SM Entertainment installs SSL Oracle at Seoul studio

SM Entertainment has installed a Solid State Logic Oracle mixing console at BigShot Studio in Seoul, where it now serves as the main mixer.

The console is designed to save and restore routing, processing and control settings between sessions, a feature the company considers important in a production environment where more than 10 sessions may be opened and closed in a day.

BigShot Studio supports a business whose artist roster includes X, Y and Z. GearLounge, Solid State Logic's distribution partner in South Korea, supplied and integrated the installation.

Lee Min Kyu, Mixing and Recording Engineer at SM Entertainment, said the recall function has changed the pace of work in the studio.

"There are days when I have to open and close more than 10 sessions in a single day. In the past, I had to manually write down the settings of outboard gear and recall them one by one, which was quite inconvenient.

"But adopting Oracle and being able to restore the entire console routing, processing and knob settings with a single button has completely freed me from both the physical effort and the psychological pressure of 'will it sound the same'. The convenience and sheer enjoyment of this instant total recall are honestly difficult to fully describe unless you've experienced it firsthand."

Studio workflow

Lee said the new desk is being used in sessions that can involve large numbers of layered vocal and instrumental tracks, a common feature of K-pop production for multi-member groups. Vocal sessions alone, he said, can reach 100 to 200 tracks.

"We felt that SSL's SuperAnalogueue architecture, with its flat response, linear phase and exceptionally wide headroom, offered the ideal technology. Thanks to the immense headroom, even when working with a large number of tracks, many with overlapping frequencies, the sound remains clear and well-defined without becoming congested. This allows us to approach mixing more boldly and explore more three-dimensional sound design, while also achieving a pleasingly open and well-extended midrange."

He also described how the console is used to divide mixes into stems such as drums, rhythm parts, keyboards, additional instruments, lead vocals and chorus parts before summing them through the desk.

"In large-scale sessions, we separate the tracks into stems - such as kick, snare, rhythm, guitars/piano, additional instruments, lead vocals and chorus - and sum them through the console. In K-pop productions, because of multi-member groups, it is very common to have layers of overdubs, group vocals and harmonies, often reaching 100 to 200 tracks for vocals alone. In the past, we managed everything using the DAW's internal buses, but with Oracle's flexible group routing, we can now respond much more intuitively and efficiently to producers' mix requests. For example, we can quickly adjust the overall level of an entire vocal group or rebalance large instrument sections directly on the console, which has significantly improved our workflow."

The worksurface can also switch on a per-bay basis to operate as a digital audio workstation controller, reducing reliance on a mouse for level changes and automation moves.

"Placing my hands directly on the Oracle's faders and balancing the mix while fully listening to the flow of the music creates a clear and positive difference in an engineer's musical intuition. It not only significantly reduces the physical delay of having to aim and click with a mouse in those fleeting moments of music, but also allows me to focus entirely on the sound rather than the screen. As a result, I find that the overall texture and feel of the final mix become much more natural."

Mix decisions

Lee said the console's equaliser controls stood out in day-to-day use, particularly for fine manual adjustments during mix sessions.

"What really impressed me was the tactile response of the EQ knobs. They truly capture the character of a traditional analogue console. Fine adjustments respond smoothly and musically, without any stepping or artefacts, much like a vintage analogue circuit. This level of resolution makes the process of shaping sound incredibly enjoyable."

The desk includes a bus compressor and dynamics equaliser on the master stereo bus, which Lee said has changed how he approaches final mix cohesion.

"After using THE BUS+ directly within the console, I immediately understood why it's considered a classic bus compressor.

"Running the mix through THE BUS+ on the master bus eliminates that sense of unwanted separation entirely, bringing the tracks together into a cohesive whole."

Lee added that the studio is also using per-session routing presets through SSL's O-Control app instead of repeatedly reconfiguring a physical patchbay.

"With SSL's O-Control app, routing configurations can be saved on a per-session basis and instantly recalled on Oracle. This has given us the flexibility to experiment with new and creative routing for each session, while also significantly reducing studio setup time before artists or clients arrive."

He also said SM's engineers use SSL Fusion in the mix chain to address the midrange of virtual instrument tracks common in K-pop arrangements.

"I use the SSL Fusion in my mix chain, based on a tip I learned from a senior engineer in our studio. When routing virtual instrument sources through the Fusion, the previously lacking midrange becomes fuller and more musically defined. In particular, the harmonics and tonal character created by the Vintage Drive feature are excellent. I'm planning to apply it more aggressively to a wider range of sources, including vocals and real guitars, moving forward."

Lee said the console's visual design has also shaped perceptions in the control room.

"Artists often remark that it feels like stepping into the cockpit of a spaceship. The visual weight and refined design of the console naturally instil a strong sense of trust in producers and artists visiting the studio. With equipment like this enhancing my capabilities, I feel that all that's left is for me, as the engineer, to rise to the occasion."