SSL 4K E channel strip plugin interface by Solid State Logic

SSL 4K E: Channel Strip Plugin Modeled on the SSL 4000E Console

Rated 4.9/5 on Plugin Boutique (51 ratings)

SSL 4K E is a channel strip plugin from Solid State Logic that emulates the 4000E analogue console. It models the console's mic pre, EQ, dynamics and VCA fader sound in a digital format for Windows and macOS.

VST3VST2AUAAXWindowsmacOS64-bit

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01Overview

SSL 4K E recreates the channel strip of the 4000E console, a studio tool released in 1979 that became associated with many well-known recordings of the 1980s and 1990s. Solid State Logic, the manufacturer of the original console, developed the plugin, modeling the circuitry down to the component level. It is built for producers who want the signature SSL channel sound inside their DAW, with a scalable interface and native support for Apple Silicon Macs.

Best for

Mixing drums and bass
Vocal channel processing
Mix bus coloration
SSL-style track processing
Analogue console emulation

Developer: Solid State Logic
Category: Channel Strips
Store: Plugin Boutique

02Key features

What you get

Emulates the 4000E channel strip by its original manufacturer
Jensen JT-115K-E transformer-balanced mic pre with adjustable saturation
Brown, Black and passive Orange EQ flavours
Revision 4 dynamics with soft-knee and logarithmic release
DBX 202 Gold Can VCA fader saturation
HQ mode with intelligent oversampling
Compressor Mix control and make-up gain configuration
Integration with SSL 360° and the Plug-in Mixer
Scalable GUI and native Apple Silicon support

03In depth

Circuit Modeling and Sound Character

The plugin is modeled on the original hardware, including a Jensen JT-115K-E transformer-balanced mic pre with adjustable saturation. You can choose between the Brown, Black and passive Orange EQ flavours, each with its own character.

The dynamics section reproduces the Revision 4 circuit with its soft-knee and logarithmic release behavior. A DBX 202 Gold Can VCA fader saturation stage adds the coloration associated with the console's faders.

Solid State Logic describes the result as the signature SSL sound used on many hit records.

Workflow, Controls and Oversampling

A Compressor Mix control lets you blend the compressed signal with the dry signal. Advanced settings provide compressor make-up gain configuration and an option to switch VCA modeling on or off.

The HQ mode uses intelligent oversampling to reduce aliasing from the nonlinear circuit models. The interface is scalable, so you can adjust its size to suit your screen.

For SSL hardware users, the plugin integrates with UC1, UF8 and SSL 360° through the Plug-in Mixer.

04Specs

Will it run?

Formats, systems and requirements as listed by Plugin Boutique. Missing details are left out, not guessed.

Developer	Solid State Logic
Type	Plugin
Category	Channel Strip
Formats	VST3, VST2, AU, AAX
Operating systems	Windows, macOS
Architecture	64-bit

05FAQ

Questions, answered

What formats does SSL 4K E support?

SSL 4K E is available in VST3, VST2, AU and AAX formats.

Which operating systems can run SSL 4K E?

SSL 4K E runs on Windows and macOS. On Windows it requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 (64-bit). On macOS it requires macOS 11 Big Sur through macOS 13 Ventura (64-bit), and it supports M1 Macs.