Solid State Logic Nucleus 2 Solid State Logic

SSL Nucleus2

Nucleus2 The centre of your professional audio environment

Nucleus² is a unique proposition for the professional project studio with a perfect blend of advanced DAW control, transparent SuperAnalogueTM monitoring with talkback, SSL console grade mic pres, pro quality Dante audio interface and bundled SSL Duende Native plug-ins. There is no other product available which offers the professional producer all of these elements, with benchmark audio performance and elegant ergonomics. Not only is it unique but Nucleus2 is also outstanding value; these elements bought separately would cost more and deliver a less elegant solution.

Nucleus² is a compact, portable desktop unit that creates a comfortable, efficient, hands on operating environment for DAW based Music and Film/TV Post production. It provides everything you need to record and monitor audio and to control your DAW quickly and efficiently without resorting to your mouse. Nucleus² streamlines your workflow and helps you focus on your sound, not your screen.

Nucleus² offers a unique combination of audio capabilities. At its foundation is a SSL SuperAnalogue^TM signal path providing benchmark audio quality monitor output to “main” and “alternate’ speaker sets via +4dBu connections. A high quality 2+2 Ch Dante audio interface provides a record and playback path for your DAW or connectivity to a wider Dante IP audio network. Two Combi XLR mic/line/instrument level inputs can feed the audio interface and the monitor outputs simultaneously. Digital I/O via S/PDIF feeds the AD/DA of the audio interface (pre insert) enabling both a “digital to DAW” record path and a “mic/line/instrument to digital” output path. The Digital input can use Ch 3&4 of the audio interface so can be recorded to separate channels in your DAW in parallel to the incoming analogue mic/line/instrument inputs. A wet/dry control enables balancing of analogue (and digital) input and DAW playback for zero latency record monitoring. With Nucleus² we have added a talkback input that feeds the headphones, and triggers a switchable -20dB DIM in the monitor outputs. This input has an adjustable gain, and can be switched to feed input 2 of the Dante soundcard for remote communications over the network. The Nucleus2 mic pre’s are SSL SuperAnalogue Mic Pre’s, identical to those used on SSL Duality and AWS consoles and our X-Rack system giving Nucleus2 a professional standard transparent mic record path. The mic inputs have 80Hz High Pass Filters, Polarity Reverse and Phantom Power. A pair of insert send/return connections for incorporation of external analogue processing or effects default to the mic/line/instrument inputs but can be moved across to DAW playback for mixdown. An additional “external” stereo analogue input provides a transparent SuperAnalogue monitor path for another audio interface, or any other analogue device. There is an accurate analogue output level meter. A stereo minijack connection makes monitoring from an iPod or any other portable audio device straightforward. Two headphone outputs complete the monitoring options.

Nucleus² DAW Control is based on the concepts developed for the SSL Matrix. Up to 3 different DAWs can be connected simultaneously and you can switch between them with a single button push. Nucleus² uses either HUI or MCU protocols ensuring compatibility with all leading DAW applications including Pro Tools, Logic and Cubase/Nuendo and can transmit MIDI CC data. Nucleus² provides a complete set of dedicated and assignable hardware controls that is easily customised to suit individual user preferences, for all major DAW and plug-in parameters. Two banks of eight channels each provide; 100mm motorised Faders, fully user definable soft keys and V-Pots, dedicated Select/Solo/Cut buttons and 10 point channel level meters. The Nucleus² centre section DAW controls provide; large heavy duty transport buttons, a high quality jog/shuttle wheel, bank/channel/ layer selection & navigation/global DAW parameter selection and additional USB keyboard emulation buttons. Bright LCD Digital Scribble Strips, DAW audio level meters, self illuminating buttons and LED status indicators ensure excellent visual feedback even in low light conditions. System configuration is via a remote “SSL Logictivity” browser, which allows differing control profile sets to be stored and recalled. It is here that the user defines exactly how the Nucleus² behaves.

Nucleus² connects to your computer via high speed Ethernet for DAW control and Dante Audio. It also features a USB connection and appears to your host computer as a standard keyboard enabling key command emulation. There are three USB ports on the back which operate as a USB hub. A standard jack footswitch connection is also included and there is also an SD card slot for Profile storage. Configuration and mapping of Key commands and DAW Commands is via a remote “SSL Logicitivity” browser, which allows differing control profile sets to be stored and recalled.

We could have stopped there but because we can, we chose to endow Nucleus² with one final killer feature; it includes the Duende Native Essentials Bundle. This includes the new Duende Native versions of the SSL Channel EQ & Dynamics and Stereo Bus Compressor VST/AU/AAX plug-ins. The EQ & Dynamics Channel is the classic SSL Console Channel Strip with 4 band parametric EQ, Compressor/Expander/Gate, High Pass and Low Pass filters. The Duende Native Bus Compressor is the sound of the classic SSL Stereo Bus Compressor from the 1980’s G Series analogue console delivered in plug-in form.

Key Features

• Ethernet connected DAW Controller for professional project studios
• Compatible with ProTools, Logic, Cubase/Nuendo and all major DAW applications
• Switch between 3 connected DAW’s with a single button press
• Two banks of 8 channel controls plus centre section controls
• Touch sensitive 100mm motorised faders
• Digital Scribble Strips with assignable V-Pots and soft keys
• Completely user customisable DAW & Key Command mapping
• Remote Logictivity Browser for effortless configuration
• SD card for non volatile project storage
• Large heavy duty transport buttons and high quality jog/shuttle wheel
• Excellent visual feedback via self illuminating buttons, LED’s and DAW Level Metering
• A unique audio nerve centre for your project studio
• Benchmark SuperAnalogueTM quality output to 2 stereo sets of +4dBu monitor outputs
• High quality Dante audio interface (44.1kHz – 96kHz, 24 Bit) over ethernet
• Two Combi XLR mic/line/instrument level inputs to audio interface and monitor outputs
• Digital S/PDIF I/O to the AD/DA of the audio interface
• Zero latency Rec monitoring with wet/dry control to balance input and DAW playback
• SSL SuperAnalogueTM Mic Pre’s, identical to those used on SSL Duality and AWS consoles
• Mic inputs have 80Hz High Pass Filters, Phase Reverse and Phantom Power
• Insert send/return connections switched between inputs and DAW playback for mixdown
• Additional “external” SuperAnalogueTM input monitor path for another audio interface
• Talkback input path with switchable -20dB monitor DIM and adjustable gain. Can be switched to feed input 2 of the Dante soundcard for remote comms over the network
• Two headphone outputs and one iJack monitor input
• Standard 1/4″ Jack footswitch connection
• Three USB sockets for use as a 3 port USB hub

Dual Ethernet ports for incorporating additional Dante devices into your studio

What is Dante?
Nucleus2 is equipped with a new SSL Dante ‘Network I/O’ audio interface. Dante is a professional audio networking technology used under licence from its developer Audinate. Dante uses standard Ethernet to connect devices to computers and other Dante devices. In a personal studio where direct connectivity to a DAW computer is required, Dante is a simple ‘single Ethernet cable’ alternative to Thunderbolt or USB, with latency of only 4ms when used with the supplied Dante Virtual Soundcard software running on your DAW computer. In a larger multi-space facility Dante is a state of the art ‘Audio-Over-IP’ audio networking technology that facilitates low latency audio sharing between multiple computers or devices. Dante enables users to combine audio devices from a wide range of audio manufacturers on a network and share audio between them. As of September 2016 over 350 audio brands have adopted Dante into more than 800 products and the great thing about a Dante network is that it’s scalable; adding additional mic pre’s or extra analogue outputs is as simple as plugging another Dante device onto the network, where it is automatically detected and ready to use. To help your networked world Nucleus2 has an inbuilt network switch with two Ethernet ports; one port for connection to your computer, and one port for adding other Dante devices to your setup. Finally, to make sure we’re making our network “smart” the Talkback signal can be switched to feed channel 2 of the Dante interface for remote communication to other rooms over a network.

Nucleus2 Remote & ipMIDI

• Go to , click ‘Register’ in the top right-hand corner, and create an SSL account. If you already have an SSL account, please login.
• Click on your Username in the top right-hand corner of the website, then go to ‘My Products’, and click ‘Register a product’. Select ‘Nucleus’, enter your console serial number, and click ‘Add’.
• Click on the ‘Downloads’ link that will appear next to your registered Nucleus2 console, and download the latest support file for your OS.

Dante Virtual Soundcard

Installation of the Dante Virtual Soundcard is optional; if you intend to connect Nucleus2 to your DAW using only analogue or S/PDIF audio connections, you do not need to install Dante Virtual Soundcard.

To install the optional Dante Virtual Soundcard application:

• To obtain a Dante Virtual Soundcard license, go to . Click ‘Register’ in the top right hand corner and create an Audinate account. If you already have an Audinate account, please login.
• Click on your ‘My Account’ in the top right-hand corner and go to ‘My Products’. Beneath ‘Redeem a Software token’, enter the Dante Virtual Soundcard token included in the Nucleus2 packaging, and submit.
• Go to ‘Products’ > ‘Dante Virtual Soundcard’ and choose your version of OS from the dropdown menu on this page. A link for the latest version of Dante Virtual Soundcard will appear below this drop-down menu. Download the Dante Virtual Soundcard Setup and double-click this to run the installer. Follow the instructions in the installer application.
• Open Dante Virtual Soundcard icon. Click on Licensing, and enter the license that was generated in your Audinate account. To find this again, go to , login, and go to My Products.

Dante Controller

Installation of the Dante Controller is optional; if you intend to connect Nucleus2 to your DAW using only analogue or S/PDIF audio connections, you do not need to install Dante Virtual Soundcard.

• To install Dante Controller, go to . Click ‘Register’ in the top right hand corner and create an Audinate account. If you already have an Audinate account, please login.

Go to ‘Products’ > ‘Dante Controller’ and choose your version of OS from the dropdown menu on this page. A link for the latest version of Dante Controller will appear below this drop-down menu.