Friday, March 29, 2024

Solid State Logic Preview Origin – Next Generation Analogue Studio Console

OXFORD, ENGLAND – Solid State Logic (SSL) announce the first preview of the latest ORIGIN analogue console at AES NY 2019. As the latest in a long heritage of SSL studio mixing consoles, ORIGIN has traditional analogue studio workflow at its heart whilst providing the perfect partner for a modern DAW driven ‘hybrid’ production studio. The traditional design looks back to the ‘origin’ of in-line consoles for signal flow inspiration, but blends cutting edge analogue developments to deliver a unique sonic signature that is still unmistakably SSL.

A purely analogue, inline, dual channel design, with 16 buses, E Series EQ and the classic Bus Compressor, ORIGIN breathes new life into a design classic across the whole console. The new PureDrive™ mic pre inherits the clarity and purity of previous SSL Mic Pre designs, that can also switch character to a warm, harmonically rich and driven tone that varies with mic pre gain. The new mix bus and mix amp architecture delivers an amazingly low noise floor along with a huge headroom for a summing bus, that retains the classic SSL sound while bringing the breadth and space to mixes that engineers and producers love from analogue summing. Balanced insert points per channel path, dedicated channel direct outputs, stem-ready 0dB fader bypass switches, and a new configurable centre section, make it an ideal way to add console workflow to a modern production studio.
“This really is the culmination of everything we have put into analogue console design over the past four decades” comments Niall Feldman, SSL Director of New Products. “ORIGIN is the studio console we would have created then, for the way we work today – it is quite simply a new analogue classic.”

“Music production is core to our origin at Solid State Logic” adds Nigel Beaumont, SSL Managing Director, “and it’s important we utilize this unique heritage to continue defining new products that are more accessible to the growing studio market. It allows us to deliver next generation consoles such as ORIGIN, with the right features, at the right price point, and of course, with that unmistakable SSL sound.”

This is our ORIGIN

As the latest in a long heritage of SSL studio mixing consoles, ORIGIN has traditional analogue studio workflow at its heart whilst providing the perfect partner for a modern DAW-driven hybrid production studio. ORIGIN takes a fresh look at what a large format console needs to do to work in harmony with a modern DAW driven production studio.

The functional design looks back at the origin of in-line consoles for signal flow inspiration, but its circuits are at the cutting edge of SSL’s latest analogue developments. These new analogue designs deliver huge dynamic range and bandwidth yet still have the characterful, pleasing qualities of space and depth that analogue breathes on digital audio.

Technical Innovation

ORIGIN is more than just the culmination of four decades of technical innovation. With our deep knowledge of workflow and studio integration, we understand that a console has to provide the immediacy and well-executed ergonomics that will inspire and engage a modern studio environment.

ORIGIN takes these principles and combines them with a modern feature-set that bridges the gap between digital production and analogue console workflow.

Analogue Layout Hybrid Workflow

A unique and innovative modular centre section allow ORIGIN to adapt to different applications and priorities, whether being used as a purely tracking console with additional boutique analogue additions to the 19” rack centre section, or a very digital/analogue hybrid approach with screens and controllers easily reached from the centre of the console.

E-Series ‘242’ EQ

The E-Series ‘242’ EQ was probably the most popular EQ from the SL 4000 series console range, and it’s back for ORIGIN, which uses this iconic SSL design for it’s channel EQ.

ORIGIN features the acclaimed E-Series four-band parametric EQ on each of its 32-channels, with variable Cut/Boost per band, HF and LF Bell/Shelf switches, independent sweepable HPF on every channel and unmistakable ‘242’ style growl and deep low end.
PureDrive™

ORIGIN features a completely new microphone pre-amplifier design that inherits the clarity and purity of previous SSL mic pre’s, with the added flexibility of switching character to a warm, harmonically-rich and driven tone that varies with gain. The ideal solution to ‘perfect’ digital system and hybrid workflow.

PureDrive™ is a new discrete transistor mic-pre based around modern FET components. The result is an ultra-clean, ultra-low noise pre amp, that is fast and offers stunning resolution when in ‘Pure’ mode. Hit the switch and the ‘Drive’ circuit is engaged, adding gain dependent non-linear harmonic saturation.

Key Features

  • 32-channel analogue in-line design
  • High quality 100mm large and 60mm small fader on every channel
  • 16+2 buses
  • 4x Monitor outputs
  • 3x Foldback outputs
  • Acclaimed SSL E-Series four band parametric channel EQ
  • Sweepable HPF on every channel
  • Classic SSL Bus Compressor with side-chain access, HP filter and insert point
  • Dedicated channel direct outputs
  • New PureDrive Mic pre & drive circuit
  • New mix bus and mix amp architecture – delivers ultra-low noise floor and huge headroom
  • Balanced Insert Point per Large Fader and Small Fader Channel Paths.
  • Stem-ready 0dB fader bypass switch
  • Unique power management tools deliver ultimate reliability and low running costs
  • Freelance engineer friendly
  • Adjustable centre section features 12U of rack space for:
    • Software controllers
    • Computer keyboard and accessories
    • Additional hardware processing
    • Drop down meter bridge

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