![]() ![]() Our opinion is that parallel compression done inside a unit seems to manage phase cleaner than two tracks in a workstation. Continuing with drum tests, the Blend knob is something we foresee will be used often. You don't want to be handcuffed by preset release times. But on other things, especially individual instruments, we preferred the variable option. We found that auto-release worked well for some bus applications. Moving to the release adjustments, the choices are: A1, which uses the same auto-release timings as the original SSL A2, which is faster and variable ranging from 0.1-1.2 seconds. Of course, this depends on application, but this is a setting we often have engaged. Using the high-pass settings (our favorite being 120 Hz), low-end denizens such as kick, bass, and synth are also less likely to trigger the compressor. On a drum bus, for example, this means the kick drum isn't pulling down the entire signal. Essentially, these make the compressor circuit more sensitive to highs and less to lows, with Boost resulting in more responsiveness to mids and Slope to highs. Meanwhile, Boost provides a high-shelf boost at 1 kHz and a gentle 60 Hz roll-off to the sidechain. Slope adds a linear boost/cut with a crossover around 1 kHz to the sidechain. Six settings - off 60, 90, and 120 Hz high-pass Boost Slope - affect the signal that triggers compression. Obviously, the first place to tweak is the internal sidechain filter. At that point, it was just a serviceable clone. ![]() But to be honest - so what? How many SL 4000-based units are already available? We wanted to know what, if anything, makes this unit special. Restricting ourselves to settings (ratio, attack, release) found on the classic SSL, we found that the SB4001 does indeed sound similar to that genre of dynamics processor. There are six ratio settings ten attack times a sidechain filter with several settings fixed and variable release wet/dry parallel blend a front-panel sidechain input and a harmonic enhancement feature called Grind.Īs could be expected, we started using the SB4001 on bus compression duties. To provide a reference, the unit's heritage is the SSL 4000 G Series bus compressor. The SB4001 is Serpent's first commercial offering.Īlthough stuffed into a double-wide 500-Series format, the SB4001's functionality surpasses the original SB4000's. Response was positive, but the designer wanted to enhance features and launch it in the market. Last year, Serpent Audio released the SB4000 compressor as a DIY project. Moving on, this is a cool new 500-Series bus compressor. ![]() ![]() This is the sentence where we make some stupid snake joke, or worse, a juvenile double entendre. ![]()
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January 2023
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