Module8 is a little bit different for SSL, as it's more about creative sound design than producing the perfect pro mix, a goal that the company's other plugins tend to focus on. However, it looks fantastically easy to use and is a pretty decent price for a multi-effect with the SSL name on it.
The VST2, VST3, AAX and AU plugin is designed to enhance vocals and add modulated movement to any instrument, all via a very easy workflow, and with every effect and control on screen and available to tweak. SSL says Module8 can be equally useful in an acoustic mix as it is in a more experimental electronic soundscape.
Here's Module8 on some drums…
Module8 features a total of six effects, each with its own LFO. In addition, there are two more effects set as returns called Lo-fi and Space. From left to right on the main UI you get Phaser, Flanger, Chorus, Tremolo, Vibrato, and Pan effects, and you can change the order of these six effects with a simple drag-and-drop process.
Each of these six main effects has two larger controls for LFO Rate and Depth, and smaller controls for different parameters depending on the effect. So Chorus has Feedback, Voices and Delay, for example, while Phaser has Filter, Feedback and Shape among others.
Here are some of these effects in action on vocals.
You can easily choose between the LFO shapes per effect, from sine, triangle, saw, ramp and square waveform options. A Global sync feature lets you set the effect processors to a Global LFO, or set it to Manual to sync to external LFOs in your DAW.
It not only speeds up the production process but encourages experimentation with sound design
Module8 certainly looks easy to use and is a bit of a different beast to other SSL plugins, with heavy sound design experimentation in mind, as Oronathan Sandman, the SSL Studio Plugins Product Manager confirms.
“We have taken great care to include features like Global LFO and drag-n-drop reordering, which not only speeds up the production process but encourages experimentation with sound design.”
You can buy Module8 as part of the SSL's Complete subscription ($14.99 per/month), or SSL's rent to own option (two week trial and 12 payments), or just buy it old school for a one-off fee of £79.99 / $99.99 / €99.99. Remember the old days of doing this? Maybe we could get it in a cardboard box while we're at it.
There's more information at the SSL website, and you can check out how Module8 works on some synths below. Buy it now from Plugin Boutique.
