Solid State Logic has announced three new Duende Native plug-ins, as well as adoption of iLok 2 copy protection.
Joining the existing plug-ins for Duende, X-Saturator and X-ValveComp designed to ‘bring analogue saturation and distortion emulation to your digital DAW’, while X-Phase offers high-precision frequency specific phase correction. To coincide with these releases, SSL has migrated the entire Duende Native plug-in collection to the iLok 2 copy protection system.
X-Phase is an all-pass filter that applies a phase shift at a specified frequency within a signal. Unlike other filter types where the gain of selected frequencies is altered, with an all-pass filter the gain remains unchanged throughout the signal, and can be used to address phase problems with microphones when recording. A Frequency control selects the frequency where the phase is be applied, while a Q control sets the slope of the curve of correction to be applied across the signal, and a phase invert button enables the phase of the filter to be flipped 180°. A separate Delay section is applied to the entire signal for broader time alignment. The Delay controls consist of a delay control, which can be set to display and adjust in seconds, milliseconds, samples, metres or feet and a set of buttons for fine tuning.
The plug-in can be used in mono or stereo modes. X-Phase can be automated via standard DAW Automation data and has A&B Preset ‘slots’ with an A/B switch for easy comparison of two different combinations of settings. There are input and output meters with input and output level controls.
X-Saturator emulates an analogue circuit that introduces either second-order valve style or third-order transistor style distortion or a blend of the two. At low drive settings, the distortion is mild and can ‘warm’ instruments in a mix or to add a ‘edge’ to help them cut through. At high drive levels heavy distortion occurs. The controls are simple: a Harmonics control selects second- or third-order distortion or a blend of the two, a Drive control sets the drive level, a Depth control adjusts the amplitude of the distortion and a Shape control adjusts whether the distortion has smooth or hard edges. A Headroom button provides an additional 6dB of headroom for creating heavily boosted/distorted signals without digital clipping. A dedicated wet/dry mix control facilitates parallel processing. There are Input and Output Meters and Input and Output Level controls. X-Saturator can be automated via standard DAW Automation data and has A&B Preset ‘slots’ with an A/B switch for easy comparison of two different combinations of settings.
X-ValveComp is a fully-featured mono or stereo channel compressor with ‘classic’ controls and a valve emulation stage. The emulation stage sits after the compressor in the signal path and adds a variable degree of second-order harmonic saturation and distortion. The compressor can be switched between Peak or RMS modes.
Controls include; Threshold, Ratio, Knee, Attack, Release and Hold. Again, there are input and output meters with separate kick down compression amount indication and input and output level controls. There’s a Gain Make Up control and switched Auto Gain Make Up mode. A dedicated wet/dry mix control facilitates parallel compression. A sidechain input high- and low-pass filters can be used to trigger compression. X-ValveComp can be automated via standard DAW Automation data and has A&B Preset ‘slots’ with an A/B switch for easy comparison of two different combinations of settings.
To coincide with the release of the new plug-ins the entire Duende plug-in collection will be migrated away from SSL’s existing Codemeter (by WIBU Systems) copy protection system to the more widely used iLok 2. Existing Duende Native and Legacy DSP hardware owners (who have not already cross-graded to Duende Native) will be offered a free cross grade to iLok 2. Owners of Codemeter hardware dongles that have been purchased from SSL will be offered a 50 per cent discount on iLok 2 purchase from SSL’s online store and a free X-Saturator or X-ValveComp plug-in. SSL’s Codemeter based online license centre will cease to function on 31 December 2014 so all users are strongly encouraged to migrate to iLok 2 by December 2014.
Release of versions of the Duende Native plug-in suite which are compatible with Avid AAX native format and thus Pro Tools 11 are due for release in Q3 2014. The AAX native versions will be free to all existing iLok 2 based Duende Native plug-in owners.
More: www.solidstatelogic.com
