The Solid State Logic Revival 4000 is an all-analogue channel strip created by Solid State Logic to deliver the unmistakable tone of the early SL 4000 Series consoles in a compact 19-inch rack format. These consoles, first introduced in the late 1970s, became the benchmark for professional music production and were central to countless influential recordings of the 1980s and beyond.
Artists including Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins, Bryan Adams, Kate Bush, Pink Floyd, Prince, U2, and Metallica relied on the sonic character of the SSL 4000 Series, which became synonymous with power, punch, and clarity. Drawing upon the revered circuitry of both the B Series and the E Series consoles, the Solid State Logic Revival 4000 provides the signature tonal character and flexibility that have defined the legacy of Solid State Logic for decades.
The SSL 4000 Series itself was revolutionary. The rare SL 4000 B, launched in 1976, was installed at London’s Townhouse Studios and played a role in defining the gated reverb drum sound made famous on Peter Gabriel’s *Intruder* and Phil Collins’ *In the Air Tonight*. The arrival of the SL 4000 E in 1979 took this innovation further, offering inline channel architecture, advanced dynamics on every channel, and the now-legendary four-band parametric equaliser.
It quickly became the console of choice for world-class studios such as Abbey Road, Electric Lady, and The Hit Factory. Engineers including Hugh Padgham, Chris and Tom Lord-Alge, and Andy Wallace used the SSL 4000 Series to craft recordings for artists like David Bowie, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, The Police, James Brown, Santana, and Nirvana. By the mid-1990s, SSL consoles had been used on the overwhelming majority of chart-topping hits, cementing their status as the most influential large-format mixing desks in history.
The Solid State Logic Revival 4000 carries this lineage forward. At its core is the classic E Series JT-115K-E Jensen transformer-balanced microphone preamplifier, providing the same tonal richness and clarity found in the original consoles. The inclusion of the original B Series de-esser delivers simple but effective sibilance control with a 10:1 ratio and a 7 kHz side-chain filter, making it ideal for taming harsh vocal or percussive elements.
The dynamics section replicates the discrete Class A VCA design from the E Series, offering compressor and gate functions that faithfully reproduce the sound and behaviour of the original consoles. With options such as fast attack, switchable soft or hard knee response, and selectable logarithmic or linear release modes, the Solid State Logic Revival 4000 provides the same tonal shaping capabilities that defined the recordings of the 1980s.
The equaliser section of the Solid State Logic Revival 4000 is based on the celebrated four-band parametric EQ of the SL 4000 E, offering a choice between two historic designs. The ‘Brown Knob’ (02) EQ includes symmetrical parametric mid-bands with shelving high and low filters that can be switched to bell response. This design became a hallmark of early 1980s mixing. In 1983, the ‘Black Knob’ (242) EQ was introduced with the involvement of Sir George Martin for AIR Studios.
It brought extended cut and boost ranges, greater precision, and steeper filtering for enhanced control of low and high frequencies. Both circuits are present in the Revival 4000, allowing engineers to select the equaliser character that best suits their production style.
The Solid State Logic Revival 4000 also offers modern routing flexibility while remaining true to the analogue design of its predecessors. A balanced insert point allows the integration of external outboard processors, while a dedicated external sidechain input expands creative control. Flexible signal flow options permit the reordering of filters, dynamics, and equaliser sections to suit specific tasks, and two units can be linked via sidechains for stereo operation. Additional features include output trim and selectable input or output metering, providing precise control over the signal path.
By faithfully recreating the essential building blocks of the SSL 4000 B and E Series consoles and housing them within a single rack unit, the Solid State Logic Revival 4000 offers engineers and producers the opportunity to access one of the most celebrated analogue sounds in recording history, with the flexibility and reliability required in modern studios.
Features
- Jensen JT-115K-E transformer-balanced mic preamp from the SSL 4000 E
- Classic B Series one-knob de-esser (10:1 ratio, 7 kHz side-chain)
- Discrete Class-A VCA compressor/gate with switchable soft/hard knee, fast attack, and selectable logarithmic or linear release
- External side-chain input and dynamics sidechain linking for stereo pairing
- Four-band parametric EQ, switchable ‘Brown Knob’ (02) and ‘Black Knob’ (242) circuits
- High-pass and low-pass filters: Brown mode 12 dB/oct; Black mode HPF 18 dB/oct, LPF 12 dB/oct
- Balanced insert point for external effects integration
- Flexible signal-flow routing (filter/EQ before or after dynamics, insert to output)
- Line-output trim; switchable input/output metering