Waves SSL EV2 User Guide
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Brown Knob vs. Black Knob The Brown Knob EQ was the original SSL 4000 E channel strip EQ/filter. This established the “SSL Sound” for rock and pop music and was soon heard on the radio everywhere. Because of its wide EQ, the Brown sound can be pronounced, even gritty, yet it is very musical; and it excels on drums and bass. The Black Knob EQ was introduced in the mid1980s. It is cleaner and a tad more open than the Brown Knob and is well suited for vocals and acoustic instruments.
SSL 4000E Channel Routing Diagram 4 SSL EV2/ User Guide
Waves SSL EV2 Controls The plugin is made up of four sections, and, by default, this is the signal flow: input, dynamics, EQ, and master. The dynamics section and EQ section offer alternative routing. Input Section • Line controls the input level to the plugin. As gain increases, so will harmonic distortion. Range: -20 dB to +20 dB • Mic can add as much as 50 dB of input gain, which can result in internal distortion. Such high input gains will increase THD but will probably not cause output distortion.
Dynamics Section Controls The dynamics section consists of a soft-knee compressor/limiter and an expander/gate. Dynamics can be switched to pre-equalizer (default) or post-equalizer (CH OUT). Although the same gain change circuitry is used for both the compressor/limiter and the expander/gate, two dedicated gain reduction LEDs display activity for each device.
Expander/Gate (green knobs) • • The expander’s Threshold is variable from -30 dB to +10 dB. Range is variable from 0 dB to 40 dB. • When the Attack Time switch is set to Slow (F.ATK off) attack time is auto-sensing and program-dependent; Fast setting (F.ATK) attack time is 1 ms. • Release Time is adjustable from 0.1 second to 4 seconds. • The Gate switch toggles the section from an expander (default mode) to a gate.
E-Channel EQ Section Controls The equalizer is a four-band device that can be routed to the processor’s output or to the sidechain of the dynamics section. Q can be adjusted in the LMF and HMF ranges. The Black knob has a High Pass filter (18 dB/octave) filter and a Low Pass filter (12 dB/octave). The Brown Knob has a High Pass filter (12 dB/octave) filter and a Low Pass filter (12 dB/octave) filter. Normally, low pass and high pass filters follow the same path as the entire EQ section.
Low and High Pass Filters (Brown Knob) • • • • Low Pass: 12 dB/octave, 3 kHz to 22 kHz (-3 dB point) High Pass: 12 dB/octave, 16 Hz to 350 Hz (-3 dB point) Turning the knob completely to the left bypasses the filter. When Split is selected, the low pass and high pass filters are placed before the dynamics processors in the chain. Low and High Pass Filters (Black Knob) • • • • • Low Pass: 12 dB/octave, 3 kHz to 22 kHz (-3 dB point) High Pass: 18 dB/octave, 16 Hz to 350 Hz (-3 dB point) Q: approx. 1.
Low Medium Frequency EQ Section • • • • Frequency range: 200 Hz to 2.5 kHz Q: continuously adjustable from 0.1 to 3.5 Gain range (Brown Knob): varies from ±15 dB when Q is set at 3.5, Q is set at 3.5, less when Q is set to 0.1. Gain range (Black Knob): varies from ±18 dB when Q is set at 3.5, Q is set at 3.5, less when Q is set to 0.1.
EQ Solo The EQ Solo button isolates the EQ band that you are currently adjusting,which helps you to accurately adjust Q and frequency of that band. Touch an EQ frequency or Q control and you will hear only that band. The red light to the left of the Solo button is an EQ headroom indicator. It is triggered when the output of the EQ section reaches -3 dBFS. Master Section 11 • In and Out switch the meter between input and output. • Level Indicator displays levels in VU, where -18 dBFS = 0VU.
M/S and DUO Processing with StudioRack SSL EV2 uses the free StudioRack plugin for M/S and DUO processing. StudioRack is a plugin chainer that, among other things, enables parallel processing for discrete channel control. When you install SSL EV2 from Waves Central, the necessary StudioRack presets will be installed. Similarly, when you install StudioRack, the presets that are needed by SSL EV2 are installed.
