KVR Audio

Funkybot · Post by **Funkybot** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:02 pm

I saw this on the front page this morning and I'm surprised it doesn't have more of a buzz about it. We're talking real SSL EQ and Comps along with a DSP unit for the processing and it's actually reasonably priced (for SSL anyway as it'll probably retail around 2k USD at least). At first glance this is almost as attractive as the aging UAD-1, and certainly seems to beat the pants off that similar Focusrite unit. It's good to see hardware and software finally integrating properly.

nuffink · Post by **nuffink** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:05 pm

I'm waiting for Dubase and Davelab to come out.

jupiter8 · Post by **jupiter8** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:14 pm

The SSL unit to me seems not so desirable.Compared to the other 2 it "only" does one flavour of SSL eq and comp.And the Focusrite has the controller. One UAD card can't probably compete with the DSP load on either of those boxes but OTOH you get a shitload of UADs for that money.If you can run 'em all is another matter.

But in the end 2 of those products are'nt out yet. So noone knows yet what they'll sounds like.Which at least i think is what matters.

Although i do agree with you that the lack of buzz is a bit odd. But it probably don't appeal to most people around here.

Vocalvoodoo · Post by **Vocalvoodoo** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:39 pm

There is a little more talk about it here...

http://gearslutz.com/board/showthread.p ... ght=Duende

Since1980 · Post by **Since1980** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:50 pm

When I first heard about the Liquid Mix I was very excited until bManic shed some light on how it performs. But considering how much I liked the free SSL talkback compressor vst for what it does, I'm sure SSL would not dissapoint.

This is the best way for companies to combat piracy, so I'm all for it. Plus this puts pressure on UAD to come out with a stronger card(competition is good). If this is successful, you will probably see more hardware companies do this.

But we have to wait to hear it...

kritikon · Post by **kritikon** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 10:55 pm

I read the news, and the combination of platform and price just didn't offer me anything.

Like you say...I can get a UAD with some tasty Eq emulations and some great dynamics - and I can render if CPU becomes an issue. Having 32 channels of Eq dynaimcs just isn't a big issue for me. CPU glitches? - render. Problem solved. a UAD Flexipak is at least a third of the price - probably more like a quarter.

Focusrite...what is it? $500 or something - again that seems like a good deal compared.

So the SSL is basically a PT, Soundscape type thing, from what I can see. It could well be good competition even. The blurb says it'll take AU, VST, RTAS...that's a bloody good improvement over PT at least. But remember...this is a forum with people who mostly use PC (or Mac) DAWS. The SSL might be a great investment for a studio or anyone who does music solely as a living...but on here, we're mostly into PCs (or Macs, for the intellectually but not materially impaired

). We're not going to spend a couple of grand, when we can get equivalent in native or even DSP card s/w for a fraction of the cost.

Now let me see...for $600 I can get full Pultec Eq on the UAD platform (that includes the h/w and the s/w). For $500 I can get Focusrite Eq from all over the globe and throughout history. For $2000 and probably alot more, I can get SSL Eq...straight-forward choice to me. 1+2 still does not = 3. I don't see how it can appeal to your average PC DAW user...

But then...I don't think it's aimed at us...which is maybe why we're not interested?

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 11:02 pm

hehe, the dubase and duendo joke was good.

Anyway, I was gonna post a thread about this, was waiting for someone else to do it though.

I am actually looking forward to it. Won't be able to buy it or anything

But I'll definitely take a trip to SSL new york to play with it.

Since1980 · Post by **Since1980** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:01 am

kritikon, you make alot of great points, especially the SSL being geared more towards "a studio."

BTW, from the early information the Uad/Neve 1073 is only getting 6 mono/4 stereo instances on the current Uad-1 card. So 32 instances at 96khz on the SSL card is one hell of a deal. But obviously you get more variety with Uad, but the Uad doesn't have a SSL Buss compressor.

BTW I think the Liquid Mix is $800...

Funkybot · Post by **Funkybot** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:43 am

Let's face it, the UAD is looking a little long in the tooth nowadays power wise, but I'll be damned if those plug-ins don't look sweet and I've yet to find someone who can't find nice things to say about them (minus Eric from Bomb Factory of course). SSL also certainly scores initial wow points for being such a major player to enter this market with such a good looking product on paper (we'll see how stable, well supported and expanded upon this is). It seems like most similar attempts by big name players have always been underpowered, underspec'd, and like they all just fell short of being really good well implemented ideas, I don't get this vibe from the SSL press release. In fact, UA is the only company who I think can compete but the fact that there's still no word on a UAD-2 isn't helping them any. Basically though, since SSL has gone VST it's going to help further legitimize the format, for both other companies as well as for those professionals who've been using stuff like SSL consoles and bitching that software just can't compete with hardware. The popularity of DSP solutions is gonna shut a lot of people up.

And even 2k for this unit isn't insane. That price puts it above the heads of a lot of younger hobbiests, but it's certainly not out of reach for everyone. Hell, most studio owners would probably even tell you that if they could afford an SSL console they'd put that money towards buying a house instead. So this provides an option there as well.

As for Liquid Mix, with what's been said about the compression in the thread here is disappointing, and I'm not sure how much I like the idea of convolution (be it dynamic or not) over a good EQ algo. This could be a situation where one might just be paying a premium for quality. Maybe not. All I know is that both of those units will inevitably end up furthering the cause, and perhaps the next set of DSP/VST releases will come from Eventide or Lexicon. Doors are being opened all around us.

Let's face it, dongles are here to stay...BUT if I'm going to have to use a dongle to have access to the best software being released, then I'd at least prefer that dongle to be a DSP solution and not a USB lock.

TotcProductions · Post by **TotcProductions** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 2:57 am

I still want a UAD-1, does that count a testament to it's appeal?

Of course, if anyone owning one feels it doesn't live up to their requirements and wants to hand over...contact info is on my webpage.

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:37 am

From a a Gearslutz member(jdunn)in that thread

It's interesting to me that they've already licensed the native SSL plugins to Waves, and now they come out with this. Wasn't their main reason for working with Waves the fact that Waves has expertise in programming plugins for multiple formats?

I have to wonder if Duende will simply run the Waves programmed plugins with a slightly different GUI, as shown above. Or perhaps these will sound better. Waves was probably concerned with keeping the CPU usage low, while that won't be an issue with Duende, as it has dedicated DSP.

I was wondering the same exact thing.

Kingston · Post by **Kingston** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 3:58 am

Apparently the SSL gadget has nothing to do with waves. The waves thing was SLL name licencing deal to help with waves marketing.

Still, it doesn't hurt to be suspicious. I am.

kenn michael · Post by **kenn michael** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 4:42 am

the waves SSL bundle emulates the 4000 series SSL console compressor and eq... SSL's Duende is literally the same algos from their digital consoles - basically the XL9000 series sound.... which KILLS the 4000 series (more open top and low end, etc...). most hit records mixed on SSLs today are mixed on the 9000s and those digital algos are what's in Duende... i'm really excited!

Sequent · Post by **Sequent** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 5:32 am

Well, if you go to the ssl site you will find that there is nada there about Duende. Nada, zip... So, if they're not talking about it, why should we bother?

Unless they've updated things since this morning...

Alan · Post by **Alan** » Tue Apr 04, 2006 6:18 am

kenn michael wrote:SSL's Duende is literally the same algos from their digital consoles - basically the XL9000 series sound....

Ok,now were talking. Hearing it and FW/performance remains a question at the moment,but I'm optimistic and very interested.

No One's Talking About SSL's Duende?