Solid State Logic B-DYN 611B 500 Series Module

The Solid State Logic B-Dyn 611B 500 Series Module - An Aggressive Character Compressor with Its Own Unique Sonic Signature

This 4000 B Dynamics (B-DYN) 500 series module is the same dynamics processor found in the channel strip of the SL 4000 B console, put into a 500 Series format. Released in 1976, the SL 4000 B was the first commercially available console from Solid State Logic and famously used in 'The Stone Room' at Virgin’s Townhouse Studio (London), Le Studio (Montreal) and the Record Plant (LA). It was responsible for countless iconic records, including Phil Collins’ 'In the Air Tonight' and Peter Gabriel’s 'Intruder', both of which feature characterful compression on drums and vocals. The B-DYN allows you to add heavily coloured, grabby, saturated compression from one of the rarest studio consoles ever made to your own production toolkit.

• Authentic recreation of SL 4000 B consoles dynamics processing
• Design based on the SSL Bus Compressor
• Features Compressor/Limiter and Gate/Expander
• Feedback design with Peak sensing for aggressive ‘grabby’ character
• Fixed compression ratios, 2:1, 4:1 and 10:1 with additional ‘DS’ mode
• Fixed release times, DS, .2, .4, .8, 1.6 and renowned ‘Auto’
• Auto make-up gain
• Sidechain High Pass Filter
• Stereo Link mode
• New (classic) SSL flavour for your productions

Compressor Settings (COMP)

• RATIO - Stepped compression ratios 2:1, 4:1, 10:1 and ‘ds’. The ‘DS’ setting is a fixed 10:1 with an additional sidechain filter; when ‘out, the compressor is bypassed
• THRESH - Whenever a signal exceeds the level set by this control, the compressor will start to act at the ratio set by the Ratio control. The Threshold and Ratio controls also provide automatic make-up gain
• HPF - A 6dB/Oct 185 Hz High Pass Filter in the compressor sidechain to help reduce bass pumping effects
• RELEASE - Switched/fixed release ranges from .2 ms to 1.6 ms with additional ‘DS’ and ‘Auto’ release options

De-Ess Mode (DS)

The compressor 'De-Ess' mode changes the attack time from approx. 30 ms to 2 ms. By setting Compressor Ratio and Release controls to ‘DS’, the B-DYN module is optimised for reducing sibilance (De-Essing). The De-Ess is a 10:1 ratio with filtered S/C input signal, delivering broadband compression triggered by sibilance. The ‘DS’ release is automatically varied in response to the processed signal between release rates of 30 and 50 ms - this is a much faster minimum release than you would normally expect from an SSL Dynamics section. The attack time is also reduced to a fast 2 ms - slightly faster than the E-Series Dynamics module on its fast setting.

Gate/Expander Settings (GATE/EXP)

The B-DYN Gate/Expander section can act as a 20:1 Gate, or as a 2:1 Expander, when the EXP button is pressed. Its attack time is a fast 0.2 ms.

• RANGE - Controls the maximum amount of gain reduction applied by the Gate/Expander; when set to ‘out’, the gate/expander is bypassed
• THRESH - Sets the threshold above which the the gate/ expander will be opened
• RELEASE - Sets how long the signal remains audible after the Gate/Expander closes
• EXP - Switches the gate to expander mode with a gentle curve, for subtler control of level below the threshold

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