AudioMedia - July 2008 - (Page 46)

Powered Plug-Ins > and the rack-mount versions add the Bus Compressor. Optional extras include a 10-band parametric EQ called X-EQ, a more advanced compressor called X-Comp, and a drum-strip with dynamics processing called, unexpectedly, Drumstrip. The entire range uses the same core hardware and the same software wrapper. Ten hour trial versions are supplied, but the clock is only running while audio is being processed, so this is more generous than it sounds. Duende can be doubled up to offer twice the processing from a single chained Firewire connection, subject to the usual caveats about only attempting this on a dedicated port. Installation is fairly painless. The external boxes are silent and easy enough to park out of the way. Software installation is slightly more complicated. You’ll need to register to get the inevitable software update, and buying the optional plug-ins requires an authorisation from SSL, which isn’t currently done live on the website. Once running, the plug-ins can be pulled into the usual VST or RTAS slots in your DAW. Although Duende offers the smallest plug-in collection overall, and although it’s unlikely to ever expand into more adventurous areas, the sonic utility of this set is still impressive. The Channel Strip is versatile and powerful, packing in E and G series threeband EQ, a compressor and expander, and lo-pass and hi-pass filters. The sound is distinctive, and while it’s easy to lose the sweet spot and turn the input into a grainy fry-up, when it’s in the zone it’s very musical. This is even more true of the Bus Compressor, which has a total of four controls but adds depth and movement to almost any mix. But there’s no ETA for a fix, and after a couple of years on the market it’s disappointing that it hasn’t been addressed more aggressively. If you can live with that limitation, Duende is one of the best-sounding plugin suites. The sound isn’t always subtle, but it is musical, and has applications from music mixing to post. It’s possibly best to take SSL’s marketing pitch at face value and think of Duende as a console in a rack. The absence of delay and reverb means it’s not a one-stop effects factory, but the sound will help improve the production values on any project. £ Hardware: £399 to £850+VAT Extra plug-ins: £199 to £295+VAT “Although Duende offers the smallest Information and Distributor plug-in collection overall, and although W www.solidstatelogic.com it’s unlikely to ever expand into more adventurous areas, the sonic utility of Focusrite LiquidMix Focusrite’s LiquidMix arrives as a remote with a this set is still impressive.” built-in processor card, connected via Firewire. Ten bands of definable filtering. As an effect it either works or it doesn’t – changing the settings won’t improve it much if it doesn’t sound right immediately. But when it works it’s very, very good. Of the remaining plug-ins, the EQ is smooth and ideal for creative and surgical applications. The compressor and drumstrip are less essential. The former includes a frequency bleed feature that mimics some of the sound of vintage compressors without trying to emulate them – it sounds good, but not spectacularly different to a typical DAW comp. The drumstrip adds gating and envelope shaping, and is a good way to add life to tired loops. A limitation of Duende is that there’s currently no console-style intert ra c k s i d e c h a i n i n g. But Duende’s most obvious Achille’s heel doesn’t reveal itself until you try to bounce down/freeze/mix down/ render. At the time of review, you can’t – if you want to save Duende’s output, you have to play it out in real time and record it. This is an unfortunate failure on an otherwise impressive produc t, especially considering that this will usually dither down data to 24 bits from a 32-bit source. SSL are aware of the problem, and Duende is being ‘continually developed.’ The base model offers up to 32 channels of processing, but as the sample rate goes up this shrinks very quickly, and at 192kHz you’re left with a single stereo channel. The remote offers an impressive multi-coloured fruit-machine lightshow as it initialises. When it’s working, this settles down to offer bargraph displays of input and output levels, and compression dB. After a surprisingly short time the remote starts to disappear into the background – you’ll find yourself reaching for it and making changes without the slight feeling of permanent distraction associated with editing settings on a screen with a mouse. One problem I found is that with multiple plug-in instances in separate windows, it’s not always obvious which instance the remote is controlling. Some indicator numbers would fix this – for now all of the > instances look identical, which isn’t ideal. The LiquidMix plug-in looks almost exactly like the LiquidMix remote, with added graphs. 46 audio media july 2008 http://www.solidstatelogic.com http://www.microtechgefell.com http://www.sound-link.co.uk http://www.microtechgefell.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of AudioMedia - July 2008

AudioMedia - July 2008 Contents Recording Post Broadcast What's Up UK Geofocus: France For the Record Special Report: Develop Preview SE Electronics 4400 Sennheiser MKH800 Twin Tubetech Club Final Cut: Wanted Smart AV Tango Doctor Who Made in America DSP Roundup Product Sampler: Summer Hits Edirol R44 Video Guide AMSR Fame - Le Musical Waves MaxxBCL Yamaha AD8HR Special Supplement

AudioMedia - July 2008

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