SSL 500 Series VHD Preamp Review
/Solid State Logic has been an industry leader in the world of professional recording for decades. Their 500 Series VHD Preamp packs a lot of versatility into a small footprint, making it a great contender for engineers looking for a clean-sounding, utilitarian preamp with a couple of tricks up its sleeve.
Quick Facts
Manufacturer: Solid State Logic
Model: VHD 500 Series Mic Pre
Category: Preamp, Signal Processing
Price: $669 USD
Performance
A pair of SSL 500 Series VHD Preamps installed in an API 500 Series Chassis.
For anyone who has worked on SSL consoles, and especially their flagship Duality line, these preamps will sound and feel very familiar. In fact, from a technical perspective they’re almost identical, with the exception that a high-pass filter has been added directly to the preamp module and the layout has been modified to fit the 500 series format. Sonically, it's the same preamp and a modern take on the classic SSL sound, retaining the open highs and tight lows that engineers have come to expect from SSL equipment over the years. The VHD preamp’s clean and relatively neutral tonality makes it very utilitarian in nature and it can be used on almost any sound source with good results. It has plenty of useable gain and I’ve used mine for everything from big, loud rock recordings to capturing sound effects and foley for film. It is very much a jack-of-all-trades in my 500 Series rack and I find myself frequently reaching for the VHD Pre in unknown situations because of its predictability. When engaged, the VHD circuit adds a nice touch and I’ve used it extensively to beef up thin sounding bass DI’s, add more colour to hardware synths and, on one occasion, even fill out the sound of a banjo to keep it from getting stepped on in a busy mix. However, it’s worth noting that while the VHD circuit makes this preamp very versatile, it doesn’t make it a substitute for other preamp designs and there are some sources (like drum kits and electric guitars, respectively) that I still prefer to track through a Neve or API front end if possible. In these situations, the VHD Preamp can sound too clean and borders on sterile, although with the right processing during mixing it can still work quite well. The VHD Preamp follows the school of thought that sonic colouration should always be optional but readily available, and using it with this in mind really unlocks its true potential.
I also want to give special mention to the build quality of the 500 Series VHD Preamp, as the switches and knobs feel durable yet responsive and I was highly impressed with the quality of the soldering work on the preamp’s PCB, despite it being priced lower than most competitor’s designs. It is nothing less than I’d expect from a company as legendary as Solid State Logic.
An example of the excellent soldering work on the 500 Series VHD Preamp (click to enlarge).
Features
The 500 Series VHD Preamp is packed with every feature you could expect to find on a professional grade preamp, and then some. Its most notable feature is its namesake: the aforementioned Variable Harmonic Drive circuit. When engaged, the VHD circuit can be used to add subtle colouration to any sound source using a mixture of 2nd and 3rd harmonic distortion, with the blend between the two being controlled by the black “Drive” knob. As the input control is turned up, it drives the VHD circuit harder and at its maximum the VHD circuit stops just short of outright distortion. The preamp also features a variable high-pass filter that is introduced into the signal chain using one of the many switches on the preamp's faceplate, as well as an output trim control. Other features include a polarity invert, high impedance, phantom power (with a useful status LED), and pad switch, and every control is clearly labelled. The pad is of special interest because it allows a line-level signal to be run back through the preamp for use as a signal processing device during mixing, a common trick I’ve seen performed on the Duality consoles by creative engineers.
A single 500 Series VHD Preamp Module.
Price
Nothing SSL comes cheap, but for someone who already owns a 500 Series chassis, this is one of the more economical ways to add additional preamps. At $669. 00, audio professionals will find this a good ‘utility preamp’ to have on hand for applications that demand a clean, clear signal where harmonic colour and vibe may be undesirable. The 500 Series VHD Preamp is also one of the few 500 Series modules within the reach of the home studio owner or musician recording themselves, although a stereo pair of them racked in a 1U, 2-slot chassis will still total around $2,000.
Conclusion
The 500 Series VHD Preamp delivers a clean sound at a moderate price point and has a hefty feature compliment seen on few other 500 series preamps. Although the VHD circuit isn’t a substitute for having other preamps in your rack, with some creativity it can offer a wealth of unique processing capabilities for the engineer that likes to experiment.
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SSL 500 Series VHD Mic Pre
