Solid State Logic SSL 2 USB Audio Interface - 24 bit/192 kHz, 2-in 2-out, with SSL Legacy 4K Analogue Enhancement and included SSL Software Production Pack

As an audio enthusiast and content creator, I recently upgraded my home studio setup with the Solid State Logic SSL 2 USB Audio Interface, and I couldn't be more impressed. Firstly, the build quality of this interface is exceptional. It feels solid and well-built, with a sleek design that exudes professionalism. The metal casing not only looks great but also provides durability for long-term use. The interface's compact size makes it portable and easy to integrate into any workspace. The SSL 2's audio quality is outstanding. The preamps deliver clean, transparent sound with plenty of headroom, capturing every nuance of my recordings. Whether I'm recording vocals, instruments, or podcasts, the SSL 2 consistently produces professional-grade audio with minimal noise and distortion. Setting up the SSL 2 was a breeze. The plug-and-play functionality made installation effortless, and the included software bundle (featuring SSL Native Vocalstrip 2 and Drumstrip plugins) added value to the package. The interface also integrates seamlessly with my preferred digital audio workstation (DAW), providing low-latency monitoring and intuitive control over my recordings. One of the standout features of the SSL 2 is its "Legacy 4K" analog enhancement, inspired by the classic SSL 4000 series console. This feature adds a subtle yet noticeable analog warmth and presence to my recordings, enhancing the overall sonic character and depth. The SSL 2's connectivity options are comprehensive, with two pristine mic/line inputs, two additional line inputs, and dedicated headphone monitoring. The inclusion of MIDI I/O expands its versatility, allowing me to connect external MIDI devices with ease. Overall, the Solid State Logic SSL 2 USB Audio Interface is a stellar addition to any home or professional studio setup. With its exceptional build quality, pristine audio performance, user-friendly interface, and versatile features, it's a standout product in its class. Whether you're a musician, podcaster, or content creator, the SSL 2 elevates your audio production to the next level. Highly recommended.

I needed something small and portable for a specific project. I have a large protools system in my studio that is not really movable and my normal travelling interface was 4000 miles away. I liked the form factor of the SSL and thought it would be worth a punt. I was surprised how good it sounded, especially with the 4K button used. I recorded a bunch of overdubs at an artists house with this and my laptop and found it great. The input/replay pot deals with latency in a simple and reasonably effective manner. I went for the SSL 2 and not the plus as I did not need the midi for this project although the 2nd headphone feed would have been helpful. I did think the taper of the mic amp pot a bit odd. Like some other semi pro interfaces I have used, at some point at about 75% gain the gain takes big leap up. With my ribbon mics that spot seemed to be something I needed to work around. Other than that issue I cannot fault this interface. However it is in a crowded market and there may be other interfaces that deliver just as well with even more features for less outlay. If cost is not a big consideration I would point you to the JoeCo Cello which is superb.

Excellent quality for its market place. It'll do all that you need regardless of whether you've got a large recording studio or home recording studio...no hums and/or crackles from the SSL + 2. I had no latency issues either.. but latency issues are mostly down to having a reasonable pc and processor. You know what your SSL + 2 does so no need for me to waffle about this. IMPORTANT! PLEASE NOTE. Before you plug you SSL + 2 I highly recommend checking what onboard sound and if you do it worth disabling whatever onboard sound application/s you have so as to avoid any possible driver conflict and frustrations that might occur...after all it's your SSL+ 2 you want to use so we need to Disable all sound that you currently have on your pc or laptop ( this will stop any possible and confusing driver-conflict when you plug in your SSL + 2 audio interface) you may have more than one source of sound on your pc / laptop. For example: on my windows pc system I had three Onboard sounds/ I had the standard windows sound plus envida / and a creative Soundblaster card. HOW DO I DISABLE MY ONBOARD SOUND/S? .......this way please. : ( trust me it'll only take 5 minutes and save you a lot of possible cursing!!) 1 Look for the "speaker icon" in your taskbar bottom right ....double click the icon...a panel appears named 'Sound' now click on 'System Sounds icon' this will bring up another panel named 'Sound' you will now see a panel with has four tabs named 'Playback/Recording/Sounds/Communication' we're interested in 'Playback and Recording' (you can play around with the other two tabs 'sounds and communications if you want to (but it's not necessary) after we've got your SSL+2 up and running) Let's move on... 2 Click on the ' Playback ' tab and you will see ( depending on what sound is on your PC ) a list of applications... ( you may only have windows sound ) right-click over each application with your mouse and a dialogue box will appear showing a list of preferences...you need to select 'Disable' from the dialogue box '... if you have more than one application ( remember I had three) repeat the same 'Disable' operation on all the applications that you see, if you've only see one, then that's all you need to do. whilst on the same panel take note that you may need to save what you have just done ...stay as you are and look at the bottom of the panel you are on and you'll see .. three buttons 'OK / CANCEL/ APPLY ( unless you want to cancel click on the button that is/should be illuminated...next 3 Now click on the 'Recording' tab and follow the same procedure as you, ve just performed on the previous tab 'Playback' . You'll notice the same type of list but with a different name ( on mine there is Microphone/Line-in/Auxilliary/S/PDIF). Do exactly the same as you did on 'Playback' ..that is to right-click over each application...select diable from the dialogue-box...when you've gone down the list ( or whatever is there) when you've done that....remember that you may need to save what you have just done ...stay as you are and look at the bottom of the panel you are on and you'll see .. three buttons 'OK / CANCEL/ APPLY ( unless you want to cancel click on the button that is/should be illuminated... now you're done!! 4 Now that you've disabled all the onboard sound of your PC/Laptop ....Plug in your SSL+2 Audio Interface using one of the cables that came with your SSL+2. On mine, I connected the USB C connector in into my SSL+2 Audio box ( the USB connector looks slightly different than a regular USB terminal) and then connect the other end into the USB terminal on your PC/laptop. ( There is also a Red cable that came with your SSL+2 box that has USB C at one end of the cable and an HDMI connector at the other end) You may want to use this if your PC/Laptop has the hardware capability but if not don't worry you can use the one I mentioned above without diminishing the audio fidelity of your SSL+2. Now that you've plugged in the cable from your SSL+2 to your PC/Laptop...It's time to reboot your PC/Laptop. When you've rebooted (restart your PC/Laptop) your PC/Laptop will recognise your SSL+2 Audio Interface. If for any reason your PC/Laptop doesn't recognise your SSL+2 Audio Interface ...dont panic! Go to the "speaker icon" in your taskbar bottom right ....double click the icon...a panel appears named 'Sound' now click on 'System Sounds icon' this will bring up another panel named 'Sound' you will now see a panel with has four tabs named 'Playback/Recording/ ...Click on the 'Playback tab ' and you'll see your new SSL+2 Audio Interface ..right click with your mouse on the SSL+2 Audio Interface ...a dialogue box will appear with a selection of options ...select 'set as default device' or it's equivalent. You may have to reboot again...but try if first. You can either hear audio via headphones or monitor speakers depending on your preference...if it's headphones remember you need to plug them into your SSL+2 Audio Interface. Worth noting that if your headphone jack is 3.5 ( small jack) you'll need to get an extension 3.5 jack into a standard Jack... they're cheap and make sure it's a stereo jack ( the regular jack will have two usually black bands around the outside of the jack so it very easy to see) PS if you do encounter a driver problem with your SSL + 2 ( you shouldn't really have them but if you do ) go to SSL main site and register your product ( very straight forward) then you'll see a selection of their products ...find the name of yours ( SSL + 2 ) click your product this will take to a dedicated page for your product...This is where you can get the SSL+2 driver and PDF of your product. as I've said previously you already have a driver inside your SSL+2 that self-installs. Have Fun!!

In January of 2020, Solid State Logic (SSL) introduced two desktop audio interfaces, the SSL2 and the SSL2+. If you are an audio engineer, you are no doubt very familiar with SSL. You’ll find their mixing consoles in most major recording studios, and more number one hits were recorded with SSL equipment than with any other brand. Their 4000 series is particularly coveted. Now, what SSL has done is condense everything the brand is known for in a compact, affordable package. I’m talking about solid build quality, pristine analogue microphone preamps, and super clean 24/192 kHz conversion. I’m talking about low-latency monitoring, high-performance headphone preamps, and a special Legacy 4K button. Each preamp has a 5-segment LED meter for visual level reference. You can plug in microphones that require 48V phantom power, but you can also use ribbon and dynamic microphones like the Shure SM7B without needing a Cloudlifter ($150 in savings right there!). That’s because the preamps have an ultra-low noise floor of -130.5 dbu EIN, and offer a gain range of 62 dB. That’s enough for very detailed and clean recordings. In the back there are two studio-grade Neutrik mic/line combo jacks, and two 1/4″ outputs for your studio monitors. In addition, the SSL2+ has two 1/4″ headphone outputs as well as MIDI I/O over 5-pin DIN jacks. You’ll also get two pairs of RCA outputs with the 2+ to attach some outboard gear. THE MAGIC NUMBER ELEVEN Most voice overs will be quite happy with the cheaper SSL2. I chose the 2+ because I’ve always wanted an interface I could plug two headphones into. My Beyerdynamic DT880’s, which I use for recreational listening, and my Austrian Audio Hi-X55’s which are my editing cans. What I also like is that both units are USB-powered (USB C & A). No more ugly power brick. If you have an Apple computer like I do, the unit is plug and play. If you’re a Windows fan, just download the ASIO/WDM Driver and you’re in business. Esthetically speaking, these interfaces have the familiar SSL look and color scheme with a simple, logical setup for the knobs. I particularly like the big blue monitor level knob which goes to…. eleven! Speaking of the exterior, what’s this 4K Legacy button all about? SSL puts it this way: "Engaging this switch allows you to add some extra analogue ‘magic’ to your input when you need it. It injects a combination of high-frequency EQ-boost, together with some finely tuned harmonic distortion to help enhance sounds. This enhancement effect is created completely in the analogue domain and is inspired by the kind of extra character the legendary SSL 4000-series console (often referred to as ‘4K’) could add to a recording." Of course that’s just the company talking, so what do I find of this 4K effect? First off, it’s not a miracle cure for bad audio. I’d call this effect a subtle sound colorizer that’s actually quite pleasing to the ear. It adds some mojo to your mix, especially if you’re using a dark sounding microphone. Mind you, once you’ve recorded in this mode, you cannot undo the effect like you would with a digital plugin. To hear the difference, here’s a short recording, first without 4K and then with the switch engaged. Lastly, you’ll hear me line by line without, and then with 4K. I’ve used my new and “darkest” sounding microphone, meaning the one that accentuates the lows in my voice. IT WORKS OUT OF THE BOX What I like about the SSL2 and 2+ is the fact that these units are pretty much self-explanatory. There’s no need to go into a virtual mixer (as was the case with the iD22) and fiddle around with different settings. Everything just works as advertised. The online user guide is easy to follow -even for beginners- and SSL support is very responsive and eager to help. By the way, these SSL desktop interfaces also come with free digital audio workstations like Pro Tools First and Ableton Live Lite (plus some other cool stuff for those who are into music production). PROS AND CONS Let’s end this review with a list of what I liked and liked less. I’ll start with what I liked less about the SSL2+. The housing seems sturdy, but it’s part plastic, part metal. Audient (their main competitor) makes all-metal units, but they are more expensive (the iD14 model is about $300 with fewer features). There’s no on/off button. What’s up with that? My Audient iD22 didn’t have one either. It’s less of a problem with the SSL2+ because it’s bus-powered, so it turns off when you shut your computer down. The cord connecting the unit to the computer is too short. My preamp sits to the right of my iMac, and I needed a longer connection. I just don’t like it when you’re excited to try out a brand new piece of gear, and you can’t because of a short stupid cord. The LED’s don’t show enough dynamic range. It’s a five-step ladder LED meter going from -40 to 0, and I’d like to see a few more intermediate steps. It’s not a deal breaker though, because most of us will set the gain looking at our DAW. The headphone sockets are on the back. I prefer to have more direct front access. That way, the cords don’t get entangled in a mess of wires. The 48V phantom power buttons are black and small and they don’t light up when engaged. In poorly lit surroundings it’s not always easy to see if these buttons are pressed down. Unlike my iD22, the SSL2 and 2+ units don’t have a high-pass filter which I think is a useful feature if you want to cut down on low rumble in your recordings (and your microphone doesn’t have that switch). I’ve attached a Shure A15HP – In-Line Hi-Pass Filter to my unit and it does the job, but you can also filter your audio with a plugin in post. I’ve read reviews that don’t recommend using low-impedance headphones with these units. Nonsense! My Austrian Audio Hi-X55 cans have a low impedance of 25 ohms, and sound magnificently detailed through the SSL headphone amps. And then there’s the Legacy 4K effect. Some reviewers love it and won’t record anything without it. Others think it’s just a gimmick. Now for the pros. By building these interfaces in China, SSL was able to put them on the market at an insanely low and very competitive price. The SSL2 is a little over two hundred dollars, and the 2+ comes in under three hundred. This includes the production pack software package. These may be entry level units, but they definitely bring superb Solid State Logic sound quality to your home studio. The overall no-frills design is intuitive and just makes sense. I like the sloped shape, and the controls are smooth and sturdy. This plug and play audio interface is easy to use. You don’t need an external power supply, and yet it has enough oomph to go to 11, and feed a dynamic/ribbon microphone! CONCLUSION In short, the SSL2 and SSL2+ offer outstanding value for money. Don’t let the audio snobs talk you into buying expensive boutique preamplifiers. Spending more cash doesn’t automatically mean your sound quality will get exponentially better. In fact, the more money you spend, the smaller the audible improvements will be. Who are you trying to impress? Your Facebook friends or your Insta-buddies? Give me a break! For a little over two hundred bucks you can get all you need to power your voice over studio with pizzazz! What’s more, you’ll feel very good about having saved some hard-earned money. And that’s a logical, solid state to be in!

Par où commencer... on sent que SSL à été à l'essentiel sur cette interface, mais le peu de fonctions présentes, ont été développés à la perfection, préamplificateurs de grande qualité, aucun bruit de fond audible sur la sortie moniteur ou casque Pour ce qui est des entrées, les deux tranches sont assez minimalistes, les réglages se font donc de manière relativement aisée, l'impédance d'entrée est modifiable, cela permet d'enregistrer beaucoup de types de sources différentes, le gain peut être très élevé si on met le potard au max, pratique pour les micros à condensateurs difficiles tels que les shure SM7 par ex, le bouton 4K est très pratique pour donner le punch caractéristique de solid state aux entrées, j'étais dubitatif au premier abord mais cette option est très utile, sur les logiciels de MAO, cette interface est très à l'aise aussi, pas de latences etc bref, c'est bien ficelé cette affaire, pour conclure, c'est joli, c'est robuste, il n'y a pas foule d'options, mais tout est réussi

Excelente targeta de sonido. La latencia no se aprecia (ni usando el programa entre medio)

Pc Daten: - Intel Core i7-11700K 11. Generation - ASUS ROG Strix Z590-F (Mainboard) - Crucial Ballistix, 3600 MHz - DDR4 - 16GB - Noctua NH-U12S chromax.Black (CPU-Kühler) - Seasonic FOCUS PX-650 (Netzteil) - Betriebssystem: Windows 10 Ich habe die folgenden 3 Audio Interfaces getestet. - M-Audio AIR 192 | 4 - Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen - SSL 2 Solid State Logic Anwendungsgebiet: Fruity Loops 20 Mikrofon: Rode NT-1A Kopfhörer: AKG K271 Geschlossen Beats Produzieren und Stimme aufnehmen. Ich habe mir vor kurzem ein Pc zusammengestellt und ich brauchte dringend ein Neues Audio-Interface. M-Audio Air 192 | 4 Zuerst habe ich den bestellt. Super Optik und es hatte alles was ich brauchte! Erst war ich begeistert. Dann stürzte ständig Fruity Loops einfach ab. Erst dachte ich dass die CPU bei niedrigem Latenz (niedrigem Buffer) meckert. Dann schaute ich mir die Leistungen an. Die CPU war im Durchschnitt bei 15% Last. (Demo Song - FL) Also kann die CPU nicht das Problem sein. Treiber neu Installiert. (Kein Erfolg!) Fruity Loops neu installiert. (Kein Erfolg!) Zudem hatte ich noch Probleme mit Signal Geräuschen (Störsignale). Ich hörte über die Boxen, sowie Kopfhörer wie mein Pc arbeitete. Sogar bei Mausbewegungen reagierten die Boxen. Sehr merkwürdig alles. Ich glaube hier ist der Treiber von M-Audio nicht gut programmiert worden. Außerdem fingen meine Kopfhörer bei voller Lautstärke an zu übersteuern…ich bin kein Spezialist, aber kann etwa die Soundkarte den Kopfhörern nicht genug Saft geben? Also her mit dem nächsten Interface… Focusrite Scarlett Solo 3rd Gen Auf Grund der Kundenrezensionen hier bei Amazon habe ich mir den für 104 Euro bestellt und dachte mir ok, hier kann man nix falsch machen! Direkt merkte ich den Unterschied. Die Störsignale wurden minimal weniger. Und bei niedrigem Latenz (16 Buffer Size) absolut kein Problem. ASIO Treiber arbeitet mit der CPU einwandfrei! Wie ein Team! Hervorragend!!! So muss es sein. Als ich dann die Audio Qualität meines Mikrofons testen wollte, bemerkte ich das erste Problem. Ich suchte den Drehregler für die Kopfhörer. Es hatte keins. Ich konnte also die Monitor-Lautsprecher nicht leiser stellen. Denn diese dienten auch für die Kopfhörer. Also entweder bin ich zu blöd gewesen und das funktioniert auf eine andere Art und Weise oder der Hersteller hat diesen einfach nicht mit eingebaut. Ein Mixer (Imput-PC) gibt es ebenfalls nicht. Nur ein Schalter (Direct Minitor) gibt es. Doch sollte dein Mikro zu leise auf den Kopfhörern sein, hat man Pech…mega schade! Denn der Treiber lief auf meinem PC wie eine eins! Doch leider sind die Angaben des Herstellers (for Singer / Songwriter) leider absolut nicht zutreffend. Keine weiteren Tests durchgeführt…Schade! Auch dieser Interface geht zurück sofort zurück! Der nächste bitte… SSL 2 Solid State Logic Erst einmal muss ich sagen, dass die Optik mir erst nicht so gefallen hatte. Aber ich kenne den Hersteller aus diversen anderen Studios und wusste, dass ich hier mit einem großen Hersteller zu tun habe. Als ich das Audio Interface auspackte konnte man direkt erkennen, das man hier was wertiges auspackt. Auf meinem Tisch sah das Gerät doch dann richtig schick aus. Und es sieht Professionell aus! Nun genug von der Optik! Kommen wir zum Härtetest: Buffer Size auf 16 = absolut kein Problem! Huch…Siehe da: Störgeräusche sind kaum noch wahrnehmbar…aber dennoch ganz leicht zu hören. Kopfhörer Test: auf voller Lautstärke, hervorragender Klang! Kein Clippen! Mega laut! Anscheinend genug power! Mikrofon Test! Wahnsinn laut! Der Gain Regler steht auf halb und ist laut genug! Wahnsinn…ein Mix-Regler hat dieser Interface wie der M-Audio auch. Genau was ich brauch! Jedes Mal wenn ich jetzt ins Studio reinkomme sehe ich direkt diesen Interface an. Der macht einen professionellen Eindruck. Und die Optik gefällt mir inzwischen auch. Für 189 Euro ist die Preisleistung sehr gut! Am Ende habe ich fast das doppelte bezahlt, aber dafür habe ich was vernünftiges und kann hiermit nun den SSL2 für Fruity Loops und Pro Tools absolut empfehlen! Wer nicht unbedingt seine Stimme aufnehmen möchte, kann zu dem Focusrite Solo greifen. Falls diese Rezension hilfreich war, würde ich mich auf ein „Like“ sehr freuen…☺️ Euer RedTac Team ❤️

Just got the interface today, and I gotta say it quite exceeded my expectations. I paired with a new AT4050, and the recording quality is superb with imperceptible noise floor and crystal clear vocals (the 4k button, I guess, is a gimmick like a built-in EQ and not something that post-processing plugin cannot do, but it's still a nice thing to have at hand and does make the sounds clearer). What surprises me is that the headphone playback sound quality is really good with wide soundstages and quite punchy bass. It only has a 6.3mm jack though, so I just tried with my HD599 at hand (which doesn't have a high impedance), but the SQ is quite a pleasant surprise considering the interface is only ~200USD (30000 JPY) and most of the cost is probably spent on recording, not playback. Its sound is probably not up there with something like my sony WM1AM2 (~900USD), but better than my Dragonfly Cobalt (which is also ~200USD, but it doesn't record!) or 2023 Macbook Pro headphone jack. I just used it for a day so far and haven't gotten to discover any downsides/problems yet. If there's anything, the interface is somewhat on the bulky side, and lack of 3.5mm jack is a minor inconvenience. P.S. I actually first got an Audio Technica AT-UMX3 thinking it would pair with my AT mics better, but unfortunately it is quite far behind the SSL2 in terms of both recording and replay sound quality. My unit also had a problem with loopback recording not working properly, so I had to simply return it after day 1 and go with this SSL2.