SSL B-Series Dynamics 500 Module

The SSL 4000B was the first console ever manufactured by Solid State Logic. While only a handful of the consoles were built, they went to internationally respected facilities like Abbey Road Studios and the Stone Room of Virgin Records' Townhouse Studio in London; Le Studio in Montreal; and Record Plant in Los Angeles. Plenty of notable tracks, like Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" and Peter Gabriel's "Intruder" were recorded on SL 4000Bs, but what made it a landmark console was that it was one of the first to offer dynamics processing with its 611B Dynamics module installed at the top of every channel strip.

As deployed, this module offered a certain, unique sonic 'personality' and saturated compression style unavailable at the time--especially in transistorized standalone outboard units. At the time, having one on every channel was/is one of many unique attractions of the SSL console. (this was all before reliable, "good-sounding", computer-based DAW systems).

The SSL B-Dyn is the single-channel 611B module taken directly from the SSL 4000B console that has been physically re-sized and electronically modified to fit into a single slot of a 500-series rack. The only circuit enhancement/update is the addition of a switchable -6dB/Oct, 165Hz high-pass side-chain filter in the compressor section.

The B-Dyn 500 module matches the sound of the original 611B in listening tests made by Chris Jenkins, the original house engineer at Townhouse Studios. Chris Jenkins, now retired, as spent 40 years with SSL eventually becoming the Director of Commercial Applications.

The B-Dyn module uses a VCA "feedback" design with a peak detector in the sidechain. Now, with the exception of the SSL Bus Compressor, all SSL dynamic modules are "feed forward" designs and use the channel fader's VCA rather than its own dedicated VCA as the B-Dyn did. The later E Series channel dynamics sections use RMS side-chain detection, not peak, for hard-knee compression. The B Series are softer knee--a kind of "over-easy" sound because the original B Series Channel Dynamics used a long-obsolete dbx 202 Gold or Black Can VCA.

This new version uses the closest, surface-mount equivalent possible and SSL has even left the old VCA's connections on the circuit board etch and will provide the details and surrounding component changes required if someone wanted to "devolve" the sound by installing a vintage dbx 202 Gold or Black Can VCA.

In the SSL consoles, the control voltage going to the VCA is a summation of control voltages generated by the Gate/Expander, the Compressor/Limiter and any adjacent (slots) modules when linked together. Multi-channel linking is possible for an entire rack of eight B-Dyn modules for ATMOS, 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound productions.

Front Panel Controls And Metering

Starting at the top right of the front panel is the Link button. If your 500 Series Rack is so equipped, two adjacent modules will link together for stereo operation. I used a Fix Audio Designs Bucket 500 Series Rack and there is a jumper you would insert on the motherboard to interconnect the side-chain signals between adjacent modules. Linking is bi-directional; the module changing gain the most applies that change to the other module(s) to prevent stereo image shifting.

Also at the top are two columns of five LEDs each to indicate: gain reduction on the leftmost meter with red and yellow LEDs showing gain reductions of: 3, 6, 10, 14, and 20dB respectively. While the right column of six, green LEDs shows the operation of the Gate and Expander section when enabled.

Compressor/Limiter/De-Esser

The B-Dyn's updated design provides make-up gain automatically with better linearity in setting compression/limiter Threshold especially using the smaller-sized control knobs for this 500 version.

The compressor's rotary switch has ratios of: 2:1, 4:1, 10:1, plus a DS limiter ratio available with an Out position for bypassing the compressor entirely. Release times are fixed switch positions of: 200, 400, 800, and 1,600ms. There is also a program dependent Auto Release position similar to the Stereo Bus Compressor in the SSL console.

There is also a super-fast DS Release time position for the De-Esser function that varies between 30 and 50ms. The De-Esser Release time position is separate from the Ratio control's DS position so you may have a very fast release time set on the Release control and then use a low compression ratio at the same time.

Attack time is always fixed at about 30ms but if you use the DS Ratio position, the attack time goes down to a fast 2ms and that is faster than an E-Series 611E Dynamics module set to Fast. Lastly there is a HPF on/off switch that I mostly kept on (except for kicks and bass) because it has a gentle, -6dB/Oct 185Hz high-pass curve.

De-Esser Mode

The B-Dyn module is set to be strictly a De-Esser by switching BOTH the Ratio and Release rotary switches to DS. Now a De-Esser with a 10:1 ratio, it uses a boost at 7kHz in the side-chain.

I found the De-Esser very effective and smooth--my simple Rock N' Roll test is to crank the de-essing up so much that singer's 'S' starts to sound like a lisp or it just completely disappears. Then I would increase the threshold setting (less sensitive) until the vocal sounded more natural. Awesome!

Gate/Expander

The Gate/Expander section can work as a 20:1 gate or a 2:1 expander with the EXP button pushed. Range sets how "deep" the Gate shuts down: ranging from bypass and up to 35dB deep. The stack of six green LEDs offers a good visual representation of the action of either gating or expansion.

If you set the Compressor/Limiter's Threshold to +10dB and/or the Ratio to the Out position, the Gate/Expander can be used independently. Threshold on the Gate/Expander section ranges between -30DB and +10dB and becomes active only when the "In" button is selected. The Attack time of the Gate/Expander is internally fixed at 0.2ms while Release times are fixed rotary switch positions of: 100, 200, 400ms, 800ms and 1,600ms. I found both the Gate and Expander very useful for quickly controlling noisy sources--guitar amp noise or even unwanted room ambiences in the most natural sounding way.

In The Studio

First up was a mastering session for a few publishing song demos with loud vocals and basic backing tracks. I'm not a mastering engineer but making improvements and other changes on the overall sound of these rough mixes using two, linked SSL B-DYN compressors was easy, fast and effective.

I first applied a corrective EQ using FabFilter's Pro-Q3 inserted before the SSLs. The EQ lessen the amount of booming lower midrange and I also added a small (depending on the mix and song) 10kHz shelf boost that seemed to open these mixes up.

Sonnox ListenHub set to Normal on the stereo bus showed about a -10LUFS and at the loudest moments and I did experiment linking and unlinking the L/R channels to keep the loud lead vocal panned to the center at all times. Maximum gain reduction was not more than 1 yellow LED (3dB) maximum using a ratio of 4. I also found the 185 HPF was excellent keeping these bass heavy mixes from pumping too much. For this medium-tempo ballad, release time was best using the Auto position.

In this application, these two B-Series Dynamics 500 Modules sounded like the old SSL Stereo bus compressor because it is the same design: feedback with peak sensing and designed for controlling the main channel signal path. Another big sonic difference that separates the B-Dyn is that Peak detection improves the reaction time of the feedback design. This is very hearable: only an occasional single gain reduction LED lit up yet the overall sound was much fuller and richer without sounding too squashed.

Back when analog multi-track recordings without noise reduction systems were the norm, the Gate/Expanders in large-frame SSL consoles were handy for keeping the noise floor generated by either guitar amps and/or analog tape hiss much lower. 24 to 100 channel strips with flashing green LEDs showing gates opening and closing and also red/yellow gain reduction LEDs became the "hallmark look" of the SSL console.

For me, the SSL B-Series Dynamics 500 Module rekindles that look with solid, reliable operation that is fast become my first "go-to" utility compressor for its natural sound with strict control possible if required. It sounds like no other hardware or software dynamics controller. I own two of them now!

Barry Rudolph  Barry Rudolph is a recording engineer/mixer who has worked on over 30 gold and platinum award-winning records. He has recorded and/or mixed Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hall & Oates, Pat Benatar, Rod Stewart, The Corrs, Mick Jagger and Rick Rubin. A three-time Grammy-nominated engineer, Barry has his own futuristic music mixing facility called Tones 4 $ Studios. He is a lifetime Grammy-voting member of NARAS, the 'New Toys' columnist for LA's Music Connection Magazine and Contributing editor for Mix Magazine. Check out: www.barryrudolph.com     www.gearlust.com

Solid-State-Logic  Web: Solid-State-Logic B-Series Dynamics 500 Module Product: B-Series Dynamics 500 Module Price: $699 MSRP Pros: The perfect utility compressor with a unique sound Cons: None

Barry Rudolph is an L.A.-based recording engineer. Visit his Web site at: WWW.BARRYRUDOLPH.COM

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