I am trying to emulate an SSL bus compressor using Neutron 3 or Ozone 9. As an example, let's say it's this one (https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/trbuscomp/). I notice one of the parameters on that particular model is a sidechain highpass. I see equivalents for setting the threshold, attack, release, makeup, ratio. However I do not see anything about a sidechain high pass. How would I reconstruct this using only Neutron 3 or Ozone 9 components? Do I need to have a separate EQ module with a hpf and sidechain it with a compressor module? Do I just mess with the threshold line and create a hpf there? Is there some other way I'm not thinking of? Is Neutron or Ozone better than the other for this type of thing? I am a beginner and just learning the ropes so any help would be appreciated.

Hi - While Ozone doesn't seem to offer a sidechain option, Neutron 3 does [in both the main plug-in and the separate Compressor] so that should do it -- if you want to apply a HPF to the sidechain signal you would have to route that signal through a separate EQ/filter, probably via an extra Aux [depending on the DAW you're working in]. Keep in mind though that the original SSL Master Buss Compressor [being emulated in all those plug-in models] was strapped across the [4000G] console's main stereo outs, and if you want to emulate the basic operation of the original you don't *have* to use sidechain processing [or the HPF'd sidechain trick that some espouse], you can just run the plug-in inline on the main stereo outs.

Thanks for your quick and detailed reply! I use Reaper v6 as my DAW. I'm not 100% clear on how to wire everything together with respect to the Neutron 3 compressor and routing via an extra Aux (I'm still new at this).

FWIW I was watching a tutorial where they suggested using an SSL bus with some fairly specific settings in tandem with the SC HPF at 150Hz to help reduce the pumping effect. I wanted to try that out and see if it made any difference in my scenario.

Actually, I realized Neutron 3 has a built-in sidechain option [accessed from the slide-out arrow at the right of the floating parameter box in the compressor]. Since it can be used as a multiband compressor, you could create an identical 2nd band [Band 2, same settings as Band 1], and set its range to be the frequencies above whatever you would have set the HPF cutoff frequency to [150Hz?]. Then you'd enable the Sidechain option [for both bands?] and set it to Int Band 2, and compression would be triggered by only the frequencies in the range defined by Band 2. I think that would duplicate normal sidechain triggering as you'd get with more elaborate routing in the mixer. From the Neutron 3 manual:

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm kinda stuck on 'how' to do what you and the manual say. When you say 'Since it can be used as a multiband compressor, you could create an identical 2nd band [Band 2, same settings as Band 1],'. I know it's a bit off topic from the original post, but where is the first band and how do I create a 2nd band? I see how to create bands in the EQ module, but I don't see anything about bands in the compressor module.

You'd create an additional band by clicking [in the spot shown in the [2nd] pic below] and dragging to set the crossover frequency between the bands. Then just follow the rest of the steps in the previous post..

You're awesome! Thanks so much for taking time out to thoroughly and correctly explain this to me!