE I would think so.

exciting times for us analogue console loving engineers !

[~ufo~]

Originally Posted by djui5

It's about f'n time!!

don't keep frigging beating me to the chase Randy or we'll have to take it outside! tutt

you eager little beaver you

[Lindell]

Originally Posted by djui5

It's about f'n time!!

Dunno about that.....I just can't see an increase in large format console sales
Funny name "Duality", shouldn't it be Durability

Wonder what that "split signal path" means....?

[Lindell]

Originally Posted by ~ufo~

Cool,

I wonder if NEVE are gonna release something to compete with this.

Januari

[DrDeltaM]

Originally Posted by Lindell

Wonder what that "split signal path" means....?

Inline?

[Lindell]

aaand a picture

[HDGuru]

48 channel will be around 300k. It plugs into the wall, and draws 15amps
Default eq curve is E type w/ G type selectable. So much more to tell, but you'll have to wait.

[Lindell]

copied from Mix:


“The ‘Duality’ name comes from the many choices this console offers in terms of EQ, dynamics and topology,” says SSL's director of commercial applications, Chris Jenkins. “Whether in terms of the console's control or signal processing aspects, users have a choice of flavors.”

Offered in 48, 72 and 96-fader versions with integral DAW control, Duality may simply seem like an expanded AWS900, but this new mixer takes the console/controller concept to the next level. “The layout is similar to the AWS, but each channel strip features a full, 6-band, switchable SSL E/G equalizer,” Jenkins explains. “It has dynamics on every channel. The compressor follows the 9000 version, but in keeping with its Duality name, offers either an over-easy true RMS sidechain for transparent compression or a peak-sensing, hard-knee sidechain and linear release curve for a more exaggerated effect. It's like having two completely different compressor sections in each channel strip. The gate/expander has a variable release with a fixed hold, which can be switched to a variable hold with a fixed release. You get the best of both worlds without cluttering the front panel with too many knobs.”

According to Jenkins, one of Duality's major innovations is the Split-Channel Path, which enables the channel processing to be placed in the input or monitor path of your DAW. “We're not really limited by track count in terms of the recording medium anymore, and when tracking, most people put every signal on its own track,” says Jenkins. “We came up with the concept of inserting the workstation into the channel strip. Users can choose whether the feed to the workstation — essentially the channel output — is either pre- or post-processing. And we have the split mode, which inserts the workstation's return into the channel strip, so you can monitor off the workstation either with the processed signal going to, or on the return of, the workstation.”

On the DAW control side, Duality is similar to the AWS900, but offers full 32-fader control of Pro Tools and up to 96 faders of control for programs such as Steinberg Nuendo and Apple Logic that support the Mackie Control protocol. A digitally controlled gain element in each channel can switch the motorized faders to control any workstation while retaining the analog signal path. Channel rotary encoders provide direct control of DAW pans, sends, input and output routing.

Duality's multiple 12-inch TFT displays show high-res metering, status, routing and more. “It can display an EyeconiX picture of what's being recorded — either the person playing on the track or a picture of the instrument,” says Jenkins. “This is common on applications as simple as GarageBand, but has not been used on consoles yet. We also incorporated some of the graphics from our C100 and C300 digital mixers. You can look at the meter bridge and see exactly how your channels are configured, what processing is active, what the processing order is, where the workstation send points are and where the workstation signals are returned to.”

The console doesn't have a keyboard for naming and instead uses a Web browser interface. “Logging in to the console's IP address from a Web browser, you can upload icons and do labeling from the same PC as your workstation or another one,” Jenkins adds. “Then you can easily archive automation data or recall setups on the same media as the workstation data.”

Duality is equally at home doing stereo or surround. “This is the first analog 5.1 console that offers a fully variable, center focus control,” he continues. “This center-channel divergence control is continuously variable from hard center to phantom center and everything in between, so users can fine-tune exactly how the center image is generated. There's a dedicated LFE send, so you have six buses for the main mix buses. There are also 24 track buses, so you could create five discrete 5.1 stems from the board.”

As far as sound goes, Duality provides the clarity of SSL's SuperAnalogue™ straight-wire sonic performance, but with a choice of multiple sonic signatures, such as Variable Harmonic Drive™ (VHD). Incorporated in each channel strip, VHD was developed by SSL's chief analog designer, Dave Mate, who created a circuit that has a tube-type overload characteristic. “You can vary the harmonic content from odd to very musical, even harmonics,” says Jenkins. “Also, a post-preamp gain trim lets users cascade gain sections to drastically alter the incoming signal, almost like a guitar amp. You can add valve warmth or you can make it sound extremely gritty, if that's what you want.”

Jenkins notes that one challenge was keeping Duality's physical size under control in spite of all the additional features. “We've managed to keep the center section fairly compact — 12 faders wide — and the console's front-to-back depth is small enough that I can reach the back of a module without getting out of my seat. It's a nice form factor that looks impressive without being a battleship.”

Duality pricing begins at less than $200,000 for a 48-frame version, making it a viable alternative to an older E , G or J Series console. Other than the number of channels (48, 72 or 96), options are few, but include 12-degree wings for the extra channels and a choice of patchbays. Duality is now shipping. The first board went to a Japanese studio last month and other pre-launch orders are in production.

[Lindell]

Originally Posted by Lindell

According to Jenkins, one of Duality's major innovations is the Split-Channel Path, which enables the channel processing to be placed in the input or monitor path of your DAW. “We're not really limited by track count in terms of the recording medium anymore, and when tracking, most people put every signal on its own track,” says Jenkins. “We came up with the concept of inserting the workstation into the channel strip. Users can choose whether the feed to the workstation — essentially the channel output — is either pre- or post-processing. And we have the split mode, which inserts the workstation's return into the channel strip, so you can monitor off the workstation either with the processed signal going to, or on the return of, the workstation.”

"major innovations"..... what the ?÷†®é?¸......Uhmmm.....ok.....for us deadly, this is called INLINE and has been used in consoles since 1977 or something!!!??

[clip6]

This must be what Calum Malcolm crated up his new AWS900 for. I hope you can sit on it like a 4k.

[Anderson]

Originally Posted by Lindell

"major innovations"..... what the ?÷†®é?¸......Uhmmm.....ok.....for us deadly, this is called INLINE and has been used in consoles since 1977 or something!!!??

DOH!

Heavy thinking going on at SSL. Welcome to 1977 then!

[woodworm]

Originally Posted by Lindell

"major innovations"..... what the ?÷†®é?¸......Uhmmm.....ok.....for us deadly, this is called INLINE and has been used in consoles since 1977 or something!!!??

err, yes, in essence.

But I smell a rat in this case: nowhere in the description do they talk about multitrack routing busses. I guess that routing to the WS is done via channel direct outs, and there's an input on each channel for the monitoring path, physically located in the same strip as the input path. The advantage would be increased S/N ratio with the absence of multitrack routing.

Continuing the guess, the signal processing would be applied either pre- the channel direct out or or post- the monitor input return.

All in all, we're not talking "in-line" stricto-sensu as we knew it. And just because I'm an anorak, I think I can remember that in-line consoles were introduced by MCI (or was it Harrisson) before 1977 -- but some info digging is needed.

EDIT

Bingo! It was MCI, but I am forgiven for the confusion:

According to http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_jeep_harned/index.html

Later, a Nashville audio dealer named Dave Harrison, who later founded Harrison Consoles, came to Harned with an idea of a console with in-line (as opposed to “split”) monitoring. In 1972, the MCI JH400 Series — the first in-line console — was born.

[Threshold]

I think I might want one of these.

Threshold.stike

[Anderson]

Originally Posted by Lindell

Wonder what that "split signal path" means....?

Seems like the "Duality" might have actually just one channel per strip, not one short fader path and a long fader path like in the In-Line consoles we use.

There is only one physical path, and you pbly can insert the DAW either right after the mic/line amp for ex, or further in the path, after EQ & Comp (?). I see it as a send return loop to the DAW that you can configure freely within the strip. So I guess there must be a possibility to adjust the input gain at many stages (?).

MIC/LINE---- (DAW Send/return 1) ---- EQ ---- DYN ---- (Daw Send/return 2) ---- FADER


If it's well done, then there should be a toggle switch allowing to switch from "monitoring mode" to "mix mode" on all channels and a global one. Otherwise it's going to be a PITA to use ...

[vixapphire]

does the new duality console use the same surface-mount components on its boards as the AWS and the SSL rackmount gear or are higher quality components used?

if so, should the difference in cost result in a reduced end-user price, or would that violate the marketing dept's principles?

is there any tangible/noticeable difference in sound, or is the controversy around the switch to these cheaper components (to the extent there is a controversy) a tempest in a teapot?

does the switch to surface mount have anything to do with the upcoming EU (and California) ban on lead-content goods (i.e. stuff that involves using lots of old fashioned solder to manufacture)?

i may have all the wrong assumptions, but would be grateful if anyone has any thoughts on the foregoing. and, as always, please correct me if i'm wrong...

see you all on saturday; having convinced the wife that a trip to AES is a great mini-vacation/getaway, we're driving up to SF tomorrow! while she's cruising around town, i'll hopefully be meeting many of the slutz in person @ the convention. see you there!

vic

[Jules]

GS was there first! (as usual!)

[Jules]

Schwiiiiing!

£110,000

[Jules]

More info

[Jules]

Its LARGE!