Solid State Logic AWS 900

Introduced in late 2004, Solid State Logic's AWS 900 (Analogue Workstation System) combines a 24-channel analogue console and a digital audio workstation controller in a single surface. Its SuperAnalogue electronics, inherited from the XL 9000, give it a 200 kHz bandwidth.

Each channel has mic, line and instrument inputs (a first for high-impedance inputs on an SSL), a four-band parametric EQ switchable between E and G Series, and eight aux sends. Two mono SSL dynamics sections can be assigned to channels or busses, and the G Series stereo bus compressor sits across the mix. The console offers a stereo Record and Mix bus plus Cue and Aux busses, around twenty outputs in all; four stereo effects returns and cascade inputs bring the total up to 34 sources at mixdown.

The surface drives the DAW (Pro Tools, Logic…) through its 100 mm moving faders and automation. The optional Total Recall memorises the position of pots and switches and saves those settings as MIDI SysEx in the project. The line continued with the AWS 900+ (2006), then the AWS 924 and AWS 948.