IGS S-type 500 Series Buss Compressor

Well I went ahead with it, did a lot of reading and listening and sounds just like an SSL compressor to me. Topology looks good in it having quality components. Uses the THAT chips and the only SMT stuff I could see was a few resistors. I don't really care for SMT but if it's just resistors I'm ok with that, if it would of had SMT caps I would had passed, can't stand the sound of them. All the switches sans the Mix knob are stepped which is nice. For the money it would had been really tough to DIY something for that price. Has the HPF and also lets you choose from multi mono or stereo which I really like that.

I was going to build a Serpent SB4000 but it would had costed me more money and I really don't have the time right now. I've got enough heat on my buss with the VP28's and my PM8, I really needed something transparent for my buss. I've been using the UAD stuff and Slate ITB but I really miss hitting a HW buss comp, just something about them that it's hard to recreate ITB.

Yeah - report back...I've been looking into a hardware bus comp and that's certainly a nice price.

Just got the compressor and in the chain, it's what I expected, very similar to an SSL buss comp, but I'd say it's got some aggression that the SSL lacks. There is definitely something happening when the mix knob is around 75% that is making me smile, it's not a level increase, but for some reason when the mix knob is there this thing is punchy as hell. Doesn't take a lot of compression on the buss to make this baby glue it up, and I feel so much more at home by being able to turn knobs again for the sound of my buss. I'm really impressed with it and the audio integrity actually is better with it engaged, so the circuit is doing something nice to the sound.

IMO this is great for the buss, but I could see someone buying 2 and using one for the drum buss because this thing can get aggressive as hell. I had to dial it back from where I used to run the SSL, but what was important to me was being able to recreate the SSL sound, but also have the ability to impart some character if I wanted it, so far, it's a big win.

I'm not going to tell everyone to go out and buy one right this second because I myself get a honeymoon phase with new gear, I just highly doubt I will with this, when I used plugins and matched them to the settings it wasn't even close. UAD, Slate just didn't hold a candle to how this sounds. It's making me want to go back to total analog, something about the way the lowend behaves and how the highend doesn't have that weird phase/strident thing going on. Anyway, that's my first impressions, for the price though it's a damn no brainer. I paid $650 for this and it looks brand new, feels brand new by the sharpness of the knobs, even smells brand new. I'd suggest finding a good used one, the thing is built like a damn tank.

Just need an SSL 6000e and I'll be good to go 8)

This all making want to go back to analog man.... I miss it so bad, bottom line though, until the money increases I'll just want in one hand and crap in other and see which is filled first. My Argosy is set up to take one of them modded sound crafts though, just sayin. I come across one for the right price watch out, I got a project developing that would put enough cash in my hand to make the switch, it's just my wife won't let me live long enough to enjoy it if I unload it on gear that...."obvious"

I've been working with it all night and the more I'm using it on the buss the more I'm loving it. It could be used for the drum buss easily. What I like is you can make it mean, or make it do what the SSL does. But, I'm not screaming "buy it!" until my honeymoon phase is over. But, damn is it sweet, I don't know what is going on with it, but there is something definitely happening when you move that mix knob to about 75%, it makes the mix jump out at you and bigger, it's not level either. 

The HP sidechain is very useful, too.