スタジオ・ミキサー

Notes: Another banger from Cre8's range of Eurorack-compatible standalone desktop modules, the Assembler is a synth-focussed mixer designed to bring everything together, whether that be other Cre8 instruments or third-party hardware.

Supplier's notes:
Introducing Assembler, a synth-focused audio mixer meticulously engineered to deliver unmatched vintage mixing console sound and intuitive, hands-on control. Developed in partnership with the renowned Pittsburgh Modular Synthesizers team, Assembler builds on the rich history and sonic warmth of classic analogue audio mixers while embracing a modern workflow designed specifically for contemporary electronic artists.

The idea behind Assembler was not only to provide a super flexible tool for mixing live or in the studio, but also to provide a sound sculpting tool that could add depth, complexity, and with its special Pittsburgh-designed circuits, help you even to sound better!

Inspired by the sound of iconic analogue consoles that shaped decades of music production, Assembler captures the essence of vintage mixers famed for their warmth, character, and dynamic response through tonal shaping and analog tape saturation emulation. These custom circuits, meticulously engineered for Assembler by Pittsburgh Modular utilize signal contouring and soft compression to unify the overall mix. This process emulates the signal chain cherished in vintage recordings, adding the warmth, cohesion, and character that other mixers often lack. The result is a better sounding modern electronic music mixer.

Assembler's ten audio inputs are split into three distinct mixer channel types to seamlessly integrate with various audio scenarios and workflows, however all ten channels have several features in common. Each input includes a powerful preamp capable of up to 20x gain boost, ideal for boosting line level signals, subtle clarity enhancement, or aggressive signal saturation. Three assignable aux sends add flexible audio processing options to each channel. Three segment LED meters, independent headphone Cue, and channel Mutes allow for precise and comprehensive monitoring. Channel 1 and 2 add extensive tonal control with vintage-inspired high and low EQ knobs, each offering -15 dB of boost or cut while all six mono inputs include a dedicated pan control. Two sets of stereo inputs take advantage of the powerful preamps and assignable aux sends to work with both Eurorack and line level signals. This allows for seamless integration of a wide variety of electronic instruments.

The Assembler offers significant flexibility with its three assignable aux send channels, allowing effortless integration of external effects like reverbs and delays or functioning as sub-mix channels. Specifically, two stereo returns and one mono return, each with independent gain adjustments (up to 2.7x gain), enable both creative experimentation and professional-grade signal blending.

Assembler prioritizes ease of use with its intuitive one-knob-per-function design. Every feature, EQ adjustment, auxiliary routing, panning, or level setting, is immediately accessible, providing a seamless, frustration-free mixing experience. Users new to audio mixers will appreciate its straightforward operation, while seasoned artists will instantly feel at home with familiar analogue mixer functionalities clearly laid out.

Equally adept at managing both line-level instruments and modular signals, Assembler effortlessly integrates into any studio or live performance setup. A dedicated headphone output with a separate cue mix ensures detailed and reliable monitoring in live situations, enabling performers to preview and adjust their sounds confidently.

Assembler purposefully eliminates extraneous features found in many modern modular mixers, focusing solely on superior audio quality, intuitive user experience, and robust reliability. The result is a professional-quality audio mixer that offers an exceptional analog sound experience at a significantly accessible price point compared to competing products.

Assembler continues this tradition by seamlessly blending revered analogue sound processing with modern modular flexibility, and it will also self-oscillate for all the noise artists, if that is important.

Notes: To the casual observer SiX looks like any other compact desktop mixer. Look a little closer and like all SSL consoles, SiX reveals a carefully considered feature set that is driven by an obsessive desire for total flexibility, to encompass every creative eventuality. It may be small but SiX is a classic SSL design. It carries the DNA of 40 years of true expertise in creative studio workflow. Listen to SiX and you will experience the impeccable sonic performance that is the hallmark of every SSL console. It is powerful and intuitive. Inspired and rewarding.

SiX is a condensed professional console for use in the studio, in post-production, on stage, and for podcasting. SiX offers big console sound and an impressive set of utility features in a format that is small enough to stick in a bag a go wherever you need it. SiX is stunning value; it offers two recording channels with SuperAnalogueTM mic pres, two band EQ, an essential one knob version of the classic SSL Channel Compressor, a new two-band Channel EQ, inserts and 100mm faders.

There is a two-knob version of the legendary G-Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus and the unique Listen Mic Compressor on the Talkback. In mixdown mode it is a very capable twelve channel summing system that offers analogue detail, depth and width to your mixes

SiX is an SSL SuperAnalogue design - it gives you the sonic signature of a large format SSL console on your desktop or in your backpack. Its signal path is fully balanced from front to back on everything except the headphone output. It delivers pristine, detailed audio with wide dynamic range, ultra-low noise, ultra-low distortion and superb imaging. If you want to know more about the technical reasons why SSL mixers sound so good read our Lifting The Veil document.

In addition to Mic Pre's, SiX's SuperAnalogue Recording channels feature classic SSL feed-forward Channel Compressor circuit and two band SSL EQ with shelf and bell curves. It has two mono SuperAnalogue - Mic' Pre's taken from large-format duality and AWS consoles, offering phantom power, 75Hz HPF and independant line-level inputs.

SiX has a G Series Bus Compressor on the main mix bus. This uses the same circuit design as the legendary SSL Bus Compressor from our larger consoles but with a fixed ratio, attack, and release settings and a more modern quad-VCA chip. Easy to get that SSL glue and punch on your master bus. It has two mono channels with SSL SuperAnalogue - Mic' Pre's; these are transparent, fast and have a much wider available gain range than you would typically get on a compact desktop mixer - 66dB of gain compared to the more typical mid-40s or 50dB found in desktop mixers. They have phantom power, 75Hz high pass filter and an independent line-level input which can be switched to instrument level input with high impedance.

Moving down the channel strip we have a brand-new one knob compressor circuit. This design is based on and has the same sound as the classic SSL feed-forward Channel Compressor circuit. It has a program-dependent attack time, a fixed release time and fixed ratio. Simply adjust the threshold, watch the traffic lights flash to see how much compression is happening and rely on the circuit to automatically adjust gain to match input levels. This is a cool-sounding circuit that makes it simple to dial in a consistent level and get signals sitting right in the sweet spot.

Both mono channels have a new two-band SSL EQ that may be independently switched between shelf and bell curves, with different centre frequencies for each type. This approach draws upon the SSL design legacy of specifying response curves and centre frequencies for channel EQ that are immediately intuitively pleasing in their response; these curves and frequencies were selected by our team as the most "musically useful" for a wide range of sources.

SiX has 100mm faders. We spent some time working on alternate fader tapers and settled on a law that gave us the most control over the most useable gain range, making on-stage level control far easier than it would be with a rotary or a 60mm fader as found on other compact mixers. Each channel has a fully balanced insert point for integrating other signal processors which is after the EQ and Compressor circuits, and like all SSLs the insert send is always active - meaning you can use this as a "dry" record send to your DAW if required. At the bottom of the mono channels we have an ALTernate input switch which can source 2 extra mono channels from a connector on the rear of the console which can be used at mixdown.

SiX has two stereo input channels with -10/+20 dB trim for line sources such as synthesisers, drum machines, output from soundcards etc. These have their own balance controls and 100mm faders. If only the Left input of a stereo channel is connected (and the right left free) the channel will automatically switch to mono, panned centre. While SiX might be small it can handle a lot of inputs at mix-down! Using the two mono input and the two stereo input channels gives SiX its name, but we also have two stereo EXTernal inputs (with volume controls in the master section) which can be sent to the mix bus. Include the ALT inputs and we have up to 12 channels that can be summed into the main mix bus.

SiX has a collection of professional routing & monitoring features taken directly from our large format console heritage. It has two Stereo Cue buses (with level and pan controls) for individual artist foldback mixes. The Master Section has main and alternate monitor outputs with a proper monitor source matrix, as well as mono check, dim and cut. The fader channels all have proper PFL and a Mute button that routes the muted signal to a 'Bus B'. Bus B can be used as a convenient DAW record send but it can also be routed to the monitor matrix. This means that the muted signal can be monitored without it feeding the main mix bus and then switched in to the main mix with the Mute button - perfect for live webcasting because a remote feed can be monitored 'offline' and punched in to the broadcast feed. There is a talkback mic' input with phantom power and SSL's unique, crunchy Listen Mic Compressor, which of course also serves as a unique processing tool that delivers that classic 1980's slammed drums sound.