SSL announces Duende PCIe

Hot on the heels of the portable Duende Mini unit (launched in Jan 2008 and showing for the first time in Europe), Musikmesse sees the launch of Duende PCIe. Duende puts the legendary SSL sound inside your workstation hardware and makes harnessing the power of the Duende Plug-Ins more integrated than ever. PCIe is a high bandwidth, half length, full height slot-in PCIe card that works in both PCs and Macs. This card is ideal for those who work with lots of external firewire equipment, or those who want to integrate their SSL processing and workstation into a single case unit.

Duende PCIe will be demonstrated at Musikmesse in Hall 5.1 on Stand# B.75.

Duende PCIe matches the processing power of its 19" Classic Duende sister with a stack of DSP processing power available to drive up to 32 channels of plug-in processing (at sample rates up to 96kHz) within your host application. You can run two Duende PCIe units on a single computer system for up to 64 channels of processing, it can also partner with firewire connected Duende Mini or Classic to achieve increased channel processing count.

Duende is based on the powerful DSP technology behind SSL's acclaimed C-Series digital consoles and Duende PCIe ships with the EQ and Dynamics Channel and the Duende Bus Compressor plug-ins.

EQ and Dynamics Channel

The EQ and Dynamics Channel provides a single plug-in slot EQ & Dynamics processing solution with all the power and processing flexibility of an SSL console channel.

Key Features Include:

• 4-band EQ, two shelving and two parametric sections.
• Variable low-pass and high-pass filter.
• Switchable EQ characteristics between E Series and G Series EQ.
• "Over-Easy" soft ratio compression characteristic for smooth transitions.
• Variable process order routing.
• Dynamics side-chain processing with independent side chains for compressor and expander/gate.

Duende Stereo Bus Compressor

The Duende Bus Compressor delivers the punch and drive of the classic SSL Master Bus Compressor, a key element of many legendary recordings. Widely regarded as 'audio glue' for a mix, its sound is an essential component in creating a great mix. The centre section compressor from SSL's 1980's G Series analogue console is an audio production legend. It is the secret behind countless classic recordings. It is a simple unit with a simple purpose; it makes complete mixes sound bigger, with more power, punch and drive. It brings cohesion and strength to your mix without compromising clarity.

PCIe also ships with fully functional trial versions of the growing portfolio of plug-ins available for the Duende platform. Other Plug-ins available include Drumstrip, X-EQ and X-Comp.

Duende Plug-ins are compatible with any VST, AudioUnit or RTAS* host application. (*RTAS supported through the use of VST-RTAS wrapper).

Duende PCIe will be available worldwide through selected SSL Resellers from April 2008 with a MSRP of £600 + Local Tax.