In Summary

For many, SSL’s 4000E is the classic analogue console personified. With dozens of software channel homages out there, SSL themselves now step into the game to bring their own creation back into the DAW. We put it to the Experts.

Going Deeper

Well over forty years ago, a handful of legendary audio production marques designed a handful of large format in-line consoles with features that must have seemed pretty space-age at the time. Mix automation? No problem. Dynamics processing on every input? Check. Hooked up to a tape machine (or two) these classic consoles defined the image that many associate with a recording studio.

Speaking to studios that still run an analogue console, one thing becomes clear: many people (most of whom are the clients themselves) still expect to see a big impressive board in the room where they’re mixing or being mixed. Whether or not that mix is lighting up more than channels 1 and 2 is a whole other story... Regardless, the large console’s legacy is still alive and kicking.

One particular legend from the golden age of big boards stands tall: SSL’s 4000E. Inspiring a whole sub-industry of products that aimed to reproduce its sound, it cemented its place as the big mixer archetype that powered thousands of tracks throughout the 1980’s and 1990s.

The arrival of the all-conquering DAW offered a serious challenge to the whole idea of purpose-built machines for recording and mixing audio, but could be said that SSL embraced the change. Not only did they begin by ‘module-izing’ their hardware tech for smaller setups, but also they lent the 4K moniker to a number of developers to immortalize their creation in DSP.

SSL 4K E Overview

Now an established software name in their own right, Solid State Logic are as well placed as any other to present a definitive version of the 4000E sound for the DAW. Adding to other classics-in waiting such as the G3 MultiBusComp and the Fusion suite of virtual analogue colouration tools, SSL’s 4K E is a good candidate for the most authentic recreation of this classic hardware channel.

SSL 4K E Key Features:

• Authentic emulation of the 4000E by the creators of the original console.

• ‘HQ’ mode for intelligent oversampling.

• Compressor Mix control.

• Apple Silicon native support.

• Full integration with UC1/UF8/UC1 via SSL 360° and the Plug-in Mixer.

Detailed circuit modelling, down to component level:

• Jensen JT-115K-E transformer-balanced mic pre with adjustable saturation.

• Choose between Brown, Black and the rare ‘passive’ Orange EQ flavours.

• Revision 4 Dynamics – the classic Soft-knee and logarithmic release circuit.

• DBX 202 Gold Can VCA fader saturation.

SSL 4K E In Use

In the video we walk through some of the things that set 4K E apart from other 4000E recreations, as well as check out its most important feature: the sound. On drums we explore the new Orange Knob EQ in the low band on drums, as well as liven them up with some 4K E mic pre saturation and and channel compressor. We also use the EQ to lose the low mid and open out the top on vocals. We then step back to take in 4K E’s Platinum-selling sounds across every channel.

Expert Panel - Hit or Miss?

In every Expert review we ask three of our team of contributors to give their first impressions of the product. We ask them to give the product a hit or miss, based on factors such as originality, innovation, usefulness, quality and value for money. For each hit the product gets an Expert Award. One hit and it gets our bronze award, two hits gets silver and for a hit from all three of the panel it gets a coveted gold award. Of course if there are three misses, there’s no award.

Mike Exeter On SSL 4K E

I have used all the Channel Strip plugins from the major players and settled on Brainworks BX Consoles a long time ago because they have AAX DSP versions. These are invaluable when tracking on an HDX system and allow me to work like I did on the old E and G SSL consoles. Sometimes, just popping a Gate/Expander and compressor on Kick, Snare and Toms (in the monitor path) whilst tracking can enhance the entire drum sound for the drummer and band to vibe to without committing irreversible sins. With Avid HDX based systems you incur massive latency issues using Native plugins in the DSP chain so AAX DSP are a must. This is why I have been dubious of embracing any other channel strips which don’t have DSP versions - and NO I am not interested in using UAD DSP because they have the SSL plugins in their Console app - it is absolutely NOT the same User Experience as Pro Tools in HDX/Hybrid format.

That being said... When mixing, I am not as restricted, and when I was given the opportunity to try a new plugin from the manufacturer themselves I was interested to see what SSL could offer that nobody else could. I have had multiple heated conversations with SSL people about the UAD (Golden version) of the 4K E series channel and I have always maintained that the E was a hard and crunchy console and the UAD one sounded too smooth - that’s what the G, J and K were all about fixing!!

Anyway, my main use for Channel Strips is to get ‘that’ drum sound as quickly and efficiently as possible. I setup the BX E channel and SSL 4K E channel on my session and went about dialling in sounds using my Avid S1/Dock setup. I am really familiar with the BX and got through the process as expected. Punchy and controlled drum sounds that instantly fitted into the mix. The SSL, once mapped to the control surface, was just as easy and pleasurable an experience. I enjoyed the new feature of the Orange EQ curve - which the BX doesn’t have. I also enjoyed the Preamp section which sounds and feels different to the BX saturation but allows the same gentle harmonic to full on distortion which can be useful on settling a Snare or Cymbals into a mix. I forgot about whether this version was as Hard as the BX and just got to the process of making the drums and cymbals sound how I wanted them to be.

The sidechain section was very useful - I often put the filters in the S/C to get more control over gating. On the BX it’s more like the console workflow but SSL have given us more flexibility and visual (and audible) feedback which is subjectively quicker. The dynamics and EQ in an E series are just “right” and I think less about what the knobs are indicating and more about what I’m hearing (hence using Control Surfaces) and the SSL didn’t disappoint.

I am very much in the Avid Eucon ecosystem so I am used to having full control over the custom mapping of plugins, but with the modern SSL 360 based surfaces you are locked more into their offerings. If Eucon were not available to me I would say this plugin is a must in the toolkit. Being able to setup a 360 mapped SSL E series console in software on SSL faders is something that a young engineer in the 1990’s could have only dreamed of.

I think this is a really good version - it looks a little clean to my eyes as the old E-Series consoles are dark and scutty looking things (but things of beauty nonetheless) but I get it - it is part of the new look 360 ecosystem and I think it is a hugely important addition to the system. For me, as a standalone channel strip I am very impressed and see myself reaching for it to do things that the other ones don’t do. I think it’s a HIT.

Steve DeMott On SSL 4K E

I used the SSL 4k E to mix four songs I had on my plate for the week. Opting to setup my mixes as if I were at a 4000 E console. A channel strip on each track & the SSL G Bus compressor on the master 2-bus. Well, I kind of cheated a little on that. I did use their G3 Multiband instead of the single band version. Hey, it’s the 21st Century.

The first thing I noticed is that there was a depth that I hadn’t experienced in any of the other 4k emulations. Whatever they did, they seemed to capture a little of that analogue “bigness” that you get from and all those imperfect components in the signal path. It was tight, punchy & had a life to it that reminded me of a real console. I found it extremely easy to mix with just this plugin on every channel. I never felt the need to reach for another EQ or channel compressor.

Speaking of the EQs, I loved having all three variants of the LF band available. Having the orange knobs for kick & snare made me smile. It was so big sounding. The brown & black knob settings were very true to the real deal, with the brown being “softer” while the black knob option added a tightness & focus to the band, especially when you select the “Bell” option for the LF band. I also really enjoyed having the preamp drive control to add some grit to sounds. It worked to add some spice on kick, snare & bass guitar.

All in all this is the best emulation I’ve heard to date and delivered the realism of an analogue SSL console inside my DAW. HIT.

James Richmond On SSL 4K E

I’ve used SSL Channel Strip plugins (as well as a fair bit of SSL outboard) as part of my mixing workflow for a number of years now. I love them for drums most of all but they are very useful across a lot of different instruments. Different iterations of the plugins have been made by Universal Audio, Waves and Plugin Alliance, amongst others, as well as from SSL themselves. SSL’s Channel Strip 2, based on the 9000K console, is a particular favourite as it is clean sounding and easy to use.

The E series console was always more characterful and dare I say ‘rock n roll’ than the 9K. In order to get that from a plugin you had to, until now, look outside SSL to Universal Audio, Waves, or Plugin Alliance for licensed emulations. Yes, Channel Strip 2 had an ‘E series' button to switch from E series to G series EQ but we never had a dedicated 4000 E series channel strip from SSL themselves.

Last year SSL released the 4K B plugin, based on the rare SSL 4000 B console, which is an excellent sounding plugin in itself, although darker and warmer than an E series. It seemed inevitable that a 4K E plugin would be released at some stage and now it has.

The 4K E has a similar interface to the 4K B, rather than Channel Strip 2, which is great. There is nothing wrong with the Channel Strip 2 interface at all but the new interface has a more modern look and feel and especially compared to some of the the licensed emulations which now look pretty dated.

SSL have modelled not only black and brown EQ’s but also the much rarer orange ‘Pultec’ style EQ. This is a nice addition.

I love the EQ in this plugin. The E series EQ maintains constant frequency bandwidths regardless of the amount of boost or cut. This results in a sound with slightly more presence and edge. The EQ section features a classic 4-band design with parametric low-mid frequency (LMF) and high-mid frequency (HMF) and shelving low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) sections. The LF and HF allows switching bell curves, offering versatility in shaping the sound. I’ve always preferred the E series EQ to G series, where the under/overshoot inherent to the design can lead to harshness. It could be pilot error of course but that is my experience.

Strapping the 4K E across every channel in a mix is entirely possible. Each instance of the plugin adds a negligible amount of load on my Mac Studio’s CPU. The benefit of the plugin seems to be cumulative, a couple of instances sound great but stacking the whole mix with 4K E plugins gives you that crunchy rock n roll sound we associate with those records from the 1980’s that were mixed on an E series console. If you think about the classic records of the 1970’s and 1980’s, they were generally made one one console, or perhaps tracked on one and mixed with another. The workflow of using different channel strips for different instruments is a modern conceit and I have found myself committing to a ‘one console’ mindset lately. Perhaps it is more psychological than empirical but I like the idea that perhaps the mixes have a cohesion that you wouldn’t otherwise get with a pick 'n mix approach to choosing signal chains. The 4K E is ideal for this approach, and especially paired with an SSL controller and SSL 360°.

The only minor issue is it doesn’t support AAX DSP. The Plugin Alliance version does but given this is a plugin I would usually use more in mixing than tracking I don’t think it is a huge problem in practice.

Pros: The best E series channel strip plugin, bar none. Authentic 4K EQ with black, brown and orange EQ’s modelled. Excellent, modern interface that makes other company’s emulations look dated.

Cons: No AAX DSP.

In summary, the 4K E is undoubtedly the best in its class at nailing the 4000 E series sound in software coupled with having the best interface. It is just brilliant and my new first call channel strip plugin. HIT.

SSL 4K E gets the Experts’ Gold Award.

A Word About This Article

As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.