Solid State Logic SL4048E

Peter Gabriel had owned an Solid State Logic SL4048E console, which resided at Real World studios in the loft studio, known as the 'Work Room'.

The SSL 4048E was first installed in early 1985 at Gabriel's Ashcombe home studio setup, and he used the SSL to record and mix most of the So album. Some reports refer to it SSL 4000E while others state 4048E - the 4048 is the 48-channel version of the 4000 console, so is listed here as such anyway.

According to an article on Real World Studios published in the January 1990 issue of Studio Sound magazine, the SSL 4048E (moved to the loft studio) had Total Recall automation, and was also fitted with G-series EQ & computer, integral synchroniser and the Real World Studios' Automated Send Matrix. Some of the modifications are similar to ones done to the SSL 4080G in Control Room one.

Note: the Sound On Sound 'Classic Tracks: Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer"' article (see References) mentions the SSL having 56 inputs, while another article published in Musician magazine in 1986 stated it had no fewer than 48 inputs. The latter article is more reliable; Kevin Killen (engineer of So) most likely misremembered the number of inputs on the SSL at Ashcombe (during the SOS interview) as he had worked with so many other SSL consoles over his career.