SOLID STATE LOGIC PURE Drive Octo | 8-channel Microphone Preamp

PURE DRIVE OCTO

8-Channel Preamplifier

The SSL PURE DRIVE OCTO takes the highly regarded PureDrive microphone preamps from the SSL ORIGIN console and delivers them in an 8-channel 2 RU rackmount device, supercharged with cutting-edge conversion and flexible digital ADAT, AES, and USB connectivity—making it a perfect addition to many studios, live sound mixing consoles, or mobile recording rigs.

Eight XLR/TRS combo mic/line-level inputs and four front-panel Hi-Z inputs are provided. In addition, three DB25 connectors provide line-level inputs along with outputs/insert sends and insert returns for every channel. Controls are easily accessed on the front panel, with each mic pre featuring a stepped 11-position coarse Gain knob along with a stepped 31-position Trim control with +/-15 dB of gain in 1 dB increments. This makes it easy to overdrive the signal with the Gain control and then reduce it to a suitable level using Trim. A 3rd-order high-pass filter is fixed at 75 Hz and is accessed by clicking on the Trim pot.

The PURE DRIVE OCTO offers four mic preamp input impedance options, enabling engineers to match the mic pre's impedance closely to the microphone or even change the tonality of the input signal (on ribbon and dynamic mics)—giving further creative control when recording with the PureDrive preamps. Phantom power (48V) and phase reverse is individually selectable for each channel. The 6-segment meters provide instant visuals for gain levels, sample rate, and clocking status.

Mic Preamps with Prestige

SSL's contemporary classic recording console, ORIGIN, introduced the PureDrive microphone preamplifier. This innovative preamp retains the clarity and punch of previous SSL designs while offering the added versatility of switching its character to a warm, harmonically rich, and driven tone that varies with gain. ORIGIN, along with the PureDrive microphone preamp, has made its mark in the world's premier studios. Whether it's capturing the delicate nuances of a piano concerto in Clean mode or imparting warmth on a drum recording when set to Drive, the PureDrive microphone preamp has become an essential tool in some of the most prestigious studios and recording facilities due to its flexibility and superb sonic signature.

Analog Obsession

In addition to the high-performance mic preamps, PURE DRIVE OCTO features balanced analog outputs / insert sends for external processing, as well as high-headroom insert returns / ADC inputs with +24 dBu A/D line-up level. No electromechanical components such as potentiometers, mechanical switches, or relays are used in the critical audio signal path, which increases product longevity and results in impeccable level matching across all channels. The use of digitally controlled analog circuits and stepped pots and electronic switches further simplifies recall and precision of the settings.

3 DRIVE Flavors, 1 Mic Pre

Each of PURE DRIVE OCTO’s mic pres can be independently switched between three distinct DRIVE modes: Clean, Classic Drive, and Asymmetric Drive.

• Clean mode delivers the highly regarded ultralow-noise-floor linear SSL preamp that is recognized for its ability to faithfully capture the sound of the source with exceptional clarity and detail.
• Classic Drive is the symmetrical mode that generates predominantly odd harmonics; the same drive sound found on the ORIGIN console.
• Asymmetric Drive offers up a new coloration option, specifically designed for the PURE DRIVE range, making the even harmonic content dominant and providing more pronounced thickness, coloration and softening of transients.

Advanced Connectivity

PURE DRIVE OCTO's advanced connectivity opens a world of recording possibilities. Its comprehensive selection of analog and digital I/O offers microphone preamps with exceptional performance and flexibility, whether you're tracking a band in a world-class studio or adding warmth to stems in a production scenario. It's also ideal for project studios and on-location sessions where quality cannot be compromised, thanks to its integrated USB sound card.

PURE DRIVE OCTO features eight rear-mounted combo XLR inputs, four front-panel Hi-Z / DI instrument inputs with automatic input detection, and three sets of D-sub connectors for line-level input, insert send, and insert return. PURE DRIVE OCTO’s insert returns/ADC inputs operate up to full +24 dBu line-level for interfacing with other professional equipment.

An integrated USB soundcard provides eight channels of audio into your DAW at resolutions up to 32-bit / 192 kHz. The unit features four AES/EBU output pairs and ADAT out, offering eight channels at 24-bit / 48 kHz, or up to four channels at 24-bit / 192 kHz via SMUX. The AES and ADAT outputs can even be individually repurposed to be fed from the onboard USB soundcard as outputs from your DAW. Finally, there's an auto-ranging word clock input and output for robust digital clocking.

• 8 channel high-performance PureDrive mic preamps
• +48V phantom power, polarity invert, and 3rd order high-pass filter
• Stepped Gain control up to +65 dB
• 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 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 analog outputs/insert sends for external processing
• +24 dBu professional line-level insert returns/ADC inputs
• Analog 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: OCTO—8 in / 24 out (at 44.1 / 48 kHz) ; 8 x analog / 8 AES + 16 ADAT outs
• Stepped pots and digitally controlled analog electronics for precision, stereo matching, and ease of recall
• Up to 32-bit / 192 kHz conversion, professional I/O levels (+24 dBu = 0 dBFS)
• Selectable Auto-Sleep mode
• Autoranging wordclock in and out

Specifications

• USB I/O
  • 1 x USB-C Female Input/Output
• Audio I/O
  • 8x Combo XLR-1/4" Line/Mic Input
  • 4x 1/4" TRS Hi-Z/Instrument Input (Front Panel)
  • 1x DB-25 Line Input
  • 1x DB-25 Line Input (Insert Return)
  • 1x DB-25 Line Output (Insert Send)
• Digital I/O
  • AES/EBU Outputs: 4 x XLR (Male)
  • ADAT Output and ADAT Link In: 2 x Optical TOSLINK Port
  • Wordclock Input and Output: 2 x BNC
• Impedance
  • Mic In to Insert Send
    • Input: 400, 600, 1200, or 12,000 Ohms
    • Output: 70 Ohms
  • Line In to Insert Send: <22 Kilohms
  • Hi-Z to Insert Send: 1 Megohm
  • Insert Return to ADC: 10 Kilohms
• Gain
  • Mic In to Insert Send: 4.8 to 65.5 dB ± 0.1 dB
    • Gain Matching: < 0.08 dB
  • Line In to Insert Send: -0.4 to 30 dB ± 0.1 dB
    • Gain Matching: <0.08 dB
  • Hi-Z to Insert Send: 10.9 to 41.3 dB ± 0.1 dB
    • Gain Matching: <0.08 dB
• Noise Floor
  • Mic In to Insert Send: <-97.3 dBu
  • Line In to Insert Send: -89.7 dBu Typical
  • Hi-Z to Insert Send: 11 dB, Unweighted, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, 150R
    • Termination: < 86 dBu Typical
• EIN
  • Mic In to Insert Send: 65 dB, A-weighted, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, 150R
    • Termination: -130 dBu Typical, -129 dBu Nominal
• THD+N
  • Mic In to Insert Send: < -92 dB / 0.0025 % (17 dB, 20 dBu out, 1 kHz)
  • Line In to Insert Send: 0 dB, Unweighted, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, 150R
    • Termination: -89.6 dB / 0.0033% Typical
  • Insert Return to ADC:-105 dB / 0.0005% Typical
• Frequency Response
  • Mic In to Insert Send: 20 to 20 kHz, Any Gain (± 0.2 dB)
  • Insert Return to ADC: ± 0.035 dB, -3 dB Low Roll-Off < 5 Hz
• Crosstalk
  • Mic In to Insert Send
    • Aggressor 15 dBu 50 Hz In, 5 dB Gain, 20 dBu Out; Adjacent Channels 150R Terminator, 35 dB Gain: < -108 dB
    • Aggressor 15 dBu 1 kHz In, 5 dB Gain, 20 dBu Out; Adjacent Channels 150R Terminator, 35 dB Gain: < -105 dB
    • Aggressor 15 dBu 10 kHz In, 5 dB Gain, 20 dBu Out; Adjacent Channels 150R Terminator, 35 dB Gain: < -81 dB
  • Insert Return to ADC
    • 23.9 dBu In, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, 1 Channel Driven, All Other Channels 150R Terminated: < 105 dB
    • 23.9 dBu In, 1 kHz, 1 Channel Driven, All Other Channels 150R Terminated: < 115 dB
• Maximum Input Level
  • Mic In to Insert Send: >21.5 dBu (At Minimum Gain)
  • Line In to Insert Send: 26.5 dBu (At Minimum Gain)
  • Hi-Z to Insert Send: >15.5 dBu (Unbalanced, Minimum Gain)
• A/D Conversion
  • Insert Return to ADC
  • ADC Line Up: 24 dBu
• Dynamic Range
  • Insert Return to ADC: 119 dB Typical
• Filter
  • Trim and High-Pass Filter (HPF)
  • Trim Gain Matching: < 0.04 dB
  • HPF Frequency Tolerance: 5%
• Power Source
  • AC Input (Included)
• AC Input Power
  • 100 to 240 VAC, 50 / 60 Hz
• Mounting
  • Side: 2x Rack Ears
• Dimensions
  • 19 x 11.9 x 3.5" / 482.6 x 302.8 x 88.1 mm (Chassis Only)
• Weight
  • 13 lb / 5.9 kg

In the Box 

• Solid State Logic PURE DRIVE OCTO 8-Channel Preamplifier
• IEC Power Cable
• Limited 1-Year Manufacturer Warranty