SSL Fusion? Nah, not for me...

00:00 : Intro.
00:28 : What I like about the unit.
01:13 : The Vintage Drive, not so vintage imho.
02:04 : Vintage Drive on a vocal, feels better to me.
02:57 : Input doesn't impact the audio transformers. Why? :(
03:26 : The hidden LMC Comp, urgh?
04:50 : LMC + Vintage Drive, better but still doesn't cut it imho.
06:24 : Pushing the SSL Fusion to the extreme? Is it interesting? Not really.
08:24 : Adding the transformer doesn't adds much in that context.
08:52 : The Stereo Image vs plugin (BasslanePro by Tone Projects).
10:08 : The Violet EQ, okay I like this one!
13:07 : What about weird settings? Stereo Image on a mono bass track??
14:44 : Saturation+LMC+Transformer = Artificial transient added!
15:38 : Conclusion
Any more time to waste to the Gauds of social media? Follow me not on Instagram where I am much more active at sharing interesting audio stuff : / wheeliemix
Here is a 100% honest review/opinion about the Solid State Logic Fusion outboard studio gear. It is just my OWN OPINION (don't kill me) coming from my own taste and experience mixing in a hybrid setup and sometimes 90% analog (on an SSL 4000G+).
Key words for KZbin referencing (do not read, it's not interesting) :
SSL Fusion, outboard gear, plugins, mixing engineer, mixing, music production, music producer, mixing tips, music production tips, analog gear, analog vs digital.
Au revoir!

[@JoeyFTL]

The unbelievable, the majestic, the venerable, the one and the only... WheelieMix! You grace this platform once more! Praise the lord

[@WheelieMix]

Hahaha that's very hyperbolic but I appreciate that a lot! Thanks a lot man

[@JoeyFTL]

@@WheelieMixthanks for being awesome

[@WheelieMix]

@@JoeyFTL Thanks for the kind words

[@graywyot]

I'm glad you're back (KZbin). Super exciting with your "Unbiased reviews". Great video as always mate!

[@WheelieMix]

Hey, ha good to see you again! I am happy to see you here too :D!

[@gffg387]

WheelieMix!! Great to see a new video!

[@WheelieMix]

Ha thanks Gus! I hopefully while get time to post more!

[@ronson795]

How did you set up Baseline Pro to use it on a whole track? I only used it on bass because when I tried it on higher frequency ranges it sounded kinda weird. But I didn't went into "science" testing with it.

[@WheelieMix]

I pushed the width a bit (not too much) and pushed the harmonics on side (on side mode). I think it was on the medium intensity. That's usually what I do and it works pretty well with me :). The trick is not to push the width too much.

[@bontempo1271]

I can't believe there is a new Wheeliemix video lol. What a surprise - and KZbin finally put a notification for it. I can tell you was very disapointed with the Fusion ! Understandable, i felt the same. It's good for someone who is ITB and wants an all in one box for the mixbus. I was gonna say it's a good opportunity to compare it with the Kiive plugin but they didn't emulate the transformer or the HF compressor

[@WheelieMix]

Hahaha happy to still see you here hehe! Glad YT notified you :D. Yes the Fusion is not baaaad, but it's still a good chunk of money so it better blows me away or I won't keep it. Yes Kiive didn't but they emulated the Rupert Neve unit, which seems like a much more interesting unit to me (not the same price too hehe).

[@bontempo1271]

@@WheelieMix The Neve emulation on the Kiive plugin sounds nice, i much prefer it to the Fusion. Still the thing for me is whether i would use it on a bus because if a plugin isn't doing what hardware does with dimension then i still have to rely on hardware for the mixbus. I really like it though.

[@WheelieMix]

@@bontempo1271 Yes also the Neve he emulated is 3x the price of the Fusion. But I'd prefer it too. To be 100% honest, I don't think hardware brings any "dimension". A stereo track will still be stereo. The sense of depth and width is usually very easily explainable on a scientific standpoint and has very little to do with actual "dimension" and "depth". All of the sense of dimension, depth, width are trickery we do to ours ears. So I don't think that "dimension" could also be brought by plugins, it's just a different route to take, that could maybe take more time to tweak.

[@bontempo1271]

@@WheelieMix Yes it's just our perception, but it's definitely there. I hope one day this mystery is solved

[@WheelieMix]

@@bontempo1271 Indeed it's just our perception :). Just by saying that I think you solved the mystery actually.

[@ILoveTeles]

Curious what you think is better in the price range.

[@WheelieMix]

To be honest, it's hard to beat in this price range. But I'd rather get a nice stereo EQ or a nice stereo buss comp rather than an all feature packed unit that does not wow me on most. But that's just me :). Also the resale value keeps plummeting. Which is not great.

[@eyesintheskies]

Would rather the neve mbt but it’s 3x the price 😕 Was curious about this one but the fact it’s not great when really pushed is kinda putting me off. Can you recommend any alternatives with similar feature set?

[@WheelieMix]

Yeah the Neve is kinda expensive and the SSL seem to be the only one in that price point. Personally, I'd grab a Violet EQ if you like the EQ from it. It can be found for quite cheap on the 2nd hand market. Then probably a pair vintage transformers (which can be found for cheap too) and just roll with that. It's not giving you everything but it's giving you the EQ and saturation. The HF compressor could be imitated in the box quite easily, and the Drive doesn't sound great when pushed so it's better to keep it subtle anyway. Although don't get me wrong : This video only shows MY TASTE, not an ultimate truth. I can see why some people may like it. Especially for those who likes more modern sound.

[@eyesintheskies]

@@WheelieMix cheers for the advice 👍🏼 i guess master bus processing is meant to be pretty subtle, but would be nice to really drive it now & again. I have an analogue mixer & pair of reasonable eq, thinking of adding warm audio's 2mpx, which has the transformers , full voltage tubes . Used subtly on the master bus could work good enough for me! Then maybe add the spl gemini for stereo width depth m/s fun. Thing is add those 2 up & im at the Neve price point 🤦🏼😂 Enjoyed you vid anyway refreshingly honest 👍🏼

[@WheelieMix]

@@eyesintheskies Yes true. Although some style call for aggressiveness on the mixbus sometimes. Ha yes, I personally do not buy Warm products. Because of their low resale value and also I wasn't convinced by all the tests I listened to (except their 1073 seemed to sound quite good). Gemini sounds fun! Yeah, do not forget about 2 transformers. They can do wonder on the mixbus, they are passive and very cheap (much cheaper than any outboard gear). Actually as we speak, I am exporting a mix with a pair of 60's transformers on the mixbus and I am really liking the result! Haaa thanks for the kind word. There are too many reviews that are brown-nosing brands hoping to get free stuff or because they are under a contract. I am trying to offer something different and honest, eventhough not perfect and polished (I am clearly not a KZbinr and got no time to be one hehe).

[@eyesintheskies]

@@WheelieMix i agree, i quite like saturating a whole mix sometimes. In fact im probably prone to overdoing it 😂 As for warm audio thing id probably take advantage & buy used. The 2mpx has cinemag transformers, inside & is based on an old ampex 351 50s/60s unit. But i imagine the real vintage transformers are pretty good. First realised what they can do when i got a hudson broadcast guitar pedal, love that thing! What id really love is that overstayer modular channel, but a bit outside my budget 🤦🏼 Have you heard of it, interesting unit, especially once you get into modulating it via CV. Trying to justify the price tag as looking at it as 3 or 4 units in one & convince myself id be saving money!!!

[@WheelieMix]

@@eyesintheskies Haha yes gotcha. The Overstayer is great but man it's expensive! It's a never ending quest innit hehe.

[@YoungNino2017]

I've been watching videos on this thing all day and I really can't tell... but I feel like you're right... it doesn't do anything all that special

[@WheelieMix]

If I have to be 100% fair, a lot of videos on YT are done for 2 main reasons : ° Brand partnership. So it's a sales pitch. Disguised as a review. Infomercial kind of thing. ° Overly positive review because the person expect to get the good favors of the brand and get some free stuff. So it's def hard to understand what it does. Because the information on YT is has colored as a Smash Mouth videoclip. If you have anyway question in regard to what you expect that unit would do, I'd happily answer. In all fairness. Because I don't think it's a bad unit at all, but just did not fit my taste (which are very specific to be fair).

[@user-nr9ln8go8r]

And I really like SSL Fusion!!!

[@WheelieMix]

If you like that's great! I found a few cool sounds out of it tbh ☺.

[@khalilroukoz]

Nice video! Im a few steps away from selling mine, the only pros i hearor use is the violet eq and the insert point! Vintage drive too noisy, not sure why in holding on to it

[@WheelieMix]

Ha thanks! Yeah Violet EQ is cool, the 500 version is exactly the same and quite affordable. I also like the insert point and especially the M/S matrix it offers. But it was too expensive for me to keep it just for that. Was great on vocals too, I'd have kept it just for vocals if it had a utilitarian compressor instead of the quite bad "talkback" compressor (that sounds nothing like the original imho).

[@aviatedviewssound4798]

Me too brother, I am a RND guy. I missed you my guy.

[@WheelieMix]

Haaaa thanks man haha :D. I am glad to be back! Which RND gear do you have instead of the Fusion?

[@MarkyGoldstein]

I have never heard a good drive in the box. That's where analog usually shines.

[@WheelieMix]

How would you characterize a "good drive". I know tough question, but depending on your answer, there could potentially be some plugins I could recommend.

[@hinky7729]

@@WheelieMixwhich plugins?

[@WheelieMix]

@@hinky7729 It depends on what he means by "good" drive box. Some people love very bright "punchy" saturation. Others prefer more mellow/soft saturation etc...

[@hinky7729]

@@WheelieMix just give us some tips for both (if you have the time). My generation didnt grew up on analogue - so it is very interesting for us, when someone with experience share their impressions

[@WheelieMix]

@@hinky7729 Hey I didn't grew up on analog too, I grew up with an ASUS laptop, ain't no boomer or X xD. Jokes aside, tell me what you like because there are literally 10 000 options. So there is no point in me recommending you something you won't like or use ;).

[@MariJu1ce]

always sounded better when you bypassed it haha

[@WheelieMix]

Pretty much hehehe x). Ah it was alright on the vocal imho. No don't you think?

[@MariJu1ce]

transformer sounded good sometimes! but i would think that I could get that topend air trough many other ways@@WheelieMix

[@WheelieMix]

@@MariJu1ce To be honest that's a very good point indeed, I agree with you here.

[@cubaseman1487]

Your mix very noised 😮

[@WheelieMix]

It's a rough mix here, and I don't know what you mean by "noised" sorry.

[@rectape]

Made in China...

[@WheelieMix]

Yes I think it is indeed.

[@Faithaven]

Most gear is actually

[@rectape]

@@FaithavenNot in the high end audio equipment

[@Faithaven]

@@rectape well I have $5000+ pieces of gear so maybe anything over that. If you can point to sources that would be great. I will research including its assembly and where the components are from.

[@WheelieMix]

I think Audioscape are made in the US. Culture Vulture I think are made in the UK. Buzz Audio some were made in NZ. But my knowledge regarding new outboard gear is pretty limited in that regard I must confess.