SSL Pure Drive Octo

The SSL Pure Drive Octo offers far more than a simple eight-channel microphone preamp, combining versatile preamps with multiple sound circuits, insert points for external outboard effects, and the ability to function as a USB audio interface. The Pure Drive Quad offers three distinct drive modes – Clean, Classic Drive and Asymmetrical Drive – alongside four selectable input impedances, a USB-C connector for interface duties, and a state-of-the-art converter operating at 192kHz with up to 32-bit resolution: Despite all that, the real highlight is the SuperAnalogue PureDrive microphone preamp technology, a feature previously reserved for SSL's full-size ORIGIN mixing console. Completing the package are extensive connection options and a compact rackmount design of just two height units.

The SSL Pure Drive Quad has four input impedance options – 12k, 1.2k, 600, and 400 ohms – that give sound engineers the freedom to explore different tonal characteristics or to precisely align the preamp's output with a microphone, while each microphone preamp also includes independent 48V phantom power, polarity reversal, and a fixed 75Hz high-pass filter. The finely detented gain controls provide up to 65dB of amplification, complemented by a trim control that allows adjustment from -15dB to +15dB. Both the gain and trim knobs are push-type, enabling activation of the insert path or phase reversal, and on the far right of the front panel, a six-segment LED display clearly visualises the levels of all eight channels.

The SSL Pure Drive Octo is equipped with eight rear-mounted XLR combo inputs, four Hi-Z/DI instrument inputs with automatic detection on the front panel, and three D-Sub connectors handling line-level inputs, insert send, and insert return; four pairs of AES/EBU outputs and two ADAT outputs deliver four channels at 192kHz/24-bit via SMUX. Both the AES and ADAT outputs can be reassigned individually to function as outputs from the built-in USB sound card to the DAW, and for digital clocking, the unit provides a word clock input and output with automatic switching. The CLK button on the lower right of the front panel selects the clock source, allowing the Pure Drive Octo to synchronise via its internal clock, ADAT, USB, or external word clock.