UADx SSL 4000 E Channel Strip

The deal

$69 at KVR Marketplace (down from $99, 30% off). Sale ends May 25, 2026.

What it is

The UADx SSL 4000 E Channel Strip is UA's circuit-modeled emulation of the SSL 4000 E Series console channel, the desk that defined the sound of 1980s and 1990s commercial music. The model captures the Jensen transformer-based preamp with Unison technology for realistic input impedance loading, the four-band EQ in both Type E "black knob" and "brown knob" variants (which have meaningfully different curve shapes), and the SSL VCA compressor and noise gate that have been used on countless hit records.

Who it's for

Mix engineers who want a single-channel strip plugin that handles tracking and mixing with the specific punch and density associated with SSL console work. It adds transient snap to drums, presence and control to vocals, and low-end definition to bass that is hard to replicate with generic EQ and compression combinations.

Key features

• Dual EQ options - the Type E "black knob" and "brown knob" variants - have different curve shapes that affect how the midrange sounds, with the brown knob being more musical on program material and the black being more surgical
• The SSL VCA compressor delivers the classic program-dependent compression character that compresses harder on sustained notes than transients
• A flexible dynamics routing section lets you use the filters as a sidechain for the compressor and gate, essential for frequency-conscious compression on drums and bass
• Jensen transformer-based preamp modeling adds the harmonic saturation and frequency response of the original 1979 hardware