The SSL Revival 4000: A Trendy Basic Reborn

For many years, the SSL 4000 has been some of the iconic mixing consoles in recording historical past. From Peter Gabriel’s So and Genesis classics, to the punch of numerous ‘80s hits, and even the defining sound of grunge and hip hop within the ‘90s, the SSL 4000 console formed the way in which trendy data sound. Engineers and producers nonetheless talk about the way in which it glued a mixture collectively, introduced vocals ahead, and gave drums their legendary snap.

So, what occurs when Stable State Logic decides to bottle that magic right into a rack unit for immediately’s studios? Enter the SSL Revival 4000.

Why the 4000 Nonetheless Issues

The SSL 4000 isn’t just one other console. It’s the most well-known desk in recording historical past. Virtually each main mixer has labored on one at some stage, and its sound is woven into the DNA of hit data from the late ‘70s by way of to the current.

Between 1978 and 1985 particularly, the 4000 grew to become the go-to desk for each monitoring and mixing. Steve Lillywhite’s early data, Peter Gabriel’s Sledgehammer, and the uncooked energy of numerous rock, pop, and R&B albums had been all sculpted by way of its circuitry. The sonic fingerprint of the 4000—punchy dynamics, musical EQ, and unmistakable glue—stays immediately recognisable.

The Start of the Gated Reverb

One of the well-known SSL 4000 moments got here in 1979 at The Townhouse Studios. Engineer Hugh Padgham, working with Phil Collins on Peter Gabriel’s Soften album, by chance routed the console’s compressed talkback mic into the recording chain. The consequence was an enormous, explosive atmosphere on the drums.

Gabriel instantly liked it and requested Collins to play a stripped-down half with no cymbals, constructing the whole monitor “Intruder” round this sound. It was the primary daring use of what grew to become often known as gated reverb. Whereas the approach had been used extra subtly earlier than, this was the primary time it grew to become the centrepiece of a music.

That SSL accident didn’t simply create a success monitor. It revolutionised drum manufacturing, paving the way in which for its dominance all through the Nineteen Eighties on classics like Collins’ “Within the Air Tonight” and Bowie’s “Let’s Dance.”

The Revival 4000: Better of the B and E Collection

The Revival 4000 is a single-channel rack unit designed to seize the very essence of the early 4000 consoles. SSL describes it as “the perfect of the 4000E, with a sprinkling of the 4000B.”

• Mic Preamp: Transformer-balanced utilizing the unique Jensen J115, delivering that contact of harmonic grit engineers love when the crimson gentle sparkles.
• De-Esser: Taken straight from the 4000B, this straightforward however musical DS circuit is fastened at 7kHz and works independently from the compressor—refined, pure, and ideal for vocals.
• Dynamics Part: A devoted recreation of the 4000E VCA circuit, with choices for gentle or onerous knee, quick assault, and each linear and logarithmic launch modes.
• Expander/Gate: Basic SSL management, equally at dwelling cleansing up toms, taming snare bleed, or including articulation to bass.
• EQ: Switchable between “Brown” (authentic 4000) and “Black” (later 4000 with prolonged achieve and steeper filters), providing that immediately recognisable SSL tone-shaping.
• Routing Flexibility: Filters may be moved pre-input, EQ may be routed into the compressor, and each EQ and filters may be positioned within the dynamics sidechain.
• Stereo Linking & Inserts: Items may be linked for overheads or stereo busses, and the balanced insert level provides modular flexibility.

In brief: this isn’t only a clone. It’s a “biggest hits” of SSL 4000 design decisions, all housed in a rack-ready unit with trendy refinements.

Key Options

• Basic SSL 4000 E Jensen transformer-balanced mic preamp
• Musical one-knob 4000 B De-Esser part
• Final 4000 E Collection Dynamics part
  • Discrete Class A VCA compressor
  • Gentle or Laborious Knee modes
  • Quick Assault on/off
  • Logarithmic or Linear Launch modes
• Basic Gate/Expander part
  • Quick Assault on/off
  • Exterior sidechain (key) enter
  • Sidechain hyperlink for stereo pairing
• Basic 4-band SSL EQ
  • Totally parametric mid-bands
  • Switchable Brown Knob 02 and Black Knob 242 EQ circuits
• Excessive and Low Cross Filters
  • Brown 02 mode: 12 dB/octave HPF & LPF
  • Black 242 mode: 18 dB/octave HPF & 12 dB/octave LPF
• Balanced Insert level for integrating exterior units
• Intensive ‘to sidechain’ performance
  • Filters to Dynamics sidechain
  • EQ to Dynamics sidechain
• Versatile process-order routing
  • Filters to enter
  • Dynamics and De-Ess post-EQ choices
  • Insert to output
• Line Output Trim
• Switchable enter/output metering

Pricing and Positioning

Priced at £1,249 + VAT within the UK (round $1,999 USD), the Revival 4000 is deliberately aggressive. It truly prices lower than many racked authentic console channels, whereas providing better flexibility, guarantee, and reliability.

That value level makes it accessible not just for skilled studios but in addition for severe dwelling and venture studios. It’s straightforward to think about producers constructing their very own modular SSL consoles: a pair for guitars, a pair for drum overheads, a couple of on busses, and one for vocals—summing into an Origin or different DAW setup.

Why It’s Extra Than Nostalgia

The Revival 4000 isn’t only a classic reissue. It embodies why SSL grew to become a benchmark: musical instruments that information you towards selections rapidly. As an alternative of limitless parameters, SSL gave engineers restricted however highly effective decisions—and people decisions outlined the sound of recent data.

Options like EQ into compression, the legendary gate/expander, and that unmistakable SSL EQ curve aren’t nearly color. They’re about workflow, inspiration, and immediacy. As Andy Jackson of SSL put it, “Much less selection is commonly higher—if the alternatives are good.”

A Trendy Basic within the Making

For years, engineers have been shopping for previous SSL channels, reracking them, and paying a fortune for modules that usually lack reliability or guarantee. The Revival 4000 supplies a purpose-built, trendy resolution that doesn’t compromise on authenticity.

It’s straightforward to think about this unit changing into a studio important, whether or not you’re monitoring by way of it for vocals, shaping drums, or slamming a bass into the expander for articulation. With its flexibility, modular potential, and plain heritage, the SSL Revival 4000 would possibly simply grow to be the brand new commonplace for anybody chasing that iconic sound.

SSL didn’t simply revive the 4000. They reimagined it for the following technology.

Click on Right here To Test Out The SSL Revival 4000

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