Which SSL 4000 emulation plugin is CPU friendly yet good sounding?

[s28]

Good sound to cpu ratio has got to be Sonimus Satson CS.

Very nice strip, it doesn't have the gate though. It does have changeable oversampling, a really decent eq, part of satson (the lovely 6db filters especially) and the G buss comp.

It's a great plugin all round, I like to use it on both channels and busses here and there.

[Milford]

I’ll toss one more in the ring, non-SSL, but the Boz Digital +10dB gets lots of good reviews, and is currently on sale at JRR Shop for $29. Code “FORUM” will get you another couple bucks off I believe.
I picked it up, but haven’t used it yet, so I can’t speak first hand...

[AGIGA]

bx_console + townhouse.

+1 You won´t regret it.
All the best!

[perpetual3]

Another vote for the PA 4000E, but I haven’t tried all of them - just the Waves and Sonimus. Here’s a nice skin for the PA 4000E I recently stumbled across on the Plugmon site. I prefer it to the original. Pretty easy to install and working fine for me so far.
https://plugmon.jp/sslightly-for-bx_console-ssl4000e/

Nice!

[perpetual3]

I’ll toss one more in the ring, non-SSL, but the Boz Digital +10dB gets lots of good reviews, and is currently on sale at JRR Shop for $29. Code “FORUM” will get you another couple bucks off I believe.
I picked it up, but haven’t used it yet, so I can’t speak first hand...

Totally under hyped. Not really SSL, but I actually like the compressor a lot more.

[s28]

I’ll toss one more in the ring, non-SSL, but the Boz Digital +10dB gets lots of good reviews, and is currently on sale at JRR Shop for $29. Code “FORUM” will get you another couple bucks off I believe.
I picked it up, but haven’t used it yet, so I can’t speak first hand...

Totally under hyped. Not really SSL, but I actually like the compressor a lot more.

It's a compex emulation i believe, I demoed it a while back and it is indeed very nice sounding. Definitely a different vibe to the SSL channel/buss.

[jens]

Yes, if it doesn't have to be SSL, then +10dB pisses all over most (if not all) of the others mentioned here in all regards...

[cowby]

Thanks for all the great input. It doesn't have to be solely 4000 series emulation suggestions as I only know many software developers make this kind of channel strip. Haven't research enough that there are some other CS plugins out there.

[Trancit]

I think, if somebody really is into channel strips nothing beats products like Slate´s VMR or PSP InfiniStrip with their variety...

[V0RT3X]

I've never actually worked with a SSL 4000, but I am enjoying the PA version.

I'd test the Softube version but I'm not fond of installing spylock on my computer again.

[jasonekratz]

Waves Scheps Omni Channel. Very well-regarded.

[ramseysounds]

Waves Scheps Omni Channel. Very well-regarded.

Love this on kick and snares

[MadDogE134]

just my 2 cents... i don't have a SSL console but i have compared the AA Sand3 to the UAD equivalent and i prefer the Sand. i don't think it is THAT hateful for what it is.. the strip uses about 13% of cycles on my system which ain't bad for what it does. even on medium to lighter systems you can always print the output, remove the strip and move on. i think it beats any algo version by leaps and bounds. but i will give a +1 to the townhouse bus comp... it sounds quite nice imo

as for other strips (other than the SSL) i am surprised Tobias' Lindell Audio 80 Series has not gotten a mention since many are tossing out non-SSL strip suggestions. it is based on a Neve console and sounds amazing imo for a console algo emulation.

cheers

p.s. FYI the Sand3 is on sale right now for i think 89 euros which is a fair price

[jamcat]

I own both the IK British Channel and the Slate FFG-S in VMR.
They sound pretty similar and I like them both.
Slate sounds a little more hyped than IK.

I use the IK as my goto strip on every channel right out of the box (or in the box, I should say.)
The reason comes down to preferring a standalone plugin to the virtual rack, and because for a while iLok was acting very fiddly for me on Windows, I think because a Windows 10 update broke ipv4, because Microsoft.

I've testdriven Waves and Brainworx. Didn't care for Waves compared to the others. Brainworx is also good, but doesn't bring anything new for the price of admission. TMT is cool in theory but negligible in practice. The one SSL emulation I haven't tried that I would really like to is the one from SSL.

CPU hit from Slate and IK emulations is pretty minimal.

[KIMCHRISTOPHER]

Waves Scheps Omni Channel. Very well-regarded.

Great. Fast and effective workflow, clean sound ... Those were the characteristics at the time, which made SSL what it has become ...