SSL® 4000 E Channel Strip Collection
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The famed SSL 4000 channel strip, exhaustively re-modeled with Unison technology.
Introduced in 1979, the SSL 4000 E console brought a modern sound to the world, powering more Platinum-selling records than any other. Its bold, punchy character and incredible dynamics have made the SSL 4000 E a true industry standard and a bastion of modern recording.
In close partnership with Solid State Logic®, Universal Audio proudly unveils the all-new SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection for UAD-2 hardware and Apollo interfaces — an exacting end-to-end circuit emulation that goes far beyond UA’s original standard-defining SSL 4000 E Channel Strip plug-in.Now You Can:
Track and mix through a stunning update of SSL’s vintage analog channel
Get the full character of SSL’s Jensen transformer-based preamps with Unison technology
Sculpt your sources with both Type E “black” and “brown” knob EQ and filters
Harness the famous SSL VCA Compressor and Gate for incredible dynamics control
Explore creative sounds by swapping Dynamics routing, and placing EQ/Filters in the Dynamics sidechain
Mix with artist presets from Just Blaze (Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar), Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Avett Brothers), Ian Boxill (Prince, Tupac), and more
Take a Listen
5-Minute UAD Tips
SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection
Turn Your DAW into a Classic SSL Console
In crafting the new SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection, UA’s team of engineers dug deep into the SSL 4000 E hardware, faithfully modeling the original preamp’s Jensen input transformers and dbx "gold-can" VCA output section. By capturing the preamp’s signature nonlinear amp behaviors you get all of the SSL hallmarks — expansive, punchy, deep, assertive character for all of your sources.
Get Famed British EQ in Spades
The SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection plug-in features both the Type E 242 “black knob” and 001 “brown knob” four-band EQ and filters. The “brown” EQ is easy to dial in and musical, while the “black” is more surgical and clean. Both offer iconic SSL band interactions and amp modeling, adding punch to drums, presence to vocals, and heft to bass.
Unison Technology for Apollo
Harnessing UA’s groundbreaking Unison technology, the new SSL 4000 E Channel Strip plug-in gives you the hardware’s mic/line preamp impedance, gain stage “sweet spots,” and exact circuit behaviors. Just insert the plug-in into the Apollo’s Unison preamp slot to track in real time through a perfect SSL modeled preamp.
Expansion, Compression & More
From subtle dynamics control to in-your-face smack, the E Series’ compressor gives guitars presence, makes vocals “pop,” and can add clarity, punch, and depth to your drum bus. PRE-DYN controls let you place the EQ or filters before the dynamics section for tons of different timbres, while the DYN-SC buttons provide frequency-dependent compression using the EQ filters, cut filters, or both.
Add Depth and Openness with any UAD hardware
Of course, the SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection isn’t just for Apollo owners. UAD-2 owners can use the SSL E Channel Strip on any source, without going outside the box. With the SSL E Channel Strip's complete console channel emulation, plus the included DSP-lite SSL E Channel Strip Legacy plug-in, you can craft your projects with Platinum‑selling sound.
“The new SSL 4000 E Channel Strip is a remarkable reincarnation of the classic console that introduced me to the world of SSL. Meticulously reproduced including its amazing idiosyncrasies, this plug-in has all the character, grit, and spank you'd expect and more.”
– Richard Chycki (Rush, Aerosmith, Dream Theater)
“The new SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection is by far the most authentic emulation of my favorite console.”
– Chuck Zwicky (Prince, Soul Asylum, Reggie Watts)
“I can treat the UAD SSL 4000 E exactly like the hardware. The channels are perfectly recreated along with the mic and line amps — the gain staging is so realistic, it's eerie!”
– Chris Coady (Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Beach House, Future Islands)
“My vocal chain is an LA-2A, SSL E Series Channel Strip, an 1176LN, and a Precision De-Esser. They're amazing plug-ins.”
– Hector Delgado (A$AP Rocky, Selena Gomez, Jay-Z)
“The UAD SSL plug-ins are pretty amazing! I use the compressor just as I would on an analog desk, attaining the same results.”
– Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Avett Brothers)
“I've been looking for that perfect SSL sound since I started mixing in-the-box. I've finally found it with the UAD SSL 4000 E Series Channel Strip!”
– Ariel Borujow (Chromeo, Mac Miller, Madonna)
“I learned to mix on an SSL E Console. This plug-in takes me right back to that familiar sound with uncanny realism. It will be living on my mixes from now on.”
– Ian Boxill (Lenny White, Prince, 2Pac)
“With the UAD SSL 4000 E Channel Strip and Unison technology, I can create amazing chains on-the-go and not worry about anything other than capturing a great performance. ”
– Ivan Barias (Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott, Estelle)Watch The Reviews
Customer Reviews
F. Rothmann
October 28, 2019
Good channel strip
I have never worked with a real SSL, so my opinion is based on "What I Get", and not a comparison. So far I have used the strip on recorded drums, a clone-wheel B3, Kawai grand,...
Read MoreJ. von Matt
October 21, 2019
One, two, one, two.
Hard to say how good is this. Very good. :D One of my favourites. Strongly recommended!
Read Morej. ancillon
October 20, 2019
SSL 4000 E plus quality ...
I bought my first UAD plugs, it's more 10 years old... the legacy channel strip version was a tool that I used a lot...and then I tested this new SSL channel strip !!!!!!! Whoo! A big...
Read MoreF. BANOR
October 5, 2019
Best preamp and EQ hands down
Use the mic preamp w/ Unison and your mind will be blown. Exceptional EQ too.
Read More -
Key Features
Most authentic SSL 4000 E Channel Strip plug-in, including mic preamp modeling
Developed and voiced in close partnership with Solid State Logic
Record in realtime using Apollo interface with Unison technology for authentic analog input impedance and gain staging
Now includes Jensen transformer Input amplifier and other nonlinear circuit behaviors
Exacting nonlinear circuit emulation of both Type E “black” and “brown” knob channel EQ and filters
Flexible VCA Compressor range, from transparent to “in your face” aggression
Highly responsive Gate including “no-chatter” mode derived from modern SSL designs
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Customer Reviews
SSL 4000 E Channel Strip Collection
崇. 嚴
無話可說
UA的品質 還要說什麼
F. Rothmann
Good channel strip
I have never worked with a real SSL, so my opinion is based on "What I Get", and not a comparison.
So far I have used the strip on recorded drums, a clone-wheel B3, Kawai grand, and vocals.
Using presets as starting point for drums made it real easy to get an excellent kinda 3D sound, perfect for pop, rock and country. It also makes the B3 shine, giving it a subtle bite, and it was easy to get excellent sounds from the piano, both lively acoustic sound, but also a more pop'ish shiny sound.
For vocal, I only used it once until now, and the strip was adding exactly what I expected to that performance. But I did no experiments on vocal tracks.
I have a feeling that 'this must be like using an SSL' - under all circumstances Iam very pleased with this strip.
Beware though, that you most likely will spend more money on DSPs shortly after ;)J. von Matt
One, two, one, two.
Hard to say how good is this. Very good. :D
One of my favourites.
Strongly recommended!G. Salvenmoser
Top!
Despite high dsp usage, my faf. strip!
j. ancillon
SSL 4000 E plus quality ...
I bought my first UAD plugs, it's more 10 years old...
the legacy channel strip version was a tool that I used a lot...and then I tested this new SSL channel strip !!!!!!! Whoo! A big slap in my ears. In a few years the quality of the emulations has become impressive, in fact, I confess that I have put all these old versions to bed... - And here is my problem / the price too high to reinvest in all these new versions
EVEN THE PROMOTIONS PROPOSED are too expensive for me ( I am not a professional musician)... So I use other plug-ins like those of ........( no advertising) that have been purchased more recently . Too bad for UA my budget is not really important. Thanks also for the nevechannel strip 88RS which is also more than excellent.
Translated with www.DeepL.com/TranslatorF. BANOR
Best preamp and EQ hands down
Use the mic preamp w/ Unison and your mind will be blown. Exceptional EQ too.
R. Riccardo
Great plugin!
I've tried so many SSL style plugins, but this is absolutely the best! the compression is amazing on the rhythmic tracks. if you want to rock your mix you should have one of this!
J. Woo
Amazing for vocals
Tested all the pre amps and love this one for vocals. Havent used it for other recording yet. But the sound is so clean. I also have 1076 and Voxbox, which are both great, but this is so clean for vocals when putting them up front.
Just record completely dry or maybe slightest amount of 1176. Then a little EQ and Tube tec and vocals sound so good and can be anywhere you want in the mix. Thanks and love this pre amp!t. taeksu
매우 융이한 플르그인중 하나여서 샀지만
세일을 크게 하는줄 모르고 페키지로 구매하였다 dsp 용량을 많이 먹는 안타까움이 있다. 중복도 많아서 비슷한것 체널 스트립은 이제 그만 사야겠다.
t. taeksu
매우 융이한 플르그인중 하나여서 샀지만
세일을 크게 하는줄 모르고 페키지로 구매하였다 dsp 용량을 많이 먹는 안타까움이 있다. 중복도 많아서 비슷한것 체널 스트립은 이제 그만 사야겠다.
E. Önbayraktar
SSL 4000 E
It becomes an addiction very quickly once you place SSL 4000 E on the top of your plugins and next time if you don't, you will really feel that there is something missing :)
J. Leone
Swiss army knife
Great tones and accessibility. Whenever my other heavy UAD plugins are too DSP intensive, this one comes in handy as a jack of all trades utility. But don't let that statement fool it because it sounds great on anything too
R. Whitney
Great for Recording Acoustic Country Blues Guitar (and other things)
I put the demo of this SSL 4000e emulation through its paces for two weeks against all of the other Unison channel strips and chose it for -- believe it or not -- what I thought to be the most organic, natural sounding to me for recording my Collings OM-2H in finger-style country blues type solo recordings with an AKG C414 XLS microphone into an Apollo Twin MKII. Who knew? I thought this SSL sound was supposed to be for ultra slick pop music!
The Neve 88RS and API Vision channels were close contenders, and the API especially seemed like it might provide a nice, somewhat "brighter" and slightly more "open" contrast to the very "up=front" SSL sound, but to have one overall vibe, the 4000E worked best for me.
I wasn't interested in having the older school Neve 1073, V76, etc sounds, and didn't like the functionality of some of those. I was looking for a more modern sound but I wish there were a Trident A Series Unison channel strip, as the Daking preamps have been my go-to for many years. Not having them available to me now, it might have been comforting to replace them with a plugin, if that's possible, but it's also nice to move on and try something new. I've never used an actual SSL board so I don't know how close this plugin comes to the real thing. Reviews say it does but how can you trust these reviews? (BTW, you can trust this one, for what it's worth, cuz I'm just an old hippie who likes to dabble).
The transformer option hasn't appealed to me yet (surprisingly, since I often prefer the sound of transformers in microphone press and microphones) as it messes with the clarity -- and I am a fiend for clarity -- but with vibe, not sterile ; the compressor is unobtrusive when used lightly -- which is the way I usually use it on input ; the EQ is smooth ; the metering fine. It's a processor hog, so I just use it on a single Unison input channel -- not for mixing or anything after the fact. It would be cool if it could be used after a Unison guitar or bass amp sim (I use the Friedman Buxom Betty and Eden 800 plugs), to add that sound going in, though I realize those emulations already have recording chain emulations built in and would need to be disable-able for that to work.
I've used Universal Audio compressors like the 1176LN and microphone pres like the 610 in the past and have liked them very much, and this software deal is admittedly pretty cool ; but the hardware limitations of those chips and the cost of each plugin is dissapointing for sure - but what to do? I'm lucky I can afford them. I like the ability to insert this in the input in their cool (gimmicky maybe?) Unison technology ; (I mean, is it really that much better than sticking a plugin into the track after the fact?) It's probably more a psychological thing for me because I'm used to getting "that sound" going in, so this gives me that sense of the analog recording process.
I've only been using this SSL 4000E channel strip for 3-4 weeks for my own little projects, but so far, so good.p. dwyer
Great Channel Strip
great channel strip use it on nearly everything when tracking and mixing
D. Tetmyer
Nice strip
Amazing strip
B. Palmer
Wonderful
This is a great piece. I was not very familiar with SSL stuff outside of the comps. This thing is clean and robust, and unlike the other more colored unison plugs, I would use it for any type of music.
C. Wilson
Great
Awesome
A. Lizama
I just demoed it and...
My mind is blown
w. shenck
Great for mild adjustments
Found it best on drum tracks.
K. Kessler
Woow!
Big, punchy, amazing sounding. The drums sound soooo big with SSL EQ!
