Built around THAT 2181 VCAs, the 1U unit adds a continuously variable VCA Drive and a true stereo external side-chain input.
Solid State Logic has launched Bus Comp Classic, a dedicated 1U version of its SSL Bus Compressor, a design the company says has helped shape the sound of countless records over more than five decades.
The unit is built to preserve the original’s workflow while adding a new control called Variable VCA Drive.
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Classic design
At its heart are high-performance THAT 2181 VCAs in the audio path, paired with SSL’s side-chain architecture, which includes a VCA within its feedback loop. SSL says the combination delivers the responsive, musical behaviour of the original, with transients staying defined and controlled while individual elements move and breathe together.
Variable VCA Drive
The new Variable VCA Drive is a single, continuously variable control that covers different eras of SSL console character. With the drive switched out, the compressor offers the low-distortion clarity and powerful transient response SSL associates with its SuperAnalogue lineage, including the 9000 Series and Duality consoles. Turning it up progressively introduces the harmonic colour of the FX384 and the classic 4000 Series, from subtle console richness through to aggressive saturation approaching 10% THD.
Controls and side-chain
Bus Comp Classic keeps the immediate SSL workflow, with precision-stepped controls for Ratio, Attack, Release and the side-chain high-pass filter, designed for fast operation, accurate manual recall and repeatable results. The Ratio and Release options have been expanded, including the soft-knee 2:1 ratio, and SSL Auto Release is on board for program-dependent behaviour.
A six-position side-chain high-pass filter is there to protect the depth and impact of kick drums and bass. There’s also a true stereo external side-chain input, which lets engineers feed the complete mix to the detector while processing individual stems separately, preserving more of the mix’s gain-reduction movement across alternate versions and deliverables.
SSL positions Bus Comp Classic for everything from stereo mix and music-bus compression to instrument groups, drums and creative parallel chains.
Key features
- THAT 2181 VCAs and the SSL side-chain architecture
- Continuously variable VCA Drive, up to approaching 10% THD
- Expanded Ratio and Release options with SSL Auto Release
- Precision six-position stepped controls for Ratio, Attack, Release and side-chain HPF
- Six-position side-chain high-pass filter
- True stereo external side-chain input
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