SSL’s new budget audio interfaces promise studio quality at affordable prices

Pro audio specialists Solid State Logic are stepping into the home recording market with two affordable audio interfaces: SSL 2 and SSL 2+.

Both promise “class-leading” mic preamps, a Legacy 4K enhancement mode that’s inspired by the classic SSL 4000 series consoles, and studio-quality monitoring. They also ship with a generous bundle of included software.

Operating at 24-bit/192kHz, the SSL 2 is a 2-in/2-out interface that features a pair of analogue mic preamps, a headphone output, a simple monitor mix control and balanced monitor outputs that promise impressive dynamic range.

Elsewhere, the aforementioned Legacy 4K mode is designed to add some SSL 4000-style analogue character and sparkle to the inputs. The SSL 2+ adds another headphone output with independent monitor mix, MIDI I/O and unbalanced outputs for DJ mixers.

Both interfaces ship with the SSL Production Pack, a software bundle that contains the SSL Native

Vocalstrip 2 and Drumstrip plugins (plus a 6-month trial of the other ones in the collection), Avid Pro Tools First, Ableton Live Lite, NI Hybrid Keys and Komplete Start, and 1.5GB of samples from Loopcloud.

Perhaps the biggest news here, though, relates to price: $230/£150/180 euros for the SSL 2, and $280/£200/240 euros for the SSL 2+ (all prices are minus VAT/tax). If these interfaces deliver anything like the level of performance that SSL claim, the company could have a pair of winners on their hands.