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Old 11-22-2020, 04:01 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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Default SSL Interface for home studios....

I ordered one this morning.....

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...udio-interface
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Old 11-22-2020, 05:26 PM
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Having driven one of these for many years:


I have had my eye on these. The SSL 4048 above had two different EQ types aboard. I especially like the idea of the big monitor knob on the new interface. You'd have to have driven one of the old Neve 8000 series to understand that. Check out the two big monitor knobs under my hand on the 8058 below:


I miss my big knobs.

The popular rule back then was track on the Neve and mix on the SSL, but there really was nothing bad about the SSL. It had a far faster slew rate so if you were looking for clearer, crisper high-end for hi-hats, etc., it was better. The Neve had a lower slew rate and also had a smoother high-end. There were lots and lots of albums tracked and mixed on the SSLs. Many studios had a Neve in one room and an SSL in another.

The funny thing is that there are always folks who will sneer at your choice. By the way, SSL, Calrec, Allen & Heath, DiGiCo (Soundtracs), and DiGiGrid are now owned by a parent company, Auditonix. It is now a console powerhouse.

Bob
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Old 11-22-2020, 05:51 PM
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Bob, thanks for your input.....This unit will give me a taste of the SSL board in my home studio. I'm very anxious to try it out. Some reviews state that it's a big step up from the Focusrite 2i2 I currently have. Getting two SSL preamps is like getting gold to me. SSL and Neve boards have always been out of my league but have a great reputation in my book.....this unit will replace a Presonus Monitor Station as well as my Focusrite 2i2 interface, and really clean up my desktop a lot. Can't wait to get it....
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Old 11-22-2020, 05:53 PM
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Seems to me that Peter Gabriel once had an interest in SSL. I don't know if he's still involved with them or not....
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Old 11-22-2020, 08:44 PM
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I gave a brief consideration to the SSL2+.

I did a bunch of reading of reviews and several mentioned that the 4K push button felt like it wouldn't last long if used much.

The other thing that gave me pause is the idea that the SSL, as well as the Focusrite that has the "air" feature is you really end up flavoring what you run through the interface with a "flavored" sound of a console. That's great if you like the flavor, but it seems counter-intuitive to what has been the push for many years to come up with interfaces that are totally transparent and don't interject their own particular sound.

My thoughts are I'd prefer something transparent.

Yes, you can choose not to use the "add flavoring" button, but reviewers almost universally opt to run the enhanced sound and then feel that the clean signal isn't any different than spending a lot less on a interface without the special sauce.
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Old 11-22-2020, 08:49 PM
jklotz jklotz is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rudy4 View Post
I gave a brief consideration to the SSL2+.

I did a bunch of reading of reviews and several mentioned that the 4K push button felt like it wouldn't last long if used much.

The other thing that gave me pause is the idea that the SSL, as well as the Focusrite that has the "air" feature is you really end up flavoring what you run through the interface with a "flavored" sound of a console. That's great if you like the flavor, but it seems counter-intuitive to what has been the push for many years to come up with interfaces that are totally transparent and don't interject their own particular sound.

My thoughts are I'd prefer something transparent.
Or go with a UA Audio interface and use the SSL channel strip plugin's when you want that color. Or Never, or.....
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:02 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jklotz View Post
Or go with a UA Audio interface and use the SSL channel strip plugin's when you want that color. Or Never, or.....
...and how much is that SSL plug for the UA?
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:04 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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From what I've read, it's a very clean interface and the 4K button is basically a boost to some higher frequencies. It's getting very good reviews from people who have bought one. Colorized to sound like a SSL board ?? I'll take it.

Transparent ?? That's like iced tea with no ice. Peanut butter and jelly with no jelly, cake without frosting.....to my ears the SSL colorization is a good thing. I heard an A/B sample of the 4K button, and I liked it.
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Old 11-22-2020, 09:13 PM
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The interface also comes with a bunch of software, and if you buy from Sweetwater, you get Free FlexVerb and X-Comp Plug-ins, a $478 Value!

Goto the above link and scroll down for details....
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Old 11-23-2020, 05:32 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Maniac View Post
Seems to me that Peter Gabriel once had an interest in SSL. I don't know if he's still involved with them or not....
He bought them and then sold them to Auditonix. Unlike the AMS/Neve deal, this one appears to favor quality.

Bob
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Old 11-23-2020, 10:27 AM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Maniac View Post
From what I've read, it's a very clean interface and the 4K button is basically a boost to some higher frequencies. It's getting very good reviews from people who have bought one. Colorized to sound like a SSL board ?? I'll take it.

Transparent ?? That's like iced tea with no ice. Peanut butter and jelly with no jelly, cake without frosting.....to my ears the SSL colorization is a good thing. I heard an A/B sample of the 4K button, and I liked it.
SSL's website states that the 4K button also adds "subtile harmonic distortion".

As long as that's what you're looking for in an interface then no problem. I'd prefer to add whatever flavor of jelly I like.
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Old 11-23-2020, 12:58 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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We'll see after I get it. It's coming tomorrow. But Geez, two SSL preamps for $279 ??? sounds like a deal to me. I'm excited...
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Old 11-23-2020, 09:23 PM
Rudy4 Rudy4 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martin Maniac View Post
We'll see after I get it. It's coming tomorrow. But Geez, two SSL preamps for $279 ??? sounds like a deal to me. I'm excited...
I'm sure this will end up being great! By most accounts folks do love them, so I'm sure it will be a positive addition to your recording regimen.

Since a lot of us home recordists end up multi-tracking I wonder if the "subtile distortion" ends up being cumulative?

Please do post a review after you get some experience with it.
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Old 11-24-2020, 11:21 AM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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Okay it's here..... wow what a difference !!!! LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT !!!! Sounds fantastic, worked first attempt out of the box perfectly. The monitor mix control is worth it's weight in gold. Here's a very quick recording I made using it............

nylon string.....https://waynekraft.bandcamp.com/track/ssl-test

steel string...https://waynekraft.bandcamp.com/trac...st-gibson-g-45
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Last edited by Yamaha Man; 11-24-2020 at 11:49 AM.
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Old 11-24-2020, 03:38 PM
Yamaha Man Yamaha Man is offline
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Gretsch into Deluxe Reverb into SSL.......


https://waynekraft.bandcamp.com/trac...-deluxe-reverb

.
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