SOLID STATE LOGIC SUPER 9000 - SUPER ANALOGUE CHANNEL STRIP

Unique SuperAnalogue™ sound.

The Super 9000 is an all-in-one analog channel strip from Solid State Logic, combining the best features of SuperAnalogue™ technology to deliver modern SSL sound. First introduced in the legendary SL 9000 J and enhanced in Duality, the Super 9000 channel strip offers ultra-low distortion, exceptional punch and the breathtaking sound of our SuperAnalogue™ studio consoles in 1 RU.

The 9000 Series made rock and pop mixes sound more powerful than ever, while enhancing hip-hop and R&B with a deep, round bottom end and sparkling top end. Known for making music sound more powerful than it really is, with unparalleled dynamics and depth, the 9000 series became the industry standard of its era - setting a milestone in analog design and paving the way for the development of Duality and Oracle consoles. Now the Super 9000 brings the same professional quality that was once reserved exclusively for the colossal 9K consoles directly to your studio.

Prestigious studios, including Abbey Road and Metropolis Studios (London), Real World Studios (Bath), Record Plant (Los Angeles) and Avatar/Power Station (New York), quickly adopted the 9000 series as their standard. Leading sound engineers such as Manny Marroquin (Alicia Keys, Rihanna), Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Mayer), Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin) and Tony Maserati (Jay-Z, Beyoncé) have used the SuperAnalogue™ sound to create hits that have defined musical genres.

SuperAnalogue™ design

SuperAnalogue™ technology makes the audio path so transparent and with such a wide bandwidth that every detail is preserved and the engineer feels like he is right next to the artist. Key design elements include:

• Very wide audio bandwidth.
• Flat frequency response: ±0.1 dB in the range of 20 Hz - 20 kHz.
• Very low transient intermodulation distortion.
• No electrolytic capacitors in the audio path.
• Extremely low noise and harmonic distortion.
• Extremely low phase shift across the audible spectrum.

The result is unparalleled punch, clarity and a supernatural soundstage - qualities that define modern „SSL sound” and ensure that SuperAnalogue™ consoles remain the choice of music production professionals.

Dual microphone amplifier - SuperAnalogue™ or VHDTM

Choose from two world-class preamplifiers, just like in SSL's flagship Duality console. Choose a crystal-clear, high headroom SuperAnalogue™ preamp for unparalleled sonic transparency, or switch to a Variable Harmonic Drive (VHD) circuit to add character and saturation. Shape the sound by selecting second-order harmonics for rich, tube-like warmth, or add third-order harmonics for a sharper transistor-style sound. The INPUT FLIP button lets you move the VHD circuit from the microphone input to the line input, making it easy to add harmonic timbres to DAW tracks or instrument and line sources.

Variable Harmonic Drive (VHD):

Variable Harmonic Drive was created to provide engineers and producers with a single preamp capable of achieving a wide range of different sounds. Initially designed to complement Duality's ultra-precise SuperAnalogue™ console preamp, VHD technology can be found in many SSL consoles and rack-mounted units - over the years it has become a secret weapon for many engineers to add ambience to recordings.

Full dynamics section

The Super 9000 is equipped with SSL's quintessential modern dynamics section, providing ultimate control and power. Built around a high-performance THAT 2181A VCA, the compressor features a switchable Fast Attack mode and Peak Detect option - first introduced in the SL 9000 console and carried over to the Duality series. It also includes SSL's classic Expander/Gate section with variable hysteresis built into Threshold and a HOLD control for precise gate and downward expansion management. In addition, the Super 9000 allows the dynamics section to be moved before and after the EQ.

Pink (292) and black (242) equalizer circuits and high-pass and low-pass filters

Choose your SSL equalizer: the 292 G-series equalizer circuit with a „pink knob” or the 242 E-series equalizer circuit with a „black knob.” The 292„s variable Q-factor design provides smooth, wide gains and cuts that become more pronounced as the volume increases, while its shelves feature a steeper slope and distinctive ”undershoot/overshoot„ that provide SSL's famous musicality. The 242”s fixed Q-factor design, developed in collaboration with Sir George Martin, provides more precise control compared to the 292. The Super 9000„s equalizer section also features two buttons labeled ”E Bell/G÷3" and "Gx3/E Bell." In 292 mode, these buttons allow you to divide the low-mid frequency by 3 and multiply the high-mid frequency by 3, so the midbands can be used to target frequencies well beyond their standard range, providing incredible flexibility and range. In 242 mode, these buttons switch the low and high frequency bands between Bell and Shelving modes. As expected from SSL, the equalizer can be placed in the dynamic chain, and the high-pass (18 dB/octave) and low-pass (12 dB/octave) filters can be bypassed entirely or routed to the input or sidechain for complete control.

Flexible processing and routing

The Super 9000 includes a symmetrical insertion point, allowing the integration of additional external equipment into the signal path. The insert can be moved from its default location (immediately after the input stage) to the output stage, just before the output regulation. The unit also features a dedicated external sidechain (key) input, flexible processing reordering and sidechain linking - ideal when using two Super 9000 units as a stereo pair.
The Input Flip control routes the LINE input to the microphone preamp, while the rear MIC connector is routed through the LINE path - an easy way to process line-level DAW returns with saturation/distortion processing at the mixing stage, without the need for manual clipping.

Key features

• Dual microphone preamplifier - choice between SuperAnalogue™ (9000) and VHD™ (Duality) with +48 V, polarity inversion and attenuator.
• 2 impedance options for the microphone preamplifier: 1.3 kΩ and 11 kΩ.
• Dedicated LINE input with „Input Flip” function.
• Classic 9000/Duality dynamics section.
• High-performance compressor section of the THAT 2181A VCA.
• Peak/Hard Knee or Soft Knee modes.
• Enable/disable fast attack.
• The classic gate/expander section.
• Enable/disable fast attack.
• Support control.
• SSL 4-band equalizer with switchable modes.
• Fully parametric midbands.
• The ability to switch between G-Series „Pink Knob” 292 and E-Series „Black Knob” 242 circuits.
• High-pass and low-pass filters.
• 18 dB per octave HPF and 12 dB per octave LPF.
• Insertion point for connecting external devices to the signal path.
• Enhanced „to sidechain” functionality.
• Dynamics sidechain filters.
• EQ to Dynamics sidechain.
• Flexible routing of process sequence.
• Filters for input, Dynamics after EQ and Insert for output.
• Line output adjustment.
• Switchable input and output measurements.
• External sidechain input (key).
• Dynamics sidechain link - allows 2 Super 9000 compressors to work as a stereo pair (loudest signal wins). Connects via TS/TRS jack cable (not included).