Musikmesse 2014SSL announces X-Saturator, X-ValveComp and X-Phase Duende Native Plug-ins (+AAX & iLok support)

Solid State Logic has announced a trio of major new developments for their Duende Native range of plug-ins at Prolight + Sound 2014 (Hall 8, Stand L80). The three new plug-ins complement the existing range with two plug-ins, X-Saturator and X-ValveComp, designed to bring some analogue saturation and distortion emulation to your digital DAW and the third, X-Phase, delivering high precision frequency specific phase correction. The new plug-ins are due for public release by May 1, 2014. To coincide with the new plug-in release, SSL has announced migration of the entire Duende Native plug-in collection to the iLok copy protection system. SSL has also announced a summer release for AAX versions of the entire suite.

"We're excited to bring these new tools to the Duende family. Like the others in the Duende range, the new plug-ins are a mix of easy-to-use sound sweeteners and technical problem-solvers," says Jim Motely, Head of Business for Workstation Partner Products at SSL. "By responding to our customers' requests to move to what many see as the industry-standard copy protection system, we hope to ensure that using Duende plug-ins is as simple an experience as possible."

X-Phase
£199, €249 and $329 +Tax

X-Phase is an All-pass Filter plug-in that offers manual control and benchmark audio quality. It enables the user to apply a phase shift (sometimes called a phase offset) at a specified frequency within a signal. Unlike other filter types where the gain of selected frequencies is altered, with an All-pass Filter, the gain remains unchanged throughout the signal. This is useful for fixing phase problems with microphones when recording (ex: overheads causing phase problems when mixed with close mics). With X-Phase, the controls are simple, a Frequency control selects the desired frequency where a phase offset needs to be applied, a Q control sets the slope of the curve of correction to be applied across the signal and a phase invert button enables the phase of the filter to be flipped 180 degrees. A separate Delay section is applied to the entire signal for broader time alignment. The Delay controls consist of a delay control which can be set to display and adjust in seconds, milliseconds, samples, metres or feet and a set of buttons for fine tuning. The overall plug-in can be used in mono or stereo modes. X-Phase can be automated via standard DAW Automation data and has A&B Preset 'slots' with an A/B switch for easy comparison of two different combinations of settings. There are Input and Output Meters with Input and Output Level controls.

X-Saturator
£69, €89 and $119 +Tax
Special introductory pricing of £49, €59 and $85 + Tax for the first 30 days only

X-Saturator delivers a stunning range of analogue style distortion effects. It is an emulation of an analogue circuit that introduces either 2nd order valve style or 3rd order transistor style distortion, or a blend of the two. At low drive settings, the distortion is mild and can add gentle warming to help instruments sit nicely in a mix or to add a little extra edge to help instruments cut through a mix. As drive levels are increased, so too is the level of distortion, until high drive levels at which heavy distortion occurs. The controls are simple, a Harmonics control selects 2nd or 3rd order distortion, or a blend of the two; a Drive control sets the drive level; a Depth control adjusts the amplitude of the distortion and a Shape control adjusts whether the distortion has smooth or hard edges. A Headroom button provides an additional 6dB of headroom for creating heavily boosted/distorted signals without digital clipping. A dedicated wet/dry mix control facilitates parallel processing. There are Input and Output Meters and Input and Output Level controls. X-Saturator can be automated via standard DAW Automation data and has A&B Preset 'slots' with an A/B switch for easy comparison of two different combinations of settings.

X-ValveComp
£69, €89 and $119 +Tax
Special introductory pricing of £49, €59 and $85 + Tax for the first 30 days only

X-ValveComp is a fully-featured mono or stereo channel compressor with a full set of classic channel compressor controls and an added 'valve' emulation stage. The valve emulation stage sits after the compressor in the signal path and adds a variable degree of primarily 2nd order harmonic saturation and distortion that thickens and colours the sound. The compressor can be switched between Peak or RMS modes and has a full set of standard controls including Threshold, Ratio, Knee, Attack, Release and Hold. There are Input and Output Meters with separate kick down compression amount indication and Input and Output Level controls. There's a Gain Make Up control and switched Auto Gain Make Up mode. A dedicated wet/dry mix control facilitates parallel compression. A Side Chain input high and low pass filters can be used to trigger compression. X-ValveComp can be automated via standard DAW Automation data and has A&B Preset 'slots' with an A/B switch for easy comparison of two different combinations of settings.

iLok Migration

To coincide with the release of the new plug-ins, the entire Duende plug-in collection will be migrated away from SSL's existing 'Codemeter' by WIBU Systems-based copy protection system to the more widely used iLok system. The move is aimed to streamline the purchase process and improve overall user experience. Existing Duende Native and Legacy DSP hardware owners (who have not already cross-graded to Duende Native) will be offered a free cross-grade to iLok. Owners of Codemeter hardware dongles will be offered a 50 percent discount on iLok purchase from SSL's online store and a free X-Saturator or X-ValveComp plug-in. SSL's Codemeter-based online license centre will cease to function in January 2015, so all users are strongly encouraged to migrate to iLok by December 2014. SSL's iLok support is scheduled to become live by May 1, 2014.

AAX Development

Release of versions of the entire Duende Native plug-in suite, which are compatible with Avid AAX format and thus ProTools 11, are due for release in Q3 2014. The AAX versions will be free to all existing iLok based Duende Native plug-in owners.