SSL4000 ... others?

[AC222]

I have both MH Channel Strip and the Waves SSL. I find MH CS to have a better sounding eq while the Waves SSl channel comp (though not as flexible) to give you more of the SSL smack.

[nIGhT-SoN]

Waves SSL sounds pretty good, but what I like the most is that it's using very little cpu power, it's almost not noticeable even on old cpus.

[AC222]

Waves SSL sounds pretty good, but what I like the most is that it's using very little cpu power, it's almost not noticeable even on old cpus.

Good point. The cpu usage is ridiculously low.

[meloco_go]

what do people think of the IK Multimedia T-Racks, liking the white channel and british channel, on special pricing at the moment

thanks

Using White Channels for a couple days and so far liking it. I also have VMR and so can compare.
The plus on the White Channel for me is gate. I use gates on drums quite a lot to change the tone and this one is quite nice, not much chatter and sort of "knocky" on the attack in a good way. So far no gates on the VMR at all. Among the entire Slate line there's gate only on Trigger 2 Platinum, which is of different kind of operation, very precise and transparent.
The other plus is low-pass filter. There are modules on the VMR but you have to purchase them separately or go for subscription.
On basic VMR you get a choice of two "normal" comps (one with two algos, so it's three models in total) and all button-in supersmash model, so there's more variants and they all have their character. There's more comps if you go for subscripton.
For White Channel there's one model which is not bad but nothing particularily special.
There are two EQ modules on basic VMR, I would say SSLs are on the same level (except WC has LPF as I said above), Slate has Neve type model as well. There's a switch for a different EQ type on WC.
WC is slightly more effective on CPU than Slate in my system @ 96k (loading EQ and dynamics modules on VMR and engaging EQ and dynamics on WC). WC adds latency (3 samples in low-latency mode, between 100 and 200 in oversampled), Slate is zero-latency.
All in all I quite like both. Probably would use WC is my main channel strip on and use VMR for different flavor if feel compelled to do so.

[tonymax]

what do people think of the IK Multimedia T-Racks, liking the white channel and british channel, on special pricing at the moment

thanks

Using White Channels for a couple days and so far liking it. I also have VMR and so can compare.
The plus on the White Channel for me is gate. I use gates on drums quite a lot to change the tone and this one is quite nice, not much chatter and sort of "knocky" on the attack in a good way. So far no gates on the VMR at all. Among the entire Slate line there's gate only on Trigger 2 Platinum, which is of different kind of operation, very precise and transparent.
The other plus is low-pass filter. There are modules on the VMR but you have to purchase them separately or go for subscription.
On basic VMR you get a choice of two "normal" comps (one with two algos, so it's three models in total) and all button-in supersmash model, so there's more variants and they all have their character. There's more comps if you go for subscripton.
For White Channel there's one model which is not bad but nothing particularily special.
There are two EQ modules on basic VMR, I would say SSLs are on the same level (except WC has LPF as I said above), Slate has Neve type model as well. There's a switch for a different EQ type on WC.
WC is slightly more effective on CPU than Slate in my system @ 96k (loading EQ and dynamics modules on VMR and engaging EQ and dynamics on WC). WC adds latency (3 samples in low-latency mode, between 100 and 200 in oversampled), Slate is zero-latency.
All in all I quite like both. Probably would use WC is my main channel strip on and use VMR for different flavor if feel compelled to do so.

thanks meloco_go

good review of the differences, ive bought waves SSL and the IK multimedia will have to play with that gating..

Tony

[simon.a.billington]

I would save and get Console 1 by softube, I think it offers better value.

Yeah, but Softube products have as downside such a tricky authorization policy, nowdays.

Not to mention the cost of their hardware and making some of your current purchases redundant.

I like the new UAD integration, but I'm hardly going to run out, buy a UAD DSP and replace plugins I already have on top of that.

It gets really bloody expensive.

I think I'll just save the cash and stick with my current investments which are quite sensational sounding as well. I literally save thousands opting to do this personally. So would many others with sizeable investments.

Mind you, I'm not saying that SoftTube or UAD make bad tech, quite the opposite actually. They make sensational sounding stuff too. But they don't actually own the "sensational sounding" category and there is heaps of other tech out there that is just as good.., just slightly different sounding.

So my point is really that when you have spent as much money on audio tech as I have it literally costs more to drop most of it and invest in another developer. You can't resell either because your older projects won't be backwards compatible.

To the OP I'd say this...

Consider a Console One if you have money to burn or stand to make it back from the money you earn from your investment. I'd say the same thing investing in UAD or anything else pricey. Make money from it first, THEN spend it. But only if you can afford making your current plugins redundant, for the most part.

Waves, Slate, IK, and others all make good sounding tech, each with strengths and weaknesses. The Waves sale is a great opportunity to pick up their channel strip emulations and a compressor for a really good price.

You could find similar elsewhere, probably for a better price. So maybe download some demos, drop them in a mix and test them back to back and see what sound and workflow you like the best. Make up your mind based a little more on your own opinion and less on others,

[sacer]

i demoed it yesterday and was realy impressed by cpu usage, compared to sound quality. Drums get very punchy and i also matched good results for synths. I mixed 3 songs with up to 24 tracks completly with the ssl bundle and got a good result compared for that short time. I wasn't in depth in one day, but i'll test it this week on more songs and think i'll buy it for $165 at audiodeluxe

[simon.a.billington]

i demoed it yesterday and was realy impressed by cpu usage, compared to sound quality. Drums get very punchy and i also matched good results for synths. I mixed 3 songs with up to 24 tracks completly with the ssl bundle and got a good result compared for that short time. I wasn't in depth in one day, but i'll test it this week on more songs and think i'll buy it for $165 at audiodeluxe

It's a great collection and delivers excellent results... in the right hands.

[poshook]

i demoed it yesterday and was realy impressed by cpu usage, compared to sound quality. Drums get very punchy and i also matched good results for synths. I mixed 3 songs with up to 24 tracks completly with the ssl bundle and got a good result compared for that short time. I wasn't in depth in one day, but i'll test it this week on more songs and think i'll buy it for $165 at audiodeluxe

Did you use 44100 or more?

[Arrested Developer]

what do people think of the IK Multimedia T-Racks, liking the white channel and british channel, on special pricing at the moment

I like both, the british and the white channel very much. The option to switch the EQ modes is very useful too.

[simon.a.billington]

I like and use these too. The B mode is very practical indeed. Trouble is I could never remember which mode was which!! Haha!!

I'd like to see a B mode per filter, that would be an awesome feature indeed. You'd be able to create a hybrid based on what you need at the time.

[AC222]

FYI, I have all of the Waves and IK packages. The eq imho is much better sounding on the IK package. But the cpu hit is pretty darn high for what it is while it is very efficient for the Waves. I definitely prefer the IK eq but really dig the Waves channel compressor and its lighter on the cpu. I use MH CS for my eq and Waves for the dynamics control. Wish the IK stuff was better with cpu-usage but for guitar amp sims the IK stuff is where its at

[sacer]

i demoed it yesterday and was realy impressed by cpu usage, compared to sound quality. Drums get very punchy and i also matched good results for synths. I mixed 3 songs with up to 24 tracks completly with the ssl bundle and got a good result compared for that short time. I wasn't in depth in one day, but i'll test it this week on more songs and think i'll buy it for $165 at audiodeluxe

Did you use 44100 or more?

44,1khz

[incubus]

what do people think of the IK Multimedia T-Racks, liking the white channel and british channel, on special pricing at the moment

I like both, the british and the white channel very much. The option to switch the EQ modes is very useful too.

I hate 'em

I really do, most IK is good, but I always thought that the eq was off, the comp was horrid and the gate was unusable.

Not like the 432 which is to die for imo.

[realmarco]

Ik multimedia's White channel isnt a SSl 4000 emulation

its a SSL X-logic rackmount channel-strip based on the SSL XL9000 mixer desk