Solid State Logic Pure Drive Quad

Solid State Logic Pure Drive Quad

4-Channel Microphone Preamplifier

PURE DRIVE QUAD leverages the renowned PureDrive™ SuperAnalogue microphone preamp technology already found in Solid State Logic’s ORIGIN console, introduces a new DRIVE mode and connectivity, and makes it available in a 2U, 4-channel rackmount unit.

The acclaimed PureDrive™ microphone preamp, introduced in SSL’s latest recording console, ORIGIN, is the foundation on which PURE DRIVE QUAD is built. This innovative preamp preserves the clarity and power typical of SSL, while offering the possibility to modulate your tone into a warm, harmonic-rich and controlled sound, whose character evolves as the gain increases. The combination of ORIGIN and the PureDrive™ microphone preamplifier has become an essential choice in the most prestigious recording studios around the world. Whether recording the finer nuances of a piano recital in PURE mode or adding warmth to a drum recording set to DRIVE, the PureDrive™ microphone preamp is the ideal solution thanks to its flexibility and signature exceptional sound.

PURE DRIVE QUAD continues in this vein, offering four mic preamps with ORIGIN’s renowned PURE and DRIVE modes, but goes further by introducing a new “Asymmetric” DRIVE option, advanced digital connectivity and an integrated USB interface. PURE DRIVE QUAD offers four different impedance options for the microphone preamp inputs, allowing sound engineers to explore various tonal nuances or match the preamp impedance to the microphone being used. Additionally, each microphone preamp features independent +48V phantom power, polarity reversal, and an adjustable high-pass filter. With these features, PURE DRIVE QUAD is one of the most advanced and versatile external microphone preamps available, opening up new sonic possibilities and workflows for the most demanding producers and sound engineers.

Three shades of sound, one PRE

PURE DRIVE QUAD is proof of SSL’s commitment to cutting-edge analog circuit design. There is no use of electromechanical components such as potentiometers, mechanical switches or relays in the PURE DRIVE QUAD signal path, increasing product life and ensuring flawless matching between all channels, not just stereo pairs. The use of digitally controlled analog circuits, managed via potentiometers and electronic switches, greatly simplifies recalling settings and improves their precision. Each of the PURE DRIVE QUAD’s microphone preamps can be independently switched between three different DRIVE modes: Clean, Classic Drive, and Asymmetric Drive.

Clean mode features the renowned SSL linear preamp with an extremely low noise floor, known for its ability to faithfully capture the source sound with exceptional clarity.
Classic Drive mode is the symmetrical mode that generates mostly odd harmonics, delivering the familiar sound found on the ORIGIN console.
Asymmetric Drive mode features a new coloring option specifically designed for the PURE DRIVE range, which accentuates even harmonics, giving greater thickness, color and smoothness to transients.

Advanced connectivity

The advanced connectivity of PURE DRIVE QUAD opens up tons of recording possibilities. The comprehensive selection of analog and digital inputs/outputs offers mic preamps of exceptional quality and flexibility, whether you’re recording a band in a professional studio or adding warmth to audio tracks in a production context. It is ideal for studio projects but also in external situations, where quality cannot be compromised, thanks to the integrated USB sound card.

PURE DRIVE QUAD is equipped with four XLR combo inputs on the back, four Hi-Z/DI instrument inputs on the front panel with automatic input detection, and three sets of D-sub connectors for line inputs, plus send and return for the inserts. The PURE DRIVE QUAD’s return/ADC inserts work up to a line level of +24 dBu, allowing for seamless integration with other professional gear. PURE DRIVE QUAD’s versatile digital connectivity includes an integrated USB sound card that delivers four channels of audio to your DAW at up to 32-bit/192 kHz.

Additionally, there are two pairs of AES/EBU outputs and ADAT outputs, providing four channels at 24 bit/48 kHz. Alternatively, two PURE DRIVE QUAD units can be connected in cascade via the convenient ADAT LINK IN connection, allowing access to up to eight channels. The AES and ADAT outputs can also be individually repurposed to be powered by the integrated USB sound card and used as DAW outputs. Finally, there is a self-adjusting word clock input and output for reliable digital clocking.

Features

• 4 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 : QUAD – 12 in / 12 out (@44.1/48 kHz) ; 4 x analogue + 8 x ADAT in (via Link in) / 4 AES + 8 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