SSL The Bus+

The Legend... Updated.

SSL THE BUS+ is the ultimate analogue compressor, designed for superior sound quality and flexibility. Featuring high-grade 2181 THAT VCAs, four operation modes, and three distinct compression colorations, it allows you to shape your mix with precision.

With advanced processing tools like Dynamic Equaliser (D-EQ) and Transient Expander, plus flexible routing options, THE BUS+ adapts to any genre or production style. Experience legendary SSL compression with modern enhancements, delivering exceptional tone and control for mixing and mastering.

If there is a single piece of analogue processing equipment that is synonymous with SSL, it must be the SSL Bus Compressor. From the very first commercially released SSL 4000B console in 1976 and through many generations of SSL consoles, the Bus Compressor has always been the stalwart of the console centre section. For many of the world’s top engineers and producers, the Bus Compressor continues to be the most relied-upon processing tool for making mixes sound bigger and more complete, with drive and energy from adding that legendary SSL glue and punch.

We've been on a mission to create the ultimate and most versatile incarnation of the Bus Compressor ever. The bedrock of the design remains faithful to the original circuit, and we've built upon using this as the foundation, adding several unique colouration options and advanced processing tools. If you need it to be clean and punchy like the SuperAnalogueTM 9000 Series version, it can be. If you need it to be gritty and grungy like an early 4000E, it can do that too. Or if you need over-the-top, saturated, parallel compression for the drums, THE BUS+ has got you covered.

Innovation

To complement the new feature set, we sought to bring improvements that would benefit recallability and technical performance.

All of the pots on THE BUS+ are stepped and read by a microcontroller which translates the pots position into the required circuit configuration or electrical parameter. This innovative approach not only makes recall significantly easier, it also means THE BUS+ is not subject to pot tolerances – perfect for precision processing applications like mastering.

Dynamic Analogue Equaliser: D-EQ

THE BUS+ incorporates a host of advanced processing tools including the new Dynamic Analogue Equaliser (D-EQ).

The D-EQ is a powerful 2-band Dynamic EQ that can be placed before or after The Bus Compressor. Many engineers are familiar with Dynamic EQ plug-ins inside the DAW but analogue Dynamic EQs are few and far between.

A Dynamic EQ is a more 'intelligent' form of EQ that changes the gain of an EQ band proportionally in response to the signal level once above a set threshold. It allows you to modify the contrast between background material (under threshold) and forward material (above threshold).

THE BUS+ Settings 

The way engineers and producers use bus compression varies greatly. Some ‘set-and-forget’ and construct a mix into the Bus Compressor, while others fine-tune time constants to work with a particular production, often applying it as the final polish to a mix. We caught up with a selection of the world's top producers and engineers to get their feedback on THE BUS+ and see how its legendary glue and punch, in combination with new advanced processing tools, takes their bus processing to the next level.