Solid State Logic (SSL)

[Daniel_Isaiah]

Are any of you out there using these consoles?

I'm having trouble understanding how these massive studio boards work. You see them in all the big Studios around the world. Everbody thats somebody in this biz says mixing on an SSL board sounds better. Now, I realize that the board is analogue in such that the signal is being EQ'd, filtered, compressed all on the board before anything digital can even touch it....but...what does the board playback from? Do these boards have hard disks in them for audio playback and if so, what is the sample rate? ..I heard that you can bind them to pro-tools somehow....but I don't see anything on the digidesign site that has some sort of SSL driver. (I never heard of an SSL board being a control surface!!!) so what gives?? what's truly alalogue these days???

Thanks for any reply in advance!

[snoopy]

You just have all the individual analog outputs of your pt interfaces connected to the tape ins of the SSL so each channel plays each output ot pt. You then have all the console buss outputs connected to all the analog inputs of your PT interfaces. Since it's not digital there is not sample frequencies or anything like that and it in no way controls pro tools, other than machine control (transport) or sending SMPTE for PT to follow along with. It does have a clock that supports various sample frequencies for syncronization purposes. No drivers or anything like that.

If you have a PT system, don't you have some sort of small mixer to listen through? same thing, jsut bigger.

[tlester]

OH MY!!! What a SAD, SAD state we've come to. I can't believe that all these newbies and younger generation (and I'm not old... only 30) don't even know how basic signal flow works. They have been so saturated in the DAW world that they don't even understand how a console works.

An SSL is just a console. Nothing else. A DAW is just a multitrack with a lot of editing and mixing features. MOST pro's don't mix inside a DAW. They use a DAW to edit, do some processing, then they use it like a multi track. So... each track has an D/A output that goes to a line in on the console. Then the song is mixed on the console (not in the DAW).

It wasn't that long ago that mixing analog was our ONLY choice. I still prefer it, but unfortunately... so many "budget" studios have done away with nice sounding desks. I still do all my bigger projects that way. Actually... I still do my bigger projects to 2" Analog tape!

I know... what's Analog tape. I'm sure that's going to blow your mind, too [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

-Tom

[sugarfuzz]

Hey guys, I got a question...

I understand how PT is used with an analog desk, and why you would want to mix this way. I dont do it as of now, because I simply do not have the money for a desk of that quality right now.

I do however wonder if while you guys are mixing with these nice desk's..... Do you still take advantage of some of the plugins, automation, and other cool features of PT?

Thanks
Chad

[tlester]

Yes... I often will use EQ and some dynamics as well as other editing and processing that I want to do to a track (i.e. normalization, clean ups, etc).

The big desks automate faders and mutes, but that's about it. So... any automation that doesn't fall in that catagory I'll automate in the computer. Then I'll do all my volume and mute rides on the desk's automation.

I prefer to do effects to outboard gear from the desk.

-Tom

[sugarfuzz]

Thanks Tom.

I know that there is no right or wrong way.

Whatever sounds good!
I was just curious.

So tom, what do you do the majority of your mixes on?

You said earlier that you do bigger projects on a big desk, what about your smaller projects.

Chad

[Fletcher]

Originally posted by Daniel_Isaiah:
....but...what does the board playback from? Do these boards have hard disks in them for audio playback and if so, what is the sample rate?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Rumor has it that Gandi was once asked what he thought of Western Civilization... and that he said it would be a good idea...

I think he was right.

[tlester]

That's a loaded question. And one, I honestly don't know how to answer. If you can get the mix to sound like you want it to by mixing in the computer, then there is no need. If you can't, then you need to explore why.

For me... it's a matter of being more familiar with mixing analog. I'm used to the sound, the feel, etc... of course, part of the experience that I'm having is due to the fact that I'm also not mixing from Analog tape, which is also the format I'm used to. Will I get a good mix from the computer. Of course! I'm just having to learn as I go and work harder to get there.

Are you used to mixing in the computer? If so, an anlog console may not be neccessary for you. Do you desire the analog sound? Then you may want a high quality summing or line mixer to mix through. Or you may just want a full console.

My suggestion would be to try it and see. Take some projects to a studio that has a nice desk and try it out.

And if you REALLY want a treat, do an all analog session. Find a great room with a Studer A827 (my favorite) or an A800 (my next favorite) with a Neve or SSL. Track to analog, mix on analog w/ REAL outboard gear, and mix to a great 1/2" (ATR102). Of course... be prepared to have analog envy for the rest of eternity!

One bit of advice when you do this... take a band that is pretty tight. You don't have the experience that I do or someone that has been doing this for a while to cut (with a razor blade) sections into place, to comp takes real time, do manual punches, etc... All analog means now editing in the computer!

Good luck!

-t

[tlester]

All but one project that I've ever worked on have been on on big desks, and that's the project that I'm working right now.

I've been a bit spoiled. When I first start working (in NYC), I worked in big studios (Platinum Island, Baby Monster, Magic Shop, Spear, Sound on Sound, Right Track, Electric Lady, East Hill, etc..). There were occations that I worked in the pre-prod rooms (MIDI rooms) on smaller desks, but even then they were 48+ channels in the likes of API, Trident, etc...

So... I took a break from Audio, starting in 1998. I'm now starting back, but I CHOOSE my gigs now instead of taking whatever came along for a paycheck. I'm producing as well. I'm also in Colorado now, which doesn't have any really "BIG" rooms. I found a room that sounds AWESOME, but they mix in the computer. So... I'm mixing in the computer (Nuendo).

I have to tell you... it is SOOO MUCH harder to mix in the computer. It just doesn't sit as easy as with 2" and Analog. Latency sucks. I find myself processing a track then bouncing it to disk so I can KNOW that my track is in phase. I have a few bigger budget projects coming up soon. I may track here and take the tracks to some of the rooms I know in NYC.

I'm sure I'll get more comfortable with it in time, but if I had the budget, it would be mixed analog.

-Tom

[sugarfuzz]

Are there any consoles in the $15,000.00-$30,000.00 range, that would be of benefit to a mix in protools?