Solid State Logic Stereo Receiver Vocalstrip User Manual

Vocalstrip™  
One Stop Vocal Processing Plug-in for SSL Duende – a User’s Guide  
Duende. This is SSL.  
 
1. Introduction  
Thank you for purchasing the Vocalstrip plug-in for the SSL Duende platform. Vocalstrip is a one stop solution for  
superior vocal processing, with all the tools you need to take your vocal sound into the big league.  
Vocalstrip features 4 configurable processing blocks to take care of unwanted artefacts, dynamics and equalisation  
and extensive metering and visual feedback give you invaluable information during your work.  
Liberated from any analogue style control legacy, the Vocalstrip graphical user interface will especially appeal to  
people who like to see what they are hearing. The fully interactive EQ display shows the exact filter shapes and  
resulting curves of the different EQ bands, and a real-time spectrum analyser allows you to see the effect of your EQ  
settings on the overall frequency spectrum of the sound source. The Compander response is shown visually and full  
gain reduction metering shows you exactly how the dynamics are being manipulated. Extensive control options include  
traditional mouse parameter control, wheel adjustment and exact numerical entry.  
The plug-in is available as a mono instance only in VST, AU and RTAS* formats making it compatible with virtually all  
audio software currently available on both PC and Mac.  
As with other Duende plug-ins, Vocalstrip is capable of operating at 44.1, 48, 88.2 and 96kHz sampling rates, where  
a mono instance at 44.1/48kHz occupies 1 Duende processing slot.  
Vocalstrip comes equipped with a hotlist of presets based on the settings used by some of the world’s most renowned  
sound engineers and producers. These pro-level presets provide great starting points for any vocal job that you may  
encounter.  
* RTAS support is provided via the included FXpansion VST-RTAS wrapper – www.fxpansion.com  
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Key Features  
• Intelligent De-esser  
• Intelligent De-ploser  
• 3 band EQ  
• Compander featuring compression, downwards expansion and output drive  
• Extensive visual feedback including a real-time FFT analyser showing the result of the EQ processing on the audio  
spectrum  
• Complete control over process order  
• Extensive control options including mouse wheel adjustment and numerical data entry  
• Proprietary preset management functions providing compatibility between all DAW platforms  
• A/B functionality for easy comparison of any two settings  
• Global soft latency free bypass  
• Superb mastering grade audio quality delivered by Duende’s 40-bit floating point engine  
• Preset library based on settings used by some of the worlds top mixing engineers  
As with other Duende plug-ins, Vocalstrip will take one ‘slot’ at 44.1/48kHz in mono. Please see the Duende User  
Guide for more information on DSP resource management.  
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Hardware Limitations  
Because of the many processor-intensive processes that are part of Vocalstrip, this plug-in uses a large number of  
Duende DSP cycles.  
Although this is un-noticeable for most ‘normal’ use, it does mean that if 6 or more Vocalstrips are loaded onto one  
Duende DSP at 44.1/48kHz and all of the modules are enabled (ie De-esser, De-ploser etc.), then a 7th will not have  
time to be processed. This will result in the audio ‘crackling’ or glitching.  
To minimise this situation we have made the Vocalstrip modules only use DSP cycles when they are switched in. For  
example, you can quite happily run 8 Vocalstrips on one Duende DSP as long as maybe two of them have the De-  
esser switched out, and another two the De-ploser switched out. Also, in reality you are very unlikely to run more  
than 6 fully enabled VocalStrips on any one Duende DSP!  
If you do run into this, you will hear glitching. In this case unload the last plug-in, then load a couple of ‘dummy  
channel strips’ onto a spare muted audio channel. The next VocalStrip you instantiate will then be loaded onto the  
next DSP, so another 6 fully enabled plug-ins can then be run.  
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2. System Requirements  
Apple Macintosh  
Windows/PC  
• SSL Duende running V2.59 software and 2.19 firmware • SSL Duende running V2.59 software and 2.19 firmware  
• Mac PowerPC G4/G5 or Intel 1Ghz or higher  
• 512MB RAM (1GB recommended)  
• Minimum of Intel Pentium IV 1GHz or equivalent  
• 512MB RAM (1GB recommended)  
• Mac OS X (‘Tiger’ 10.4.11 or ‘Leopard’ 10.5.2 or higher) • Windows XP or Vista – 32 bit versions only  
• 60MB of free Hard Disk space • 80MB of free Hard Disk space  
• Audio Units, VST or RTAS* compatible host application • Approved VST or RTAS* compatible host application  
• 17" or larger colour monitor with screen resolution of • 17" or larger colour monitor with screen resolution of  
1024 x 768 or higher recommended  
1024 x 768 or higher recommended  
• Internet connection (for product registration and to • Internet connection (for product registration and to  
download software updates)  
• Approved audio interface  
download software updates)  
• Approved audio interface  
• Vocalstrip is provided in AU, RTAS* and VST formats as a universal binary for both Intel and PowerPC Macintosh,  
whilst RTAS* VST and versions are provided for use under Windows XP or Vista on the PC platform.  
*RTAS is supported through the integrated FXPansion VST-RTAS wrapper, a product developed by FXpansion Ltd.  
For more info visit www.fxpansion.com  
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3. Installation & Authorisation  
A time limited trial version of Vocalstrip will be installed during the Duende v2.6 software update. This allows Vocalstrip  
to be run in evaluation mode, which means the plug-in can be used with full functionality until a certain number of  
samples of audio have been processed. At 48kHz this gives 10 hours of continuous use for either stereo or mono plug-  
ins. At the point where 10 minutes of the evaluation period remains, the countdown timer will turn red. Once the timer  
reaches 0h 0m 0s the sample count has been reached and the plug-in will cease to process audio. If you wish to  
continue using Vocalstrip after this period, you can purchase the full version from our on-line store. Once the  
authorisation procedure has been completed, you will have an unrestricted version of Vocalstrip.  
To obtain an authorised version of Vocalstrip please do the following:  
1. Discover your Duende unit’s Authentication ID. This can be found  
in the Product Activation window – press <Ctrl> & click  
(Windows/PC) or & click (Macintosh) on the Duende logo in the  
Vocalstrip GUI to open this box. Make a note of this number,  
you’ll need to provide it in step 3. of the purchase for us to  
generate your un-lock key.  
The full authentication ID  
2. Navigate to www.solid-state-logic.com/store/index.asp and log in to your SSL account. If you do not already have  
an account, please create one.  
3. Under the SSL Products and Admin section, proceed to the Online Shop.  
4. Add Vocalstrip to your cart and confirm your identity in the next step.  
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5. In step 3. of the purchase you will be asked to enter the Authentication ID (see step 1. above).  
6. If your Duende hardware is not already registered you will be asked to register it here.  
7. Enter your payment details and your order will be completed and you will be provided with the Unlock Key.  
8. Return to the Product Activation box and enter the Unlock Key.  
Vocalstrip is now authorised for unlimited use.  
Enter the Unlock Key here  
Please note that Vocalstrip will only run on the particular Duende hardware for which it is authorised.  
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4. Vocalstrip In Detail  
4.1 De-esser  
Sibilance is a resonance often found in vocal recordings which can cause undesirable distortion  
artefacts which sounds like the ‘S’ constants are overly high in level. The De-esser in Vocalstrip  
intelligently detects these sounds and gives you control over how much attenuation to apply.  
The blue indicator between the controls ‘glows’ to show that the de-esser is working. The  
Thresh (threshold) control sets the relative detection point, so that the de-esser can distinguish  
between ‘S’ and ‘non-S’ sounds. Pressing the Aud button enables a solo mode where you hear  
only what is being taken out. This can be used effectively with the Thresh control to ensure  
you are only processing the correct portion of the signal.  
4.2 De-ploser  
Plosives can ruin a good vocal take as they cause a burst of low frequency energy in the signal  
which can not only sound unpleasant, but use valuable headroom and can cause dynamic  
processors to behave in an undesirable manner. Plosives are often caused by an excess of  
wind noise whilst recording which can occur if the singer is standing too close to the  
microphone. They can also be caused by compressor overshoot. The VocalStrip De-ploser  
detects these artefacts and lets you manage their level. Similar to the De-esser, it also features  
Thresh (threshold) and Amount controls and an Aud (audition) mode. Again, the blue indicator  
between the controls shows action.  
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4.3 Equaliser  
Three popular EQ types are provided to allow you to cut low frequencies, find  
and attenuate resonances and shape the top end of the signal. Each EQ type  
features independent in/out switching:  
• The low cut filter operates in the range of 30Hz to 300Hz – you will see  
from the graphical EQ display that it causes a slight boost around its cut-  
off frequency.  
• The notch filter operates in the range 200Hz to 10kHz and offers 12dB of  
boost and 36dB of attenuation. It has a high Q value.  
• The high band EQ offers 12dB of boost/attenuation over the range of 1kHz to 20kHz. It has a low Q value and hence  
a broad response.  
Tip: Finding and attenuating a resonance  
!
A vocal recording may contain a resonant frequency caused by a number of factors, including bad mic  
placement, room modes, or even unpleasant resonances caused by the singer’s skull!  
These can be detected and reduced in the following way:  
• Switch off the low cut filter and high band EQ  
• Set the notch filter gain to between 4 and 10dB  
• If you know the frequency area where problem lies, aim for this  
• If you don’t know this, sweep the frequency slowly up range, listening out for ringing  
• Once you have found the offending frequency, bring the gain down to a significant negative value  
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4.4 Compander  
The term Compander is a hybrid of Compressor and Expander. First the  
signal enters the downwards expander, which has a fixed ratio of 1.5:1  
and is designed to reduce room ambience, spill or breath noise that is  
often brought up by the subsequent compression. The Thresh (threshold)  
ranges from 0dB FS down to –96dB FS which essentially turns the  
expander off.  
The compressor offers both hard and soft knee modes alongside fully  
variable Ratio, Thresh (threshold), Attack, Releas (release) and Makeup  
controls. The output stage which is sourced after the make-up gain features an optional Drive feature. This introduces  
non-linear characteristics and hence harmonics to the signal and its intensity is controlled by the level of the make-  
up gain knob. More make-up gain increases the level into the drive circuitry. If you use a lot of make up gain to drive  
the circuit, the level can be reduced again by using the Output slider.  
4.5 Process Order  
The four processing blocks can be arranged  
in any serial order using the process order  
controls at the bottom of the plug-in. To use, just highlight the block you would like to move and press either the  
left-hand  
arrow or the right-hand  
arrow to move it one place in that direction.  
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5. Graphical Displays  
Vocalstrip features an assignable display in the top right hand corner of the plug-in GUI. This toggles between showing  
the Compander Law Graph and the EQ response curve. Clicking on any of the controls in either the Compander or EQ  
section will switch to the appropriate display.  
When displaying the EQ response there is also the option to show a real-time FFT analyser engine reports the  
amplitude of all frequencies at any moment in time. The analyser can be placed at either input or output, so you can  
see what effect the processing has on the frequency spectrum. The Spectrum Analyser makes it easy to spot an  
offending frequency that needs attenuating, or a range of frequencies that require boost.  
5.1 Graphical EQ Display  
The EQ curves are calculated from the actual analogue response of the  
different EQ types. Each band is shown as a different colour so individual  
bands can be easily identified in the display. The different curves are alpha  
blended, so if curves are overlapping one can see the different bands  
through each other. An overall response curve is calculated from the  
combined EQ bands and the result is displayed in white. Note here the  
slight boost in the LF curve caused by the low cut filter.  
5.2 FFT Spectrum Analyser  
A real-time FFT analyser engine reports the amplitude of all frequencies at any moment in time. The analyser can be  
placed at either input or output, so you can see what effect the processing has on the frequency spectrum. The  
Spectrum Analyser makes it easy to spot an offending frequency that needs attenuating, or a range of frequencies  
that require boost. The analyser display can be switched to input, output or off.  
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5.3 Compander Law Display  
This shows the output level for any given input level according to the Compander controls which  
are currently being used. You can see both the compressor and expander threshold, indicated by  
the two knees. As the ratio of the compressor is increased, you can see the top portion flatten  
out indicating that the output level for any given input is being reduced.  
5.4 I/O Difference Display  
Also known as an amplitude histogram, the I/O Diff meter shows the relative occurrence of various  
amplitudes before and after processing. For either input or output, the distance the blue horizontal  
line protrudes from the middle and shows the amount of times that a particular amplitude is  
occurring. The vertical scale is the full range of amplitudes from –to 0dB. It allows you to see  
the shift in dynamic range that occurs over time due to the compansion. Here you can see that  
the input signal spends most of the time fluctuating between loud and soft. This indicates that  
the signal has a large dynamic range which is changing very quickly. You may wish to compress  
this so the peaks are not as high and the troughs not as low.  
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5.5 Meters  
The Vocalstrip input and output meter displays are, in fact, three meters in one. They offer  
various ways to easily read the Peak and RMS levels of a signal over time, and the ‘dynamic  
history’ meter allows you to see at a glance how the amplitude has been changing over the  
past second or so. A 30dB range from 0dB FS downwards gives ample information about the  
amplitude of the signal.  
Peak Meter and Clip Indicator  
The wide meter bar to the left is a responsive peak meter which allows you to observe the  
exact input level at any point in time. A red clip light at the top of the meters indicates that  
three consecutive samples are at maximum which is taken to mean that the input is higher  
than 0dB FS and is therefore clipping. It will stay illuminated for 1 second following clip  
detection, after which it will automatically clear. It can also be cleared at any point with a  
mouse click.  
Dynamic History Meter  
The thin white bracket on the far right of the meter gives an indication of the recent dynamic range of a signal. The  
top of the bracket measures the most recent peak level of the signal, where as the bottom of the line shows the  
smallest peak to have happened recently. If the bracket is long it indicates that the signal has a large swing in dynamic  
range, and if it is short the range is small. If the top and bottom points of the bracket are quickly moving around, it  
can be assumed that the dynamic range is quickly changing, which could be interpreted as an ‘energetic’ signal.  
RMS Meter  
The thinner bar to the right of this shows the RMS (average) level. This is useful in graphically judging the ‘loudness’  
of the signal and when used in conjunction with the peak meter can give a good idea of the peak to RMS ratio (crest  
factor) of the signal.  
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6. Control Options  
Move the mouse cursor either up/down or in a circular movement over a knob to adjust its parameter value. The exact  
nature of the movement you need to make to change a knob value is dictated by your DAW.  
• The scroll wheel can also be used to alter parameter values here  
• Press <Shift> whilst scrolling for increased resolution  
• Press <Ctrl> & click (Windows) or & click (Macintosh) on a knob to reset it to its default value  
• Exact numerical entry is possible by double clicking on the value box  
• The input and output sliders function in the same manner as knobs, allowing you to move with mouse cursor, scroll  
(with shift as fine adjust) and reset using modifier keys  
• Exact numerical entry is possible for any value by double clicking on the value box  
6.1 Preset Save and Load  
Permanent preset storage and retrieval can be carried out by using the Load and Save  
buttons. The underlying .SSLpreset files used by Vocalstrip are written in a standardised  
file interchange format that is fully platform and software independent. This means that  
any stored setting or collection of presets can be easily transferred between workstations, regardless of the platform  
being used. Possible workstation systems encompass Intel and PPC Macs, Windows XP and Vista (32bit only) PCs,  
and any compatible audio software including Cubase, Nuendo, Logic, Pro Tools, Live! and Sonar amongst others.  
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Clicking the Load button with the left mouse button  
will bring up a standard Macintosh OS X or Windows  
dialogue box asking you to choose a file to load.  
The Save button behaves in the same manner, and  
when clicked will ask you choose a destination to  
store the file.  
It is suggested that Vocalstrip presets are stored in  
an SSL Presets directory created on one of your hard  
disks.  
Alternatively, you may wish to store the presets in  
a sub-directory within your project folder.  
6.2 A/B Functionality  
An A/B function, providing two different memory locations, is included for easy comparison of any two settings. When  
the plug-in is instantiated, memory location A’ is selected by default, as shown above. Pressing the A B toggle button  
will move to memory location ‘B’ which allows you to set up a completely independent EQ curve. Pressing the A B  
button again will return to A’. You may wish to use this function to compare two very similar settings or to keep a  
‘maybe’ setting in reserve if your current one does not work out.  
You may wish to copy one memory location to another so it becomes the starting point for a different setting you  
may wish to explore.  
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Tip: Copy from location A to location B  
!
• Save the preset to a temporary location on your hard disk whilst in location A  
Toggle to location B  
• Load the stored preset  
6.3 Automation  
Every Vocalstrip plug-in parameter can be automated as long as parameter automation is supported by the host  
application. The method for recording and editing automation varies from host to host. For specific instructions on  
using automation with your host, consult the host application’s documentation.  
6.4 Global Bypass  
Because Duende plug-ins cause a noticeable latency at higher host buffer settings, the bypass button  
provided by the DAW can cause an undesirable shift in time. For this reason a latency-free global bypass  
is included. When this is engaged the audio is still passed to and from Duende, but is unchanged as  
all Vocalstrip processing (including input and output gains) are bypassed. This gives a smooth, glitch free bypass  
function and we recommend that you use this method every time. A short fade is performed when the In/Out button  
is used to avoid a digital click that would otherwise be present.  
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7. Vocalstrip Parameters & Control Ranges  
Equaliser  
Control  
HP Filter  
Gain  
n/a  
Frequency  
30Hz to 300Hz  
200Hz to 10kHz  
1kHz to 20kHz  
Q/Slope  
12dB/oct  
Notch Filter  
High Band  
+12dB to –36dB  
12dB  
0.5 to 72 (depends upon gain setting)  
0.8  
De-esser and De-ploser  
Control  
Range  
Threshold  
Amount  
–48dB to 0dB  
0 to 100%  
Compander  
Control  
Range  
1:1 to 50:1  
Compressor Ratio  
Compressor Threshold  
Attack  
0dB to –48dB  
0.1ms to 100ms  
0.5ms to 2s  
Soft/Hard  
Release  
Knee  
Expander Threshold  
Make-up Gain  
0db to –96dB  
0db to 48db  
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8. Vocalstrip Support  
Support FAQs  
To access the latest support information on Duende, please visit our online support site at:  
The information within the FAQ is kept up to date to ensure all information is accurate and available to you 24/7.  
If you can’t find your answer or a solution to your issue, you can submit a question via the FAQ pages to our  
support staff for resolution.  
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82S6MC160A  
© Solid State Logic  
All Rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions  
Duende and Vocalstrip are trademarks of Solid State Logic  
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.  
E&OE  
 

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