SSL’s UF8 is a premium controller for multiple DAWs
The Oxford-based brand puts its forty years of studio expertise into a sleek controller with accompanying software
Solid State Logic, the manufacturer of legendary studio gear, has directed its attention to the DAW with its new UF8 eight-channel controller. The premium high-end hardware comes with SSL 360° software to custom-map parameters.
Eight is the magic number with UF8. It features eight motorised 100mm touch-sensitive faders, eight touch-sensitive rotary encoders and eight high-res colour displays to navigate channels in your DAW with ease. A multi-purpose Channel encoder can emulate mouse scrolling, with control over any plug-in parameter you hover your mouse over.
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For custom workflows, 43 assignable backlit user keys are available, to set up your essential shortcuts and macros. This includes five banks of eight User Keys plus three Quick Keys. The UF8 comes with workflow templates for major DAWs, in case you aren’t willing to spend time setting up your own configuration. This includes Pro Tools, Logic Pro X, Cubase, Nuendo, Ableton Live and Studio One, which are the officially supported DAWs.
Four UF8 controllers can be linked up to form a 32-channel controller, which should please producers working with big projects. Otherwise, the eight-channel controller is designed for a variety of environments, be it smaller music projects, podcasts, audio-post production and other DAW-focused jobs.
The rear panel of the SSL UF8 sports USB-C connectivity to computers, two quarter-inch TRS inputs for standard footswtich connections and a socket for UF8’s external power supply. The USB-A port facilitates connection between multiple UF8s.
SSL 360° lets you save and load configuration profiles for the UF8, with cross-platform compatibility. It also manages software and firmware updates. Along with SSL 360°, you’ll get full licenses of SSL’s Vocalstrip 2 and Drumstrip plug-ins.
Andy Jackson, SSL Studio Product Manager, comments “UF8 is an obvious next step in SSL’s development in ergonomically designed studio tools for todays’ mixers, producers and creators. The layout and build quality are all about our fixation with ‘human engineering’; creating products that keep you in the creative zone with high-speed access to every fader or control, without operator fatigue or discomfort.”
The UF8 is available for £833/$1,299/€999. To find out more, head to solidstatelogic.com.
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