Solid State Logic SSL Puredrive Octo Pre Amp Solid State Logic – SSL

PURE DRIVE OCTO harnesses the renowned SuperAnalogue PureDrive™ microphone preamp technology originally featured in Solid State Logic’s ORIGIN console, introduces a new DRIVE mode and connectivity, and makes it available in an 8-channel 2U rackmount unit.

SSL’s contemporary-classic recording console, ORIGIN, introduced the PureDrive™ microphone preamplifier. This innovative preamp retains the clarity and punch of previous SSL designs while offering the added versatility of switching its character to a warm, harmonically rich, and driven tone that varies with gain. ORIGIN, along with the PureDrive™ microphone preamp, has made its mark in the world’s premier studios. Whether it’s capturing the delicate nuances of a piano concerto in PURE mode or imparting warmth on a drum recording when set to DRIVE, the PureDrive™ microphone preamp has become an essential tool in some of the most prestigious studios and recording facilities due to its flexibility and superb sonic signature.

PURE DRIVE OCTO continues the legacy into rack format, delivering eight microphone preamps with ORIGIN’s renowned PURE and DRIVE modes, but takes it further, adding a new ‘Asymmetric’ DRIVE, advanced digital connectivity, and an onboard USB interface. PURE DRIVE OCTO offers four mic preamp input impedance options, enabling engineers to explore various tonal possibilities or match the mic pre’s impedance closely to the microphone. Additionally, each mic pre includes independent +48V phantom power, polarity inversion, and a High Pass Filter. PURE DRIVE OCTO stands as one of the most capable and feature-rich outboard microphone preamplifiers available, introducing a host of new sonic possibilities and workflows for the discerning producer and recording engineer.

3 DRIVE Flavours, 1 Mic Pre

PURE DRIVE OCTO is a testament to SSL’s commitment to progressive analogue circuit design. No electro-mechanical components (potentiometers, mechanical switches, relays etc) are used in the critical audio signal path of PURE DRIVE OCTO, increasing product longevity, and allowing impeccable ‘matching’ between all channels – not just a stereo pair. The use of digitally controlled analogue circuits, controlled by detented pots and electronic switches simplifies recall and precision of settings.

Each of PURE DRIVE OCTO’s mic pre’s can be independently switched between three distinct DRIVE modes: Clean, Classic Drive, and Asymmetric Drive.

Clean mode delivers the highly regarded, ultra-low noise floor, linear SSL preamp that is recognised for its ability to faithfully capture the sound of the source with exceptional clarity and detail.

Classic Drive is the symmetrical mode that generates predominantly odd harmonics; the same drive sound found on the ORIGIN console.

Asymmetric Drive offers up a new colouration option, specifically designed for the PURE DRIVE range, making the even harmonic content dominant and providing more pronounced thickness, colouration and softening of transients.

Advanced Connectivity

PURE DRIVE OCTO’s advanced connectivity opens a world of recording possibilities. Its comprehensive selection of analogue and digital I/O offers microphone preamps with exceptional performance and flexibility, whether you’re tracking a band in a world-class studio or adding warmth to stems in a production scenario. It’s also ideal for project studios and on-location sessions where quality cannot be compromised, thanks to its integrated USB sound card.

PURE DRIVE OCTO features eight rear-mounted combo XLR inputs, four front-panel Hi-Z/DI instrument inputs with automatic input detection, and three sets of D-sub connectors for line-level inputs, as well as insert send and insert return. PURE DRIVE OCTO’s insert returns/ADC inputs operate up to full +24 dBu line-level, for interfacing with other professional equipment.

PURE DRIVE OCTO’s versatile digital connectivity features an integrated USB soundcard providing eight channels of audio into your DAW up to 32-Bit/192 kHz. Four AES/EBU output pairs, and ADAT out, offering eight channels at 24-bit/48 kHz, or up to four channels at 24-bit/192 kHz via SMUX. The AES and ADAT outputs can even be individually repurposed to be fed from the onboard USB soundcard as outputs from your DAW. Finally, there’s an auto-ranging word clock input and output for robust digital clocking.

Specs:

• 8 channel high-performance PureDrive™ mic preamps
• +48V phantom power, polarity invert and 3rd order hi-pass filter
• Stepped Gain control up to +65 dB Gain
• 31-step Trim control, with precise 1 dB increments – overdrive the signal with the Gain control and then reduce to a suitable level using Trim.
• 3 modes for each preamp – Clean, Classic Drive and Asymmetric Drive
• Mic/Line Input Switching
• Mic via XLR 
• Line via choice of TRS Jack or dedicated D-Sub connectivity
• 4 x front panel Hi-Z/DI Instrument unbalanced inputs with automatic input detection
• 4 mic preamp input impedance options – explore new tonal possibilities from your dynamic and ribbon microphones
• Balanced analogue outputs/insert sends for external processing
• +24 dBu professional line level insert returns/ADC inputs
• Analogue to digital connectivity via ADAT, AES and USB
• Ability to switch ADAT and AES connections to source audio from DAW outputs (USB) instead of the A/D converter
• USB soundcard mode
• OCTO – 8 in / 24 out (@44.1/48 kHz)
• 8 x analogue / 8 AES + 16 ADAT outs 
• Stepped pots and digitally controlled analogue electronics for precision, stereo matching and ease of recall
• Up to 192 kHz and 32-bit conversion, professional I/O levels (+24 dBu = 0 dBFS).
• Selectable Auto-Sleep mode
• Auto-ranging Wordclock In and Out