Finished revamping my studio setup

[GuitarBilly]

I needed a new interface and DAW. My Steinberg was getting old and tired and I wanted to move out of Sonar since the new Cakewalk got really bad after Bandlab took over.


So for an interface I went with the UA Apollo Solo USB since I don't need a lot of inputs. This interface sounds great, best unit I've had so far.

For the DAW I ended up deciding to go with the Studio One since it was very easy to learn. I'm still struggling a little with some of the functionality but overall it was a smooth transition.

[Ostinato Rubato]

That’s awesome man.

On a humorous note: Did you know that you can use your tablet to control Studio One? It’s like the ONLY daw that does that, according to boomers.

[Marc G]

The UA interfaces are great man.... my friend uses the Apollo as his main desktop interface at his studio, the DI in it is awesome..

I'm in the same position right now, slowly by surely updating my home set up, got a new Mac Mini, probably gonna order the interface on Monday, hoping to get a Cyber Monday deal, I'm likely gonna go with the Audient EVO 8. My KRK monitors need to get upgraded/replaced as well, likely going with the Kali 6.5" in a month or two. The final upgrade will a new screen, the 21" one I have now is cool, but I plan doing more video editing next year so I want to bump up to a 32". Once that's done Flabby Roads Studios will be done for some time.... at most I might get some sort of DAW controller, nothing fancy, likely a single fader deal so i can have the transport buttons at my fingertips and be able to write automations.

Did you know that you can use your tablet to control Studio One? It’s like the ONLY daw that does that, according to boomers.

[GuitarBilly]

That’s awesome man.

On a humorous note: Did you know that you can use your tablet to control Studio One? It’s like the ONLY daw that does that, according to boomers.

[GuitarBilly]

The UA interfaces are great man.... my friend uses the Apollo as his main desktop interface at his studio, the DI in it is awesome..

I'm in the same position right now, slowly by surely updating my home set up, got a new Mac Mini, probably gonna order the interface on Monday, hoping to get a Cyber Monday deal, I'm likely gonna go with the Audient EVO 8. My KRK monitors need to get upgraded/replaced as well, likely going with the Kali 6.5" in a month or two. The final upgrade will a new screen, the 21" one I have now is cool, but I plan doing more video editing next year so I want to bump up to a 32". Once that's done Flabby Roads Studios will be done for some time.... at most I might get some sort of DAW controller, nothing fancy, likely a single fader deal so i can have the transport buttons at my fingertips and be able to write automations.

Did you know that you can use your tablet to control Studio One? It’s like the ONLY daw that does that, according to boomers.

Yeah now that you mentioned, I want to upgrade my monitors to at least avg 6.5" too. I currently have the JBL305P, which is actually really good for the money but I want bigger monitors. Gonna check the Kalis out.

[Tortuga]

That’s awesome man.

On a humorous note: Did you know that you can use your tablet to control Studio One? It’s like the ONLY daw that does that, according to boomers.

[Ostinato Rubato]

That’s awesome man.

On a humorous note: Did you know that you can use your tablet to control Studio One? It’s like the ONLY daw that does that, according to boomers.

[GuitarBilly]

There are 2 types of Mexicans that don't let go when they bite: Chihuahuas and Riveras.

[Tortuga]

[Ostinato Rubato]

[Marc G]

well...... just pulled the trigger on the SSL2 interface...... I'm a sucker for free stuff and they have a special with their X-Comp and Reverb plugins on top of the usual channel and drum strip plugins it normally comes with.... when I saw some A/B comparisons to the EVO 8 it was a no brainer for me.... I might lose some features but the sound is king here IMO

[GuitarBilly]

That's cool. I've heard great things about the SSL2. The price is great too. SSL knows a thing or 2 about recording so I'm sure they did this right. I was looking for an USB C/3.0 interface or I'd have considered this one.

[Marc G]

That's cool. I've heard great things about the SSL2. The price is great too. SSL knows a thing or 2 about recording so I'm sure they did this right. I was looking for an USB C/3.0 interface or I'd have considered this one.

it is a USB C connection but still is USB 2.0.... other than SUUUUPER low latency I'm not seeing the massive advantage to go to 3.0 for a 2 channel interface really... and I think the latency being reported from independent testing is around 5ms which is more than good enough for me as well. Plus to you can mix in the direct sound from the inputs with the output from your DAW so for live amps etc it really shouldn't be a problem, at least I don't think....

what really sold me on the unit besides the goodwill in the SLL name and the free plugins that cost more than the interface itself was what my engineer buddy said when he tested it. What he liked was that in the normal use the mic preamps were nice and clean and didn't realllly colour your inputs so as an interface that's great but then when you kick on the 4K mode it's like getting a really good mic preamp in your signal chain adding some nice tone to your signal, so I mean that's kinda win/win IMO

[GuitarBilly]

That's cool. I've heard great things about the SSL2. The price is great too. SSL knows a thing or 2 about recording so I'm sure they did this right. I was looking for an USB C/3.0 interface or I'd have considered this one.

it is a USB C connection but still is USB 2.0.... other than SUUUUPER low latency I'm not seeing the massive advantage to go to 3.0 for a 2 channel interface really... and I think the latency being reported from independent testing is around 5ms which is more than good enough for me as well. Plus to you can mix in the direct sound from the inputs with the output from your DAW so for live amps etc it really shouldn't be a problem, at least I don't think....

what really sold me on the unit besides the goodwill in the SLL name and the free plugins that cost more than the interface itself was what my engineer buddy said when he tested it. What he liked was that in the normal use the mic preamps were nice and clean and didn't realllly colour your inputs so as an interface that's great but then when you kick on the 4K mode it's like getting a really good mic preamp in your signal chain adding some nice tone to your signal, so I mean that's kinda win/win IMO

yeah the latency is important to me. Not so much for the number of inputs, but I use a lot of VST instruments that I play through my FA-06 as a controller. Moving to USB 3.0 improved the response and feel of the VSTs quite a bit.

[fretless]

UA fucking rules , every thing they turn out is fantastic . I'm still on my UAD-1's love

[Marc G]

That's cool. I've heard great things about the SSL2. The price is great too. SSL knows a thing or 2 about recording so I'm sure they did this right. I was looking for an USB C/3.0 interface or I'd have considered this one.

it is a USB C connection but still is USB 2.0.... other than SUUUUPER low latency I'm not seeing the massive advantage to go to 3.0 for a 2 channel interface really... and I think the latency being reported from independent testing is around 5ms which is more than good enough for me as well. Plus to you can mix in the direct sound from the inputs with the output from your DAW so for live amps etc it really shouldn't be a problem, at least I don't think....

what really sold me on the unit besides the goodwill in the SLL name and the free plugins that cost more than the interface itself was what my engineer buddy said when he tested it. What he liked was that in the normal use the mic preamps were nice and clean and didn't realllly colour your inputs so as an interface that's great but then when you kick on the 4K mode it's like getting a really good mic preamp in your signal chain adding some nice tone to your signal, so I mean that's kinda win/win IMO

yeah the latency is important to me. Not so much for the number of inputs, but I use a lot of VST instruments that I play through my FA-06 as a controller. Moving to USB 3.0 improved the response and feel of the VSTs quite a bit.

that makes sense..... majority of the stuff I do is actual instrument and not software, but who knows that could, change lol... I do want to learn piano and could quicker see myself getting a controller Vs a full out workstation

[GuitarBilly]

If you want to learn to play I'd suggest getting an used/old Casio or Yamaha cheap keyboard, so you don't have to worry about plugging into a computer every time you want to practice. And most of them have a MIDI out so they will double as a controller just fine.

[GuitarBilly]

well...... just pulled the trigger on the SSL2 interface...... I'm a sucker for free stuff and they have a special with their X-Comp and Reverb plugins on top of the usual channel and drum strip plugins it normally comes with.... when I saw some A/B comparisons to the EVO 8 it was a no brainer for me.... I might lose some features but the sound is king here IMO

did you get the SSL? How do you like it? I 'm considering buying one for my laptop rig so I don't have to keep moving my interface back and forth from the desktop to the laptop

[JerEvil]

well...... just pulled the trigger on the SSL2 interface...... I'm a sucker for free stuff and they have a special with their X-Comp and Reverb plugins on top of the usual channel and drum strip plugins it normally comes with.... when I saw some A/B comparisons to the EVO 8 it was a no brainer for me.... I might lose some features but the sound is king here IMO

did you get the SSL? How do you like it? I 'm considering buying one for my laptop rig so I don't have to keep moving my interface back and forth from the desktop to the laptop

Man I’m looking at this too for my laptop mobile rig.

[Marc G]

well...... just pulled the trigger on the SSL2 interface...... I'm a sucker for free stuff and they have a special with their X-Comp and Reverb plugins on top of the usual channel and drum strip plugins it normally comes with.... when I saw some A/B comparisons to the EVO 8 it was a no brainer for me.... I might lose some features but the sound is king here IMO

did you get the SSL? How do you like it? I 'm considering buying one for my laptop rig so I don't have to keep moving my interface back and forth from the desktop to the laptop

don't know how I missed this... and I'm sure we've discussed this since BUT.... YES... I got the SSL and I love it... easy to use and sounds great, the 4K mode really adds that special sauce deal to your sound, stuff that I'm sure you can do via plugins but pushing one button is way easier than messing with compression, saturation and eqs after the fact....

The ONE thing I found out about the hard way was, even though the inputs are combo jacks and there are switches to go from Mic, Line and Instrument inputs, you need to use the right cable or else it doesn't work... i.e. you can't have an XLR plugged in and press the line level button and have the signal be padded down to line level, you'll end up muting the input, if you want to use a line level input you have to use a TRS cable....

other that that one quirk it's great, the metering on the inputs is solid, the output is strong, I have my JBLs set to -10db on the inputs and it's still loud AF and it feels great, it doesn't feel cheap at all.

[ibenhad]

Big Antelope fan here and also really like the audient offerings. Sorry you switched to Studio 1, when Reaper is so amazing. For what you and the wife do I would think Ableton would be your bag.

[GuitarBilly]

well...... just pulled the trigger on the SSL2 interface...... I'm a sucker for free stuff and they have a special with their X-Comp and Reverb plugins on top of the usual channel and drum strip plugins it normally comes with.... when I saw some A/B comparisons to the EVO 8 it was a no brainer for me.... I might lose some features but the sound is king here IMO

did you get the SSL? How do you like it? I 'm considering buying one for my laptop rig so I don't have to keep moving my interface back and forth from the desktop to the laptop

don't know how I missed this... and I'm sure we've discussed this since BUT.... YES... I got the SSL and I love it... easy to use and sounds great, the 4K mode really adds that special sauce deal to your sound, stuff that I'm sure you can do via plugins but pushing one button is way easier than messing with compression, saturation and eqs after the fact....

The ONE thing I found out about the hard way was, even though the inputs are combo jacks and there are switches to go from Mic, Line and Instrument inputs, you need to use the right cable or else it doesn't work... i.e. you can't have an XLR plugged in and press the line level button and have the signal be padded down to line level, you'll end up muting the input, if you want to use a line level input you have to use a TRS cable....

other that that one quirk it's great, the metering on the inputs is solid, the output is strong, I have my JBLs set to -10db on the inputs and it's still loud AF and it feels great, it doesn't feel cheap at all.

Thanks for the review man. I've been getting along better with the UAD unit now but I still might consider buying the SSL to try it out.

[GuitarBilly]

Big Antelope fan here and also really like the audient offerings. Sorry you switched to Studio 1, when Reaper is so amazing. For what you and the wife do I would think Ableton would be your bag.

Yeah I've looked into Able ton bit it seemed that it was a steeper learning curve for me. I'm very happy with Studio One though, I think it was a good decision to switch.