£119 (£79 introductory price), solidstatelogic.com
Whether it’s made by Waves, Universal Audio, Brainworx, Softube, or an indie developer, chances are you have at least one plugin emulation of a console-style SSL processor. So why would you need more SSL plugins?
Well, autoSeries Bundle has a slightly different design philosophy compared to previous plugins of this kind. Rather than taking a piece of the famous SSL 4000 console and making it available in your DAW in its detailed entirety, autoSeries is focused only on the elements that are truly relevant to in-the-box music production and mixing.
In 2023, SSL’s parent company, Audiotonix, bought Sonible — an acquisition that enabled the technological cross-pollination that is evident in autoSeries. The result is a suite of three plugins: the autoBUS, based on the SL 4000 G-Series bus compressor; the autoDYN, based on the E-Series dynamics section with compressor and expander/gate; and the autoEQ, also based on the E-Series.
Together, the autoSeries trio becomes a toolbox for processing individual tracks, channel groups, and your master bus. Naturally, you can use the autoEQ before the autoDYN or autoBUS dynamics plugins in your processing chain, after them, or both.
What exactly does the AI do in autoSeries?
Each of the three plugins in autoSeries is equipped with the magical green Sonible Learn button that allows the AI engine to analyse the input signal. When you activate the AI, the process works in a slightly different way in the backend of each plugin. On autoBUS, it takes a reading of the peak and average loudness to help you get the best glue compression for your mix or channel group.
The AI works similarly on autoDYN, but pays closer attention to dynamic range and transient behaviour. Meanwhile, autoEQ uses spectral analysis to identify masking and mud-prone areas of the frequency range. However, before you analyse the incoming signal, two features on each plugin provide context and help target the process more accurately.
The first aspect is Profile — this allows you to select the type of instrument you’re working with, and in some cases, the range. For example, if you select the Vocals High profile, you have the perfect setting to analyse a soprano-range lead vocal.
The second function, Style, lets you choose between three character settings that determine the tonal or dynamic processing approach you’d like to take. This allows you to guide how the AI-assistance determines the ideal compression or EQ settings by selecting Bright or Strong settings accordingly. Then, when you hit the Learn button, the analysis takes about 5-10 seconds before the plugin automatically loads the suggested settings. As you adjust parameters, you’ll notice that a green ring surrounds the control that glows brighter as you move further away from the original AI-suggested position.
The concept behind the workflow is to provide you with a creative starting point rather than a finite setting. There will still be cases where autoEQ isn’t cutting quite enough 6 kHz from your drum EQ or autoDYN isn’t grabbing the transients quickly enough. If this is the case, you simply check your Profile and Style settings, as you may need to reanalyse or make manual adjustments.
How does autoSeries compare to other SSL-style EQ and compressor plugins?
If you’ve used an SSL bus compressor, channel strip EQ, or dynamics plugin before, the first thing you’ll notice is that the focus of autoSeries is slightly different. Instead of trying to mimic every aspect of the real-life design, there is a distinctive shift toward workflow fluency in every area.
Make no mistake, the autoSeries plugins still sound and behave like SSL EQs and compressors should, but the interface design allows you to dial in your sounds rapidly so that you can move on to the next part of your mix that needs attention.
When you approach an SSL channel strip as a new user, there is that moment of “Hmmm, where do I start?” as you inspect the various processing sections. With autoSeries, SSL has worked hard to eliminate any learning curves or unfamiliarity. To achieve this, the control layout of each plugin is laid out horizontally rather than its traditional vertical orientation. This instinctively suggests a left-to-right workflow progression, which feels more streamlined and similar to many plugins you’ll find in your DAW.
Another key aspect of the autoSeries plugin interfaces is the use of interactive visuals that demonstrate exactly how the various parameters are affecting the signal. As you hover the mouse pointer over each control, you get a detailed reading of the parameter setting, while the visualiser screen gives you a reading of the compressor behaviour or EQ curve.
Why choose SSL autoSeries?
SSL’s autoSeries provides the perfect introduction to the brand’s channel strip and bus processing, with an intuitive workflow that even rivals plugins that aren’t limited by being based on hardware interfaces. The use of AI-assisted technology is not invasive, so you might even stop using the analysis function when you’ve truly mastered the processing workflow.
This makes autoSeries ideal for experienced users who like the SSL sound and way of doing things but want a faster workflow. Meanwhile, those new to the idea of using plugins based on the 4000 Series consoles have an excellent platform for learning the ropes while using professional tools at the same time.
For £119, autoSeries is a competitively-priced collection of plugins you’ll likely use on many channels in your DAW projects. You’ll probably find, however, that cheaper alternatives are available for your needs.
Key features
- AAX / AU / VST2 / VST3 plugin
- Analogue modeling of SL 4000 E channel strip and G-Series Bus Compressor
- Compressor/limiter and expander/gate
- 4-band EQ with 242 ‘Black Knob’
- SonibleAI-assisted signal analysis
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