Solid State Logic SSL G3 MultiBusComp

What SSL G3 Multi Bus Compressor Is For

SSL G3 Multi Bus Compressor is a multiband bus compression plug-in designed to deliver that famous "glue" effect that makes a mix sound more coherent, denser, and more alive. It excels on drum buses (kick, snare, overheads), instrument buses (guitars, keyboards, synths), and even the master bus when you want to control dynamics without sacrificing impact. Its three-band approach allows you to stabilize the low end, anchor the midrange, and smooth the highs, while maintaining the musicality typical of console compressors.

Main Features

The SSL sound "like a record," in 3 independent bands

Inspired by the bus compressor from the G series, SSL G3 Multi Bus Compressor retains the musical response and punch that made it famous, adding multiband processing: you compress each frequency band with its own settings. The result: you can, for example, control kick drum hits in the low end without dulling the cymbals, or enhance midrange attack without hardening the highs. Ideal for sources covering the entire frequency range, such as a full drum kit or a band mix.

Modern controls: extended Attack, Release, and Ratio

Designed for today's production demands, the plug-in adds expanded Attack, Release, and Ratio parameters to tailor compression to tempo, groove, and musical style. You can go from subtle compression that barely "glues" to more assertive control, while maintaining a natural feel and good dynamic integrity even when pushing ratios.

Auto mode and controlled gain stages

The Auto mode provides a quick, smooth response close to classic behavior, useful when seeking a musical result without spending too much time on time constants. The global input and output controls facilitate level matching for objective before/after comparisons and maintain clean gain staging in your session.

External sidechain with HPF: tight bass, clearer mix

The external sidechain and its high-pass filtering (HPF) give you fine control over what triggers compression. It's the solution to prevent an overly present sub or kick drum from causing the entire bus to "pump." This results in more punch and clarity, with more stable lows and a less cluttered mix, especially useful in EDM, hip-hop, modern rock, or pop.

Parameter Link, band audition, and graphical visualization

For a fast workflow, the Parameter Link control lets you apply global changes across all three bands simultaneously (handy for maintaining consistent settings between low, mid, and high). The band audition (solo) function helps you precisely hear what each band contributes, speeding up setting placement and reducing guesswork.

The graphical display of bands offers real-time feedback and intuitive adjustment of thresholds and crossover frequencies: you fine-tune each band's working range precisely to sculpt dynamics without unbalancing the tone.

"4K drive": analog character when you want it

When a bus needs more attitude, activate the "4K drive" inspired by classic SSL hardware circuits. You add harmonics and warmth, and can subtly dirty or intensify the character, independently on each band. An excellent way to add dimension to drums, guitars, or a synth bus while maintaining dynamic control.

Technical specifications

Type

Full software

Downloadable

Yes

Mac	macOS Sierra (10.12) or higher	Windows Processor	Intel Core 2 (or equivalent) 2.4 GHz or higher
Windows	Windows 7 (64-bit), Windows 8 (64-bit), Windows 8.1 (64-bit), Windows 10 (64-bit)	RAM	Minimum 4 GB, 8 GB recommended
Mac Processor	Intel Dual Core 2.4 GHz or higher	iLok required	hardware or cloud-based authorization