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There's gear, and then there are icons, and the Solid State Logic Bus Compressor falls firmly into the latter camp. Whether in its original console form, a rackmount unit, or a plug-in, it's provided the glue for countless hit records. Now, SSL is reviving its beloved stereo compressor with the Bus Comp Classic, a dedicated 1U rackmount unit featuring high-performance THAT 2181 VCAs and the signature sidechain architecture that made the original a studio staple.
At the heart of the Bus Comp Classic are high-performance THAT 2181 VCAs and SSL's signature compression architecture, delivering the familiar response that engineers have relied on for generations. The new Variable VCA Drive control lets users explore different eras of SSL sound, moving from the clean transparency of SuperAnalogue consoles to the rich harmonic character of classic 4000 Series designs. With up to 10% THD available, the Bus Comp Classic can deliver everything from subtle mix bus polish to aggressive saturation.
Beyond its expanded sonic palette, the Bus Comp Classic offers controls for Threshold, Attack, Ratio, Release, Make-up, Sidechain HPF, and Variable VCA Drive across the front of the unit. Compared to the original G384 compressor, the new Bus Comp Classic features an additional +/-5 dB on the Threshold and Make-Up Gain controls, and although the attack setting stayed the same, the other settings all got an upgrade.
The ratio control is now expanded from 2:1, 4:1, and 10:1 settings to include options for 1:1, 1.5:1, 2:1, 3:2, 4:1, 5:1, and 10:1 for extra versatility. The release settings were updated too, with new options at .1, .2, .4, .8, 1.6 seconds, as well as the classic AUTO setting. Plus, the external sidechain now features a selectable high-pass filter, with settings at 30, 60, 105, 125, and 185 Hz.
To show off the new Bus Comp Classic, we headed into the Scramble Shack to throw the new compressor on the drum bus and a number of mixes, but we didn't stop there. We also compared it with Solid State Logic's classic G384 compressor. Listen to both units below and hear how the Bus Comp Classic nails that old-school SSL sound.
Curious how the Bus Comp Classic stacks up against The BUS+ and the G Comp Bus Compressor 500 Series module? The chart below breaks down the key differences.
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| G-Comp Bus Compressor | Bus Comp Classic | THE BUS+ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Format | 500 Series | 1U Rackmount | 2U Rackmount |
| Modes | Stereo | Stereo | Dual Mono/Stereo/Mid-Side |
| S/C HPF | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VCA Drive/4K Mode | - | Yes | Yes |
| Stereo external side-chain input | - | Yes | Yes |
| Mix | - | - | Yes |
| Negative Ratios | - | - | Yes |
| Expanded 11 and 31-position controls | - | - | Yes |
| LOW THD Mode | - | - | Yes |
| F/B Mode | - | - | Yes |
| 2 Band Dynamic EQ | - | - | Yes |
| Controls | Stepped and Continuous | Stepped and Continuous | Stepped |
