They just take advantage of their big name, even though the SSL hardware consoles are no longer in operation that often. Now it is time to test and write and read reviews to find out whether the quality is at a high level or is it a mirage. I've always used the SSL - Stereo Bus Compressor plugin and have never been disappointed.

 

No Problem here on Reaper. 512 buffer size

 

yeah, I think so too, other company have to work hard to make plugins, but they never have to prove anything, just create something and slap their name on it, nobody can say anything and it will be the "standard". I think the Stereo Imager also generic, and the fact that they have to split one hardware into 5 plugins is already showing their motive.

The Waves GBus Compressor is among the good ones I've used until the SSL 2nd edition of the Bus Compressor came out, but still rarely using both. I'm more to Vertigo VSC2 & Elysia Alpha kinda guy, those two always gives me satisfying result, will stay with them.

 

Last edited: Sep 29, 2021

can it be a bug that only occur in Live 11 ?

Spoiler: Other plugin

Eco Mode


Insane Mode

 

Last edited: Sep 30, 2021

Maybe. . .

Same results as yours for the slick eq.

I9 9900K OC To 5ghz.

 

Last edited: Sep 29, 2021

word. and also, that stereo imager doesn't seem to be doing anything special to the signal. I get more interesting results using something like dr. ms

 

depth with TRUE M/S PROCESSING they say in the manuals.
I figured the Space knob is adding low frequency to the side, which is strange, why would you want that for the side right, so I dialed it back until things starting to sound thinner, adding the Vintage Drive with a lot of Density to compensate the loss of fatness seems to give me a proper result.

My conclusion for now, those 2 things are designed to be together (with the rest of Fusion hardware sections) and definitely works best together, splitting them into individual plugins is rather a marketing decision and is bad for the user.

 

Thanks Stevie Dude for this information. Now I get it, I've attached a picture of the Hardware Fusion. I tested the imager individually and it is unusable for me. I'll stick with my "Sonalksis - Stereo Tools VST". One should have turned the Fusion Hardware 1 to 1 into software, then it would also make sense.

Solid State Logic - Fusion - Hardware

- 5 separate circuits for signal processing, which can be used individually, in any combination or all at the same time

- Vintage Drive - a non-linear saturation circuit for controlled overload with harmonic structures

- Violet EQ - a two-band shelving filter with four switchable frequencies - HF Compressor - with variable
threshold and X-Over control (3-20 kHz) for additional transparency up to a tape saturation effect

- Stereo Image - for spatial effects in the mono / stereo image transformer

- Transformer - a "transmitter circuit" that adds more presence to the signal through harmonic
components in the lower frequencies and slight phase shifts in the higher frequencies

Solid State Logic - Fusion - Stereo Image ($149)


Sonalksis - Stereo Tools VST (€ 69 EUR) www.sonalksis.com/stereotools.html

Stereo Editing Plug-In
- Tool for editing stereo image, balance, base width and mono in the bass
- Phase rotation channel by channel or total and M / S input and page swap
- Displays for level, spectrum, Lissajous and phase
- 64-Bit floating point calculation


The SSL Marketing Strategy:
You will receive the two plug-ins for a single price of US $ 149 until October 25, 2021, after which the price will rise to US $ 199. If you are interested in the complete package (including the plug-ins Violet EQ, HF Compressor and Transformer), you can access all current and future plug-ins when you take out the SSL Complete Subscription Bundle. The subscription costs $ 14.99 per month.

 

I don't think so. Looks ok for Slick EQ. Try Quality Mode Live and it should be down to 0.

 

Like a drug dealer does, really...
Especially when they are desperate for money.

 

I finally demoed these two. They perform well. Nice saturation and the widener is very useful, one of the better stereo wideners.
If you need a low cpu high quality stereo widener check out waves TG12345.

 

Last edited: Sep 30, 2021

not quite an accurate representation of the hardware counterpart, just more marketing bs for these ssl plugins

 

While this guy has a point (despice the hard to follow accent) and comparing a plugin to it's hardware counterpart might be "logical" i personally couldn't care less, if the plugin has real life applicance that's enough for me, that being said, the drive plugin is actually good and works most of the time, the widner is total bs and never should be applied in a mix context... i grabbed this plugin while it was free and it kicks ass many levels above the ssl plugin one.

 

ok, if u don't care if the plugin is a faithful emulation of its hardware counterpart or not is besides the point, as I and paul third are talking about that and not if "the plugin has real life applicance". if that's enough for u, then good for u, I really don't care about that. not to be rude at all but I really don't care about ur personal subjective preferences. we are disputing the claims that ssl is making in their marketing, claiming: "Modelled on the coveted SSL Fusion Vintage Drive processor", "Modelled using a combination of real-life measurements, analogue circuit designs and close collaboration with the original analogue designers of FUSION hardware", "The Fusion Vintage Drive plug-in is a digital emulation of the Vintage Drive processor from SSL’s critically acclaimed Fusion Stereo Analogue Colouration hardware", none of that seems to be true, therefore those claims are false and they are intentionally misleading ppl into thinking it's a faithful emulation so they can charge exhorbitant amounts of money, when there are cheaper and better alternatives. that's the whole point of what we are talking about

 

True. I'll add
emulation - effort to match or surpass a person or achievement, typically by imitation.

 

on what kind of signal would one use this SSL fusion?

 

well, seems they didn't apply sufficient amounts of effort to match, or worse yet, to surpass their hardware counterpart

 

I understand that, but let's be totally honest, do you actually believe that a company will tackle one of their most successful hardwares by making a plugin version of it that actually do what the hardware does?
pretty naive to do so if you ask me, if history is any indication none of these devs that say they have faithfully recreated a hardware into a plugin do actually deliever, Softube weiss and some other might be an expection, but generally no, so i decieded to stop listening to any bs like this and just focus on utilizing what the tool actually does best and forget about the rest... and i suggest you do the same and save yourself countless hours getting sucked into such arguments...

again drive is "ok" and usuable, widner is sh#t.

 

The hardware was meant to be used at bus or master levels makes sense if the plugins are used the same way, expect drive is actually solid on solo signal such as vocals, bass, distorted guitars and so on...

here's a mix i used these plugins on, the drive is basically on everything more or less the widner is shit so i tried to apply it despite the low quality results...

Spoiler: shitty mix

 

More than being anything too delicate/analytic/precise,
I see the Stereo Imager module more like a Drastically Corrective or Character/Color tool,
for let's say badly recorded instruments, or creative coloring techniques..

For a serious/clean Master Buss Imager, the good old Ozone would be a more adequate tool..


If it's close to the real unit/not I would never know,
but it's got a very unique character/sound of its own, and so it's a valid tool..

However I can see the point, if it's nothing like the original,
then call it something else, not SSL..

 

Last edited: Oct 6, 2021