The Sound of a Legacy: Solid State Logic Launches the Revival 4000 Signature Channel Strip

Music & Audio Production

28/08/25

Oxford, UK, 28 August 2025 — Solid State Logic (SSL) proudly introduces the Revival 4000, an all-analogue channel strip rooted in the foundations of SSL’s sound. The 4000 Series redefined music production, powering countless chart-topping hits. Now, the Revival 4000 brings that analogue legacy to life once more, delivering the unmistakable early-1980s signature SSL tone in a single rack unit. Available now for £1,249.00 ex. VAT / $1,999 + TAX, the Revival 4000 immortalises SSL’s ‘4K’ sound and workflow for the producers and engineers of today, and the creators of tomorrow.

The Revival 4000 provides a complete set of tools to track and mix with the unmistakable character of the SSL 4000 Series. At the input stage lies a Jensen transformer-balanced mic preamp, delivering richness and pristine clarity to your recordings. This circuit incorporates the very same Jensen component found in the original E Series consoles. Following this is the B Series De-Esser, derived from the original 4000 B compressor/limiter topology, featuring a 10:1 ratio and 7 kHz sidechain filter for smooth, musical control of sibilance while preserving natural tone.

The Compressor/Gate section found on the Revival 4000 is an authentic recreation of the E Series design, deploying a discrete Class A VCA that gave hit records their punch. Now enhanced with added flexibility from various 4000 dynamics revisions —soft-knee defeat, fast attack mode, and selectable logarithmic or linear release curves—it delivers the iconic SSL channel strip dynamics sound with options tailored for modern production workflows.

With Revival 4000, we’re delivering the true SSL 4000 sound with complete authenticity. At its heart are the key components that defined an era: the Jensen transformer-coupled mic preamp, discrete Class A VCA dynamics, and the choice of both Brown and Black Knob EQs. We’ve included the B-Series De-Esser in a creative new context, added flexible routing options for diverse processing flows, and introduced a balanced insert point for seamless integration of outboard gear. The result is a unit that captures the unmistakable 1980s SSL character, while equipping today’s producers with the versatility demanded by modern productions

Andy Jackson, Senior Studio Product Manager, Solid State Logic

The Revival 4000 features two of SSL’s most celebrated EQ designs, giving users the flexibility to shape their sound with precision and character. Switch between the classic Brown Knob (02) circuit—famed for its grit—or the legendary Black Knob (242) circuit, originally developed in collaboration with Sir George Martin for AIR Studios. Additionally, there are re-routable High and Low Pass Filters, which, alongside the EQ, can be placed into the Dynamics sidechain for additional creative control.

SSL Advanced Workflow

Staying true to SSL’s heritage, the Revival 4000 delivers exceptional workflow flexibility—a hallmark of SSL consoles for decades. It includes a dedicated balanced insert point for integrating outboard gear, an external sidechain input for advanced dynamics control, and intuitive process re-ordering options to shape your signal path. For stereo operation, two units can be linked via the sidechain link feature.

A modern studio tool with an unparalleled legacy

The SSL 4000 series revolutionised music production, setting a new industry standard that went on to shape countless iconic records. It all began with the rare SSL 4000B console. Originally launched in 1976, and later installed in London’s Townhouse Studios, the 4000B was used to create ground-breaking hits like ‘Intruder’ by Peter Gabriel and the seminal gated-drum sensation ‘In the Air Tonight’ by Phil Collins. This set the tone for the most influential mixing console of all time—the SL 4000E. Launched in 1979, the 4000E became the heartbeat of legendary studios like Abbey Road, Electric Lady, and The Hit Factory, empowering engineers like Hugh Padgham (David Bowie, Paul McCartney, The Police), Chris and Tom Lord-Alge (James Brown, The Rolling Stones, Santana), and Andy Wallace (Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Nirvana) to craft the sonic signatures of generations.

With its revolutionary channel strip design, surgical yet musical EQ and punchy compression, the 4000E transformed the way records were made, delivering the clarity and cohesion that defines platinum-selling hits to this day. Its signature— focused mid-range clarity, unmatched precision, and the unmistakable glue and punch of its channel and bus compression—became the sound of popular music. Feedback from producers and engineers who first used the 4000E’s EQ and dynamics processing was unanimous: it was an incredibly musical and intuitive tool. Designed by people who truly understood the recording and mixing process, it reassured engineers and producers in an era where you had to get things right the first time—when mistakes were costly, the 4000E made it significantly easier to realise your creative vision.

4000 Signature Channel Strip Features:

Classic SSL 4000E JT-115K-E Jensen transformer-balanced mic preamp
Musical one-knob 4000 B de-esser
+48V, polarity invert, Pad and line input
Authentic 4000 E Series dynamics featuring:

- Discrete Class A VCA compressor

Soft or Hard Knee modes

Fast attack on/off

Logarithmic or Linear Release modes

- Classic gate/expander section:

With Fast attack on/off

Classic 4-band SSL EQ:

- Fully parametric mid-bands

- Switchable ‘Brown Knob’ 02 and ‘Black Knob’ 242 EQ circuits

High and Low Pass Filters:

- Brown 02 mode – 12 dB per octave HPF & LPF

- Black 242 mode – 18 dB per octave HPF & 12 dB per octave LPF

Balanced Insert point for connecting external devices into the signal path
Extensive ‘to sidechain’ functionality:

- Filters to dynamics sidechain

- EQ to Dynamics sidechain

Flexible process-order routing:

- Filters to input, dynamics and de-ess post-EQ options, insert to output

Line Output Trim
Switchable input/output metering
External sidechain (key) input
Dynamics sidechain link, allowing two Revival 4000 compressors to work as a stereo pair

The Sound of a Legacy: Solid State Logic Launches the Revival 4000 Signature Channel Strip

SSL Advanced Workflow

A modern studio tool with an unparalleled legacy

4000 Signature Channel Strip Features:

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