I tend to be a big of music production and content creator gear made by brands with a pedigree in the hardcore professional-grade space, but really only if they manage to create something worthwhile at a price that doesn’t completely break the bank, and that’s exactly what we are getting with the new SSL 1.
SSL, or Solid State Logic in full, is a brand with a celebrated and storied past in the music and recording industry. For many years a brand really only known by hardcore recoding engineers, the musicians they work with, and the producers that have hired them, SSL is stepping into a far more affordable space with its latest home studio-meets-ultra-portable SSL 1 interface today.
Designed to bring the brand’s world famous sound and expertise on the recording input path to a portable or home studio near you, the new SSL 1 is 2×2 plug‑and‑play USB audio interface that comes in at less than the price of an hour with one of its recording desks at some hot shot studio. Designed for those “beginning their creative journey” as well as experienced sound makers on-the-go, “SSL 1 combines a portable form factor with the trusted SSL sonic character, making professional results more accessible than ever.”
SSL 1 features at a glance
- 2-in/2-out USB-C connectivity with next-gen 32-bit 192 kHz converters
- 1 x SSL-designed microphone preamp
- +48V phantom power
- Legacy 4K analogue enhancement
- High-pass filter
- 1 x instrument DI input or line input
- 1 x professional high-current headphone output
- Portable-recording friendly: can be USB bus-powered or powered externally via the additional 5V USB connection
- Compatible with Mac, Windows and mobile devices supporting USB Audio Class 2.0 (UAC2)
- Balanced monitor outputs
- Mix button provides a mix of low-latency input monitoring and computer playback
- DC-coupled outputs are suitable for sending CV to synths
- 3 x Stereo loopback feature – ideal for content creators
- SSL Production Pack software bundle included
- Robust design with quality components
It features a “class-leading preamp,” professional-grade 32-bit/192 kHz conversion, and a “high-current headphone output,” it can run purely off the USB port on your Mac or laptop, but also features a 5V USB-C jack so you can also power it with your phone charger or a power bank wherever your sonic adventures may take you.
The dual-channel setup supports both microphones (phantom power included) as well as a dedicated instrument/line input for guitars, bass, synths, drum machines, and so on.
All of this is to say, this is an ultra-handy and streamlined recording interface, not unlike you have seen a million times from a million brands, but this one has the SSL experience and sound expertise on the input. In my time with the machine thus far, I have come away very impressed with the warm creamy tone it produces on the mic input without being overly analog-sounding – it is great for both voice over and content creator work, as well as it is for making songs and the like. Everything has functioned exactly as intended and it has a wonderful retro-modern look to it, unlike some of these more affordable units we have seen from other top-tier pro-grade audio brands.
The short form takeaway is this: If you’re not multi-track recording and just looking for a super solid sounding input for your microphone and the odd guitar overdub and the like, this $160 SSL interface should definitely be on your short list in my opinion.
The new Solid State Logic SSL1 2X2 Channel USB Interface carries a $159.99 list price and is now available for purchase.
The SSL 1 is much more than a portable, high-quality hardware interface. It also includes the
renowned SSL Production Pack, a specially curated collection of essential virtual
instruments, samples, and software tools from leading industry brands including Harrison
Audio, Slate Digital, Antares, Loopcloud, Native Instruments, AAS, IK Multimedia, Ableton
and more.
Combined with plug-ins such as SSL Drumstrip, VocalStrip 2, Complete Access trial (which
features every plug-in from SSL, Slate Digital and Harrison), and many other creative tools,
the SSL Production Pack delivers a complete hardware-plus-software solution for making
music and content with professional quality.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
Comments