Sure, it sounds bigger, indeed more focussed and more transparent, the Mackie sounded a smaller and smudgier in comparison, not in a good way. The SSL SIX EQ is limited to 2 bands, but they do sound very nice and have a bell option that makes them a bit more flexible. The Big Six has 3 bands, so that’s an improvement. I don’t use the channel compressors much, not so good on bass but more suitable for vocals and maybe guitars. I love the bus-compressor and use this on tracking the Analog Rytm, and also it is good to send mixes from my DAW through the bus, I usually use the 2 mono channels panned left-right to use it for a stereo mix, so I have the EQ + Bus compressor at my disposal to route a DAW mix through them. This all becomes easier with the Big Six with EQ on the stereo channels and build in AD interface. Other benefits over the old Mackie are enhanced workflow things on the monitor section such as a dimmer switch and a mono switch and all the great routing options. Also as a last point, I love the Hi-Z input for tracking bass guitar, sounds great straight into the board with EQ and bus comp.
I used a big, 80s SSL a few times at college. It was glorious to see, feel and use. The college had amazing monitors and a well treated room, too… which helps. But I was left feeling the desk imparted a kind of surity and confidence to the sound.
My expectation for a Six or Big Six is that you’d not hear the mixer. You “just” hear the sources you send into it… no matter what they are. I imagine you can send really loud fuzzy things in, beside really quiet clean things, and to still discern the difference when you put them through your monitors or onto a recording medium. It’ll be subtle; the desk will help you bring out the details of your music by retaining all the qualities of the source material. Plus some shaping to help stick it together. You might get a little colour, you might get that “confidence” I felt, but that’s not what these desks are for.
Smaller, cheaper mixers (and DAWs when you don’t know what you’re doing) tend towards smudging more of the sources together. Maybe you want that tho’ 
.
Obviously, I’m happy for someone with more hands on (ears on) experience to correct me.
Commenting on SiX’s sound for electronic music… I think it’s great since it sounds so clean, but honestly an Allen & Heath Zed isn’t too far behind.
I think the channel compressor and eq treat vocals and guitars very nicely, and the bus compressor sounds great for the 80’s pop sound I usually incorporate, but putting something like an Oto Boum on the master of an Allen & Heath mixer would be a lot more fun for electronic/less pop song oriented stuff. Of course you can do that with a SiX too but I think you’re negating some of its pristine qualities in that case.
That said, I’ve had the SiX for nearly two years and only recently started having thoughts of moving on from it as I have started getting more ITB again. I can get the bus comp sound from Ableton’s glue compressor in oversampling mode, and the channel strip features are easy to match or surpass itb. The immediacy the workflow brings is great though, and keeps it around for now.
This!
The cool thing is that they changed the knee on the channel comp for the 500 series channel after listening to user feedback, and it looks like they adopted this on the Big Six as well.
From the manual:
The knee of the compressor has been slightly softened from the version in SiX to reduce artefacts on bass signals.
And overall, the Big Six has got to be one of the biggest “listen to your customer products”. So much of what people asked for are here in the Big Six.
Yeah, it always best to try something like that in your home studio to hear the difference. I don’t know how the stores are there, but here they are a bit too noisy to be able to really judge mixers, interfaces, or monitors. The old Mackie’s were loved by electronic artists because of the way they could be pushed and overdriven. So maybe you are already using the tool that you need, and if you like it, then that’s great.
Compared to the Mackie’s, the Six is pretty different. Everything I ran through the Six opened up. And it has crazy amounts of headroom.
I’m fairly sure I’ll end up with a 1202 and either a SiX or BigSiX. Adding in the Mackie will be a budgetary rounding error (may as well throw in a Bluebox while I’m at it 
) and should expand my sonic possibilities.
Hopefully SSL doesn’t have the L/R balance issue that plagues the little Mackies.
Another question is how good are ADDA converters. Are they on the same level as let’s say RME or similar? If so, I guess the B6 will be a killer live set recording tool.
You can do so much with a mixer as “an instrument”. Mackies despite “that sound”, are really nice as performing mixers: layout, size, etc… Seems like B6 has the same qualities + easy multitrack recording + “hi end” = 
i just bought a UCX II for its ability to mix and be an interface. I would have waited a big longer had i known this was coming. the Big Six has everything I wanted in the standard Six.
Yeah, and if you are looking for grit, then just throw an Analog Heat, or another dirt box on the Mix Bus Inserts.
Seems like they really did an awesome job on the big version, a good bit of cash though, but good value nonetheless if it suits your budget.
SSL Big SiX - Compact Mixer with SuperAnalogue design
The SSL Big SiX is a the all new compact Mixer from SSL with SuperAnalogue design. The Big SiX features an essential version of G-Comp Bus Compressor, 3-band 4000E Series EQ and USB interface.
Based on the widely acclaimed Solid State Logic SiX desktop mixer and incorporating feedback from artists, producers and engineers to create the next step in SSL hybrid production, BiG SiX is a studio grade mixing console that combines features from legendary large-format SSL consoles with full USB integration, additional processing and extremely flexible routing to deliver the quality, features and workflow audio professionals have come to rely on from SSL.
BiG SiX’s SuperAnalogueTM design delivers the punch, clarity, and ultra-low distortion that engineers love from the 9000 series consoles with the flexibility of 16 channels of high-quality AD / DA conversion and USB interface. Featuring an essential version of the SSL G-Comp Bus Compressor now with renowned ‘Auto’ release, Channel processing in the form of Dynamics and three band EQ based on the iconic SSL 4000E, comprehensive monitoring section and up to 18 channels of analogue summing at mix-down, BiG SiX is the essential SSL studio.
Features
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Four SuperAnalogueTM ‘Money Channels’ featuring:
- Mic / line level input / Hi-Z
- Phantom power / HPF
- Classic SSL Channel Dynamics
- Updated three band LF/MF/HF SSL EQ (based on SSL E Series)
- Fully balanced insert point
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Four stereo inputs featuring:
- Dual mono switching
- Wide gain range
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Built in 16 channel high quality USB AD and DA Converters:
- 96 kHz / 24-bit
- Advanced routing
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Three compressor flavours:
- Classic SSL Channel Dynamics
- Listen Mic Compressor
- Essential version of G-Comp Bus Compressor
-
100 mm studio grade faders:
- Classic SSL response curve with large sweet spot
- Long throw, as found on large-format SSL consoles
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Professional LED meters:
- Fast and accurate peak response
- Large 12 segment main / 8 segment channel metering
- Defined segments for +24 dBu and +18 dBu
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Essential version of SSL Bus Compressor:
- Based on legendary G-Comp design
- Now with renowned ‘Auto’ release
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Two headphone outputs:
- Independently routable source matrix
- Professional quality headphone amp
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Comprehensive Monitoring section:
- Switch between two sets of monitors
- Mono / dim / cut
- Flexible monitoring source matrix
- Talkback
- Two stereo cue feeds
- Bus B / Mute switching
- Two fully balanced stereo summing inputs
- Up to 18 inputs at mixdown
- Mix Bus inject for cascading additional SiX/BiG SiX
I’m up for this. It fixes almost all the issues I have my my ssl six, and I can shift my audiofuse + six for it.
Whoa. Even just from looking at the front panel, this thing is packed with features. It’s overkill for me, but it really rolls in a lot of nice additions over the “plain” SiX. The EQ on the stereo channels is nice. Pretty cool.
Top!
Finally
Must have
Luckily I don’t have room for this. It is lovely!
Agree! Would have been great if the SiX had it.
cool…
This is an X Desk on steroids. As an XDesk owner I am just tempted on building a 500 series violet EQ to add to my chain. However the cost of that would probably pay for this setup.
Hats off to SSL for building a tracking, bus mixing solution all in one box