Mixbus/Mixbus 32C crashes with SSL VST3 channelstrip plugins

[ChristopheLABBE]

Hi,

Mixbus/Mixbus32C v9.2.172 always crashes when opening a session using VST3 SSL channelstrip plugins (CS2, 4KB, 4KE). Works with AU plugins.
Sad because VST3s are needed to get the most of SSL control surfaces.

Mac Mini M2, Mac OS Ventura 13.6, SSL 360° 1.7.8.57962

[Dingo]

Hi ChristopheLABBE - I have just tested CS2, 4KB and 4KE in Mixbus 9.2.172 ARM and 32C 9.2.172 ARM running on macMini M1 2020 under Sonoma 14.3.1.
I have been able to load VST3 instances of all three, open close and reopen session without issue.
Note I do not have SSL hardware to test... nor am I running 360.
You might want to check in SSL manager to ensure you have the latest versions
Perhaps you should contact support - mixbus@harrisonconsoles.com

[Matt]

Yeah I can't really be much help here, other than to say I use the 4KB strip a lot in my sessions. And I always use the VST3 version, just in case I ever need to open the session in Windows. And I've yet to see that cause a crash. I'm on a M1 Max Macbook Pro running Ventura. I also don't have any of the SSL control surfaces. So that might be an avenue to investigate.

[ChristopheLABBE]

Found that the problem is in the session file, but don't know what precisely.
I didn't spend much time looking in the log for any clue about the reason of the problem.
From a blank session, i re-imported the audio material and made the same plugins.VST3 setup and everything was ok.

[PBuryk]

@ChristopheLABBE -

It may be too late but, I would highly recommend that you send both of those session files,
the one that crashes and the one that works, to Mixbus Support for comparison.
That might reveal a hard-to-create bug.

Cheers!
Patrick

[davidqp]

Hi,

Mixbus/Mixbus32C v9.2.172 always crashes when opening a session using VST3 SSL channelstrip plugins (CS2, 4KB, 4KE). Works with AU plugins.
Sad because VST3s are needed to get the most of SSL control surfaces.

Mac Mini M2, Mac OS Ventura 13.6, SSL 360° 1.7.8.57962

I am experiencing the same problem on Mix Bus 10. I too am using the controllers (UF8 and UC1) and when I put the SSL VST3 channel strips on my tracks, it crashes on the next launch and I cannot re-open the session. It’s the same thing when using the SSL 360 Link wrapper plugin. See my post: https://forum.harrisonconsoles.com/thread-11867.html

I wonder if I disconnect my controllers and recreate the sessions and try re-opening if it works? 

Did you ever resolve this issue or get anywhere with support? The AU versions just don’t integrate into the 360 environment as fully as the VST3 versions.

[davidqp]

I tried adding CS2 to a track, saved and quit MB10. Turned off my controllers and re-opened the session without a crash, then turned back on the controllers. After trying to recreate it, it would sometimes crash and sometimes not when trying to re-open with the controllers off…I think it started looking to talk to the controllers and that’s where it get hung and crashes. I’ll continue trying this approach and see if I can see some consistent issue happening.

I do thank you for posting this, because I have now successfully been able to add VST3 SSL 360 Link plugins on my tracks IF I turn off my controllers before opening a session. The start time once it gets to those tracks with the Link plugin take a while to load, but they eventually do. I’ve only tried it by applying the Link plugin to two tracks. I wonder what happens if I apply it liberally across the session?

[davidqp]

@ChristopheLABBE try starting a session without your SSL devices on but while the SSL 360 software is running. It should say no devices connected. Then start your session which was crashing. I found that my sessions started. Then once I saved, I could re-open the session with my devices powered on. Also, don’t put a channel strip across all tracks within a folder, just on the main parent track. I also had to play around with where the channel strip was in the effects chain…just seems buggy with varying results. I would love to see if you are able to reproduce this success!

I was putting a channel strip on a Superior Drummer 3 track (MIDI in with the green midi icon on the mix track). It would crash when trying to open the session. I toggled that MIDI In icon off, saved it, and it re-opened the session, then I toggled back ON the MIDI In green icon, saved it, then it was able to re-open the session without it crashing.

[ChristopheLABBE]

Hi,

i spent a lot of time in mails with Harrison support on this issue with no solution.
Because of the so poor (i have other words for that...) integration of SSL UF/UC/360 in Mixbus with which we can't get the most of our hardware by using plugin mixer mode, i stopped loosing my time on that.

Now, i'm experiencing the same problem with Two-Notes GENOME.
Another silly thing : when opening the file by double clicking in the finder, it ALWAYS crashes. By opening the file from Mixbus Recent GUI page, it ALWAYS successfully opens... till when ?

I really begin to be tired with these problems...
Spending too much time identifying problems, sending mails to support and trying to find workarounds instead of recording music was the reason why i switched from PC to Mac.
Thanks to Harrison, i'm back then.

[davidqp]

Hi,

i spent a lot of time in mails with Harrison support on this issue with no solution.
Because of the so poor (i have other words for that...) integration of SSL UF/UC/360 in Mixbus with which we can't get the most of our hardware by using plugin mixer mode, i stopped loosing my time on that.

Now, i'm experiencing the same problem with Two-Notes GENOME.
Another silly thing : when opening the file by double clicking in the finder, it ALWAYS crashes. By opening the file from Mixbus Recent GUI page, it ALWAYS successfully opens... till when ?

I really begin to be tired with these problems...
Spending too much time identifying problems, sending mails to support and trying to find workarounds instead of recording music was the reason why i switched from PC to Mac.
Thanks to Harrison, i'm back then.

Thanks for the reply. I’m about at the same spot now…going back to REAPER as this is still not working well with the SSL controllers as they have really pushed and described. I too have gone back and forth with support and even Ben chiming in, but now radio silence for two days after I have pinpointed a handful of factors of what it might be. I think I may have given Harrison my last dollar with this latest upgrade and I’ve been a user and customer since v6. This new version wasn’t ready for release and I see across this board and others that we have just become the beta testers for this release. Maybe I’ll circle back around in 6 months to see if they’ve rolled out a fixed version. It’s a shame because I hear the difference in this DAW compared to others, but if it doesn’t work as expected it doesn’t really matter how good it sounds.