Start by using a certain mic gain setting and then audition a super linear and low noise Clean sound, next, try Classic Drive with mostly odd harmonic distortion products or go with Asymmetrical Drive and its even harmonic series. To have all three modes selectable on the front panel a single 2U unit is unprecedented.

Further tonality choices come from the four, input selectable mic input impedances available: 400, 600, 1.2k and 12k-ohms. Not important for condenser mics, but if you record using dynamic and ribbon mics, changing how the pre-amps "loads" the microphone's output with different input impedances makes a tremendous difference in tone and level--like an equalizer but not the same at all. Dynamic and ribbon mics' whole set of sonic characteristics change depending on the input impedance.

PURE DRIVE has individual front panel switches for +48V phantom power; Insert In/Out and Polarity flip happens by way of just pushing in on the Gain and Trim knobs. In addition, each pre-amp has its own, 3rd order 18dB/octave, high-pass filter. These are precise, 31 detents you can feel in the dark and range from bypass at full CCW and up to 300Hz at full CW. The front panel finishes with high-impedance, 1/4-inch Direct Input jacks (for guitars or keyboards), 14-segment metering for all four mic pre-amp output levels, Word Clock indicators and setup for the onboard, 32-bit/up to 192-kHz A-to-D converters.

In addition to PURE DRIVE's four, rear panel microphone XLR inputs, there are TRS and D-Sub Line inputs/Insert returns, two stereo AES/EBU digital outputs (1/2 and 3/4), four analog line level outputs, ADAT LightPipe facilities, External Word clock In/Out BNCs connectors, and an USB C connector for the built-in audio interface!

The manual has several connection scenarios for using Solid-State-Logic's PURE DRIVE QUAD as an outstanding centerpiece for any recording/mixing system. PURE DRIVE QUAD sells for $1,399 MSRP. More at: SSL PURE DRIVE QUAD.