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Sasha redefines his studio environment with SSL equipment
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Eric J
Interesting article on Sasha and his "team" of producers. They recently started using a bunch of SSL gear to bring in all their old analogue gear to Logic and Ableton Live.

http://www.solid-state-logic.com/users/all/sasha.asp

Of course when you look at the pictures, I can see at least $15,000 worth of stuff, not including the synths themselves.
palm
is it just soundcards or what is it?
Eric J
Nah, they are using the Alpha Link for AD, then running things out individually or in busses to a X-Rack with a bunch of input modules, and a master buss compressor. It looks to me like they are running AD into the Alpha Link then ADAT out into an RME Fireface. In the pics you can also see a couple of distressors, a UAD 6176, and a TLA Valve compressor, and they are clocking with an Apogee Big Ben. It seems like they are capturing the initial sounds through the Alpha Link and then running the audio back out through the X-Rack where they can route it into any of the outboard compressors or EQ's, then back into the Alpha Link. Pretty slick stuff.
palm
lol i hope this will be included in his live setup
Eric J
Nope, this is studio only. This type of equipment would be overkill for a live setup.
StanVoid
quote:
Originally posted by Eric J
Nah, they are using the Alpha Link for AD, then running things out individually or in busses to a X-Rack with a bunch of input modules, and a master buss compressor. It looks to me like they are running AD into the Alpha Link then ADAT out into an RME Fireface. In the pics you can also see a couple of distressors, a UAD 6176, and a TLA Valve compressor, and they are clocking with an Apogee Big Ben. It seems like they are capturing the initial sounds through the Alpha Link and then running the audio back out through the X-Rack where they can route it into any of the outboard compressors or EQ's, then back into the Alpha Link. Pretty slick stuff.


i totally understood that :o
palm
im not sure i get what it realy do.
Eric J
From what I can tell, this is how they have it set up:

The Alpha Link is an Analog to Digital and Digital to Analog converter. So basically, the run all their hardware sound sources (read: synths) into the inputs on the Alpha Link and then run the outputs of the Alpha Link into an RME Fireface via ADAT. They connect the ADAT outputs of the Alpha Link to the ADAT inputs of the RME Fireface. The signal chain looks like this:

Hardware Synth -----> Alpha Link ------> RME Fireface ------> Computer

So they write a part on the hardware synth and then record it into the computer as an audio file using the above signal chain.

Then, they have the option of sending that recorded audio file back out to other outboard hardware processors for additional processing. Here is how it appears they have that set up:

They have some of the outputs from the RME Fireface or the Alpha Link going into the X-Rack. The signal chain looks like this:

Computer -----> RME Fireface ------> Alpha Link -----> X-Rack

Now, you have to understand how the dope the SSL X-Rack really is. Basically is a configurable hardware rack unit. You have 8 rack "spaces" that you can insert any type of module you want into. SO you can configure your X-Rack with channel strips, compressors, EQ units, whatever fits your needs. All this comes with total recall, so you can always go back and work on older projects, unlike with a standard mixer where you'd have to reset all the knobs and sliders. Pretty cool!

Here is the URL to the SSL site where they have the exact configuration described that Sasha's guys are using: SSL X-Rack Configured for Summing

Anyway, the X-Rack as they have it configured is setup to function in the same way an outboard hardware mixer would function. According to the article, they have 4 Four input modules and a single 8 input module, for a total of 24 inputs.

SO all they have to do is chain the outputs from either the Alpha Link or the Fireface into the X-Rack inputs and they can then route the signal to any of their outboard hardware compressors or EQ's via the X-Rack OUTPUTS and then back INTO the computer to record the final output.

The signal chain looks something like this:

X-Rack (output) ----> Compressor -----> X-Rack (input) -----> X-Rack (output) -----> Computer

This allows them to run any signal coming into the X-Rack through one or more of their outboard units and record the results back into the computer. its a very flexible setup, especially when you throw in the total recall with the X-Rack.

Now, there are probably some subtle differences in the setup that I could not account for just from the article, but based on what they were talking about, this is probably very close to how they have it set up.

Hope that makes more sense to you.
david.michael
Well , it doesn't take all that to make white noise effects!
MrJiveBoJingles
quote:
Originally posted by david.michael
Well , it doesn't take all that to make white noise effects!

White noise effects sound better with lots of analog.

alanzo
Those SSL racks sound ing amazing. HOWEVER, for the average producer, who Sasha definitely is not, the Waves SSL plugins will do you just fine and costs less than even a single SSL unit.

For example, the compressor seen on his SSL rack costs $2,600 : http://www.mercenary.com/xrackmasbuscomp.html

Whereas the entire Waves SSL collection is only $750 : http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SSLNat/
geroin
quote:
Originally posted by StanVoid
i totally understood that :o
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