SSL XL 9000 console Center Section compression for surround or dual stereo.
The XLogic Multichannel Compressor is a 2U rack-mounting six-channel compressor designed to provide extremely flexible control over a 5.1 channel mix, or to be used as two separate compressors when working on stereo material. The compressor design is very similar to that found in the XL 9000 console center section, but with additional controls to provide the flexibility that modern 5.1 productions require. The signal path is balanced and DC coupled through out: this ensures extended bandwidth, low noise and low distortion. This brings the dual benefits of spectacular surround audio performance with a universally acclaimed compressor characteristic.
The unit contains two separate compressors. Normally the upper one controls the left, center, right and surround channels and the lower one the LFE channel, but the DUAL STEREO switch reassigns the controls so that the lower set control the surround channels and the upper set control left, center, right and LFE channels.
The SIDE CHAIN TRIM controls allow different thresholds to be set for left/right, center, surround and LFE channels. The centet and surround ISO switches bypass the respective compressor channels completely. A six channel Master Fader and Autofade control provide overall level control of the mix.
5.1 mixing presents a number of challenges to the engineer that are not present when working in stereo. This is essentially because the signal content can vary hugely between speakers - both in level and frequency content – unlike stereo material where the two channels are normally similar in both level and content. This presents a number of potential problems including:
•The LFE channel will almost certainly require different attack and release times and different thresholds from the other channels.
•Depending on the material you may or may not want some channels to be compressed.
•Conversely you may want some channels to be compressed but not to contribute to the overall
compression.
•You may want channels to have different thresholds.
•With five speakers it is possible have signals panned so that they are the loudest signal in the room but not the loudest signal in any one speaker.
The XLogic Multichannel Compressor is designed to give you a flexible but easy to use set of tools to deal with all these potential problems.