Solid State Logic FUSION User Guide

FUSION

User Guide

www.solidstatelogic.com

Fusion. This is SSL.

The Path To Fusion

A little over two years ago, we set out to create a new piece of analogue equipment that would enhance any engineer’s studio setup

and easily attach to a pair of inputs and outputs on an audio interface or an analogue desk/summing mixer. In true SSL fashion,

this piece of equipment would seek to enhance not only the sound of the mix but also the workﬂow of whatever situation it would

be thrust into - a new analogue ‘sidekick’, if you will.

Visit SSL at:

www.solidstatelogic.com

The critical path in any mix leads to the master mix bus, where all the individual instruments are bound together. In today’s hybrid

studio, the prevalence and importance of mix bus processing is ever-present. The DAW’s mix bus inserts slots are often stacked

high with plug-ins seeking to inject various aspects of analogue mojo or magic. However, even after all insert slots are ﬁlled, that

authentic analogue edge is still lacking and can often prove difﬁcult to achieve convincingly when mixing inside the box alone.

Engineers often look towards multiple pieces of real analogue outboard equipment instead and this was the seed from which Fusion

as an idea began to grow.

SSL® and Solid State Logic® are ® registered trademarks of Solid State Logic.

Fusion™ is a trademark of Solid State Logic.

TBProAudio™ is a trade mark of TB-Software GbR.

All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.

No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, whether mechanical or electronic, without the

written permission of Solid State Logic, Oxford, OX5 1RU, England.

As research and development is a continual process, Solid State Logic reserves the right to change the features and

speciﬁcations described herein without notice or obligation.

Solid State Logic cannot be held responsible for any loss or damage arising directly or indirectly from any error or omission in

this manual.

PLEASE READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS, PAY SPECIAL HEED TO SAFETY WARNINGS.

E&OE

We started the journey through months of research - subjectively listening to and objectively measuring a vast array of analogue

equipment, to pinpoint all of the most desirable analogue characteristics and behaviours. This “hit list” of differing sonic ﬂavours,

difﬁcult to achieve with digital emulations alone, formed the base from which Fusion’s ﬁve analogue colour circuits would be

engineered.

“The Analogue Hit List”

➤ #1 - A rich analogue EQ with gentle shelving ﬁlters.

➤ #2 - Smooth top-end rounding, in the analogue domain.

➤ #3 - Additional harmonics and gradual saturation that emerge from an analogue ‘sweet spot’.

➤ #4 - Wider stereo imaging with more depth via true Mid/Side processing.

➤ #5 - Transformer mojo.

The ﬁrst circuit to emerge as a result of the work was the VIOLET EQ, a new SSL shelving EQ with a reﬁned ±9dB gain range. Next

came the HF COMPRESSOR circuit as a tool to tame unwanted top-end brittleness and restore a natural analogue roll-off. Then

came the VINTAGE DRIVE circuit, our new non-linear saturation circuit that was tweaked over several months to hone its unique

character. The STEREO IMAGE circuit followed as a way of providing the often much-missed analogue mid-side processing. The

custom-designed TRANSFORMER circuit completed the ﬁnal piece of the puzzle and again involved many rounds of ﬁne-tuning

to settle on the design. But we didn’t just design Fusion in the isolation of SSL HQ; when the ﬁrst prototypes were complete we sent

them off to a selection of trusted engineers and made further adjustments to the circuits based on their feedback.

March 2019

Let The Fun Begin...

And with that, you have a brief insight into how Fusion came to be. Fusion provides an armoury of mix tools at your disposal and

will help you arrive at the sound you want with ruthless efﬁciency!

Give your mix the analogue edge it deserves.

Happy Mixing.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Features 1

Unpacking 2

Safety Notices 2

Rack Mounting, Heat & Ventilation 2

Hardware Overview 3

Front Panel 3

Rear Panel 3

Signal Flow Overview 4

Setup Examples 5

Connecting Fusion to an Audio Interface 5

Using Fusion as a Hardware Insert 5

Alternative Setup Option 5

Connecting Fusion to an Analogue Desk / Summing Mixer 6

Start Me Up! 7 Tutorial 8

Input Trim 8

HPF (High-Pass Filter) 8

The 5 Colour Circuits 9

Vintage Drive 9

Violet EQ 11

HF Compressor (High Frequency Compressor) 12

Stereo Image 12

Transformer 13

Insert (Standard Mode) 14

Insert (M/S Mode) 14

Bypass (Standard Mode) 14

Bypass (Post I/P Trim) 14

Output Trim 14

Master Meter 15

FRONT PANEL SWITCHES 15

Contents Contents

All returns 19

Appendix A - Physical Specication 20

Connectors 20

Appendix B - Analogue Specication 21

Audio Performance 21

Appendix C - System Block Diagram 23 Appendix D - Safety Notices 24

General Safety 24

Installation Notes 24

Power Safety 24

CE Certication 25

FCC Certication 25

RoHS notice 25

Instructions for disposal of WEEE by users in the European Union 25

Electromagnetic Compatibility 26

Environmental 26

Appendix E - Selecting Mains Voltage 27

Changing the fuse from 115V to 230V 27

Changing the fuse from 230V to 115V 28

Appendix F - Recall Sheet 29

Settings Mode & Factory Reset 16

Entering Settings Mode 16

Brightness 16

Relay Feedback 16

Exiting Settings Mode 16

Factory Reset 17

Simon Says Game 17

Troubleshooting & FAQ's 18

UID Display Mode 18

Unique ID (UID) 18

Hardware Revision 18

Soak Mode 19

Warranty 19

Fusion Owner’s Manual Fusion Owner’s Manual

Introduction

Fusion is an all-analogue stereo outboard processor created for the hybrid studio. Fusion introduces ﬁve completely new analogue

colouration tools designed to bring the perfect combination of added tonal character, clarity and depth to your mix bus or stereo

stems with the detail, warmth and ﬁnesse that only real analogue circuits can provide.

Features

➤ Five new SSL analogue colour circuits:

➤ VINTAGE DRIVE - A unique non-linear saturation circuit designed to bring that cherished gradual analogue

overload sound you get from pushing vintage equipment into the sweet spot.

➤ VIOLET EQ - a 2-band, minimum phase-shift shelving EQ offering instant low-end weight and glorious high-end

sheen. 4 ﬁxed frequency points for each band with ±9dB boost/cut.

➤ HF COMPRESSOR - A high-frequency compressor, optimised for smooth taming of unwanted brittle sounds or

build-up of top-end ﬁzz.

➤ STEREO IMAGE - A built-in M/S circuit allows for sumptuous sculpting of the side-signal to allow for wider mixes

with added depth.

➤ TRANSFORMER CIRCUIT - A custom SSL design that introduces subtle low-frequency harmonics for added

weight, alongside a touch of added transformer sparkle in the highs.

➤ Built-In Insert Point with two modes of operation:

➤ Stereo mode allows you to integrate additional outboard gear such as the SSL Bus Compressor. Switchable pre/

post the VIOLET EQ.

➤ Mid/Side mode allows you to insert two different mono outboard processors across the mid and side signals of the

mix. Switchable pre/post the STEREO IMAGE controls.

➤ 3rd order HPF (High-Pass Filter) to clean up unwanted low-end.

➤ SuperAnalogueTM ±12dB centre-indented INPUT and OUTPUT trim controls to help achieve the best possible gain-staging

into and out of Fusion.

➤ Individual bypass switches for each circuit to compare sounds with/without each circuit.

➤ Master BYPASS switch with two modes of operation:

➤ Red mode: complete bypass.

➤ White mode: bypass that includes the INPUT TRIM control.

➤ Master meter, with 3-second peak hold segments. Switches from output to input metering upon pressing the BYPASS

switch.

➤ Input clip O/L LEDs, triggered at +27dBu.

➤ Balanced XLR input and outputs throughout for easy and professional studio integration.

➤ Enhanced ‘dot-dash’ screening around controls to allow for easier and clearer recall.

➤ Adjustable front-panel meter and switch brightness to match the vibe of your studio environment.

Fusion User Guide

Introduction

Hardware Overview

Unpacking

The unit has been carefully packed and inside the box you will ﬁnd the following items.

➤ Fusion

➤ IEC power cord for your country

➤ Safety Sheet

➤ Quickstart Guide

➤ Registration card

It is always a good idea to save the original box and packaging, just in case you ever need to send the unit in for service.

Safety Notices

Please read the safety notice information included on the Safety Sheet inside the box before using Fusion. This information is also

available in Appendix D of this User Guide.

ATTENTION: CHECK YOUR FUSE SETTINGS

Fusion can be switched between operating with a 230V or 115V power source. Please see Appendix E: Selecting

Mains Voltage for details on how to check your fuse settings and change if necessary.

Rack Mounting, Heat & Ventilation

Hardware Overview

This section will detail the hardware features found on Fusion.

Front Panel

Vintage Drive

Input Overload

LEDs

Input Trim

±12dB

High-Pass Filter

Harmonic

Saturation Circuit

Violet EQ

2-band Shelving

Filter

High Frequency

Compressor

Circuit - Side Signal

Custom

Transformer

Circuit

Stereo Image

Processing

Output

Trim

±12dB

Insert Point -

Switchable Pre/

Post EQ

Master

Meter

Bypass

Switch

Fusion is a 2U, 19” rackmount piece of equipment designed to sit in the racking of a producer’s desk or similar. Fusion’s no

compromise design is powered by a toroidal transformer and as such, the left-hand side of the unit can become warm to the

touch. It is recommended that ventilation space is left above and below the unit. If this is not possible, then it is recommended

Fusion be placed at the top of the rack, so any heat generated by Fusion rises away from surrounding equipment. The sides of

the Fusion chassis have cut-outs that should under no circumstances be blocked or covered. Always allow Fusion to cool down

before handling.

Rear Panel

Balanced Inputs

Balanced Outputs

Balanced Insert

Returns

Balanced Insert

Sends

Warning! Check the fuse orientation matches your supply voltage.

Fuse Operating

Voltage Selection

IEC Power Inlet

and Switch

Warning! The left-hand side of Fusion can become warm due to the

linear power supply. Take care when handling.

Fusion User Guide

Hardware Overview

Setup Examples

Signal Flow Overview

A detailed Block Diagram is available in Appendix C. The diagram below gives you an overview of the signal path options Fusion

provides.

HPF

INSERT (Standard)

HPF

INSERT (Standard) + Pre EQ

HPF

VINTAGE

DRIVE

VINTAGE

DRIVE

VINTAGE

DRIVE

VIOLET

INSERT

POINT

VIOLET

COMPRESSOR

VIOLET

COMPRESSOR

INSERT

POINT

COMPRESSOR

STEREO

IMAGE

STEREO

IMAGE

STEREO

IMAGE

M/S

INSERT

POINT

TRANSFORMER

Setup Examples

Connecting Fusion to an Audio Interface

The examples below show how to connect Fusion to an audio interface, with and without hardware insert functionality in your DAW.

INSERT (M/S Mode)

HPF

INSERT (M/S Mode) + Pre EQ

VINTAGE

DRIVE

VIOLET

COMPRESSOR

M/S

INSERT

POINT

STEREO

IMAGE

TRANSFORMER

Using Fusion as a Hardware Insert

1. Choose a pair of analogue inputs and outputs that are not being used on your audio interface - this example uses analogue

inputs and outputs 3 & 4, presuming 1 & 2 are being used for monitoring.

2. Connect analogue outputs 3 & 4 of your audio interface to the left and right inputs of Fusion.

3. Connect the left and right outputs of Fusion into line-level inputs 3 & 4 of your audio interface.

4. Insert Fusion across your DAW mix bus track / any stereo audio track as a hardware insert in your DAW.

Alternative Setup Option

If you do not use the hardware insert functionality in your DAW, you can use the following method to integrate Fusion into your setup:

1. Choose a pair of analogue inputs and outputs that are not being used on your audio interface e.g. outputs 3 & 4 and inputs

1 & 2.

2. On your main DAW mix bus / stereo output track, make the output analogue 3 & 4. This example presumes analogue outputs

1 & 2 are connected to your monitors.

3. Connect analogue outputs 3 & 4 to the left and right inputs of Fusion.

4. Connect the left and right outputs of Fusion into line-level analogue inputs 1 & 2 of your audio interface.

5. Create a Stereo Input track that is sourced from analogue inputs 1 & 2 in your DAW. Record enable/input monitor this track.

Set the output of this track to outputs 1 & 2 of your interface (your monitor output).

6. Print the Fusion mix back in by recording the track.

Fusion User Guide

+ 13 hidden pages