Both channel strips offer 72 unique channels through the use of TMT, allowing you to more effectively recreate the sound of an actual physical SSL console in your DAW.īx_console E utilizes the iconic black and brown knob EQ combination and “shelf” switch on the low and high bands, while bx_console G features the updated orange and pink knobs with “x by 3” and “/ by 3” buttons to access a slightly wider frequency range.
Utilizing Brainworx’s proprietary Tolerance Modeling Technology (or “TMT”), they’re able to accurately replicate the natural variations in individual components from channel to channel-just like on a real console.īrainworx offers two SSL channel strip emulations modeled after the E and G consoles respectively: The bx_console 4000 E and bx_console 4000 G. The bx_console channel strip plugins-newly revamped with help from SSL’s own engineer-are arguably even more powerful than the original SSL hardware channel strips. Winner: Best Overall SSL Channel Strip Plugin Brainworx bx_console 4000 E & bx_console 4000 G ($299 each)
OK, now that you know the basic differences between the E Series and G Series EQs, let’s take a look at what each of the top plugins that emulates them has to offer. The G Series consoles also replaced the shelf/bell shape buttons for the low and and high bands with “LMF/3” and “HMFx3” switches for the mid-bands, which would divide the Low Mid frequency or multiply the High Mid frequency by a factor of three- allowing for a single knob to cover even more of the frequency spectrum while still being usable. The G Series EQ used steeper filter slopes and incorporated a variable proportional-Q design, which increases the Q value the more you boost or cut the signal-much like a Pultec. While the dynamics modules on the E and G series consoles were nearly identical, the G Series is said to have a softer, more gentle EQ than the E Series thanks to the new 292 or 383 “G-EQ” circuitry. In 1987, SSL introduced the 4000 G Series console, which also featured a number of changes. In 1983, it was replaced with the “Black Knob” 242 EQ, developed with the help of the legendary George Martin, which corrected the filtering quirk and made a few minor changes to gain range, frequency selection and filter slope, offering a slightly different sound.
Early E-Series consoles used a “Brown Knob” EQ circuit, which always left the filters engaged, rolling off the very lowest and highest frequencies.