LMC+

Listen Mic Compressor

The SSL LMC+ Module is a new and significantly enhanced version of the classic SSL Listen Mic Compressor. This famous processor from the legendary SL 4000E console was the secret weapon in many producers sonic arsenal of recording and mixing techniques through the 1980s. Originally designed to prevent overloading the return feed from a studio communications mic, its fixed attack and release curves were eminently suitable for use on ambient drums mics and deliver an aggressive and highly distinctive tone. While ambient drums are an obvious home for the LMC over time it has been used to process backing vocals, guitars, parallel compression feeds, and many other uses (and indeed abuses) have been found for its hard grab and fast bite.

This all-new version includes all of the characteristics of the original version but with a collection of new features; a pair of variable SSL High Pass and Low Pass filters to allow targeting of a specific frequency range, a filters to compressor side chain option and a wet/dry blend control for instant parallel compression. Two additional superb new tools are added to give the LMC+ a distinctive sonic twist; the ‘Scoop’ button phase inverts the wet signal to give unusual sound sculpting possibilities using the Wet/Dry blend control, and the ‘Split’ button engages a bandpass subtraction mode that can compress certain frequencies of the signal and leave others untouched to be blended back together at the output stage. Using the ‘Scoop’ and ‘Split’ modes can subtly add interesting tone or completely destroy and deconstruct the audio you feed it! The enhanced new feature set gives LMC+ a distinctive sonic edge with a range of creative possibilities.