Console-maker Solid State Logic (SSL) has announced the Duende Mini ($995), a portable, FireWire-driven desktop processing box.

The Duende Mini offers 16 channels of plug-in processing (at sample rates up to 96 kHz) within a host application and can be upgraded (for $399) to 32 channels—or even 64 channels—if you run two Minis on one computer system.

Included with the Duende Mini is the plug-in called "EQ and Dynamics Channel," which, according to SSL, provides EQ and dynamics processing with the power of an SSL console channel. Owners will also get Duende Channel Strip, which features 4-band EQ, a variable lowpass and highpass filter, switchable EQ characteristics between E Series and G Series EQ, dynamics sidechain processing with independent sidechains for compressor and expander/gate, and more.

The Duende Mini ships also with trial versions of other plug-ins, such as Duende Stereo Bus Compressor, Drumstrip, X-EQ, and X-Comp. All Duende plug-ins are compatible with VST, AU, and RTAS host applications. For more information, please visit www.solid-state-logic.com.