Recording - September 2021 - 17

REVIEW
Solid State Logic
UF8 Advanced DAW Controller
A full-featured eight-channel fader bank with
the SSL look and feel
REVIEW BY ALEX HAWLEY
B
eyond building some of the world's finest studio mixing consoles,
Solid State Logic has broadened its horizons with pieces like
the SSL Fusion, SiX, and even the SSL 2 / 2+, proving that SSL
quality is attainable in a project studio environment. The UF8 continues
this trend, bringing a comprehensive and intuitive MIDI-based DAW
controller to its line.
The new UF8 is not the first SSL product
to offer DAW control technology; it
has been integrated within the Duality
and AWS consoles. I've had the pleasure
of mixing on an SSL AWS 900+
for the duration of my professional career,
so heading into this review I was
already quite familiar with SSL DAW
control capability.
Overview
UF8 is a feature-rich and fully digital
DAW controller (no preamps or
analog circuitry like its predecessor,
14 RECORDING September 2021
the discontinued Nucleus). With an
expandable eight-channel format (up
to four units can be linked), it features
100 mm touch-sensitive motorized faders,
user-programmable soft keys, and
multi-purpose encoders. It communicates
via MIDI-based Mackie Control and HUI
protocols over a USB connection, with
three layers available for simultaneous
control over multiple DAWs. At the time
of writing, SSL includes templates for
easy integration with Pro Tools, Logic
Pro X, Studio One, Ableton Live, Cubase
and Nuendo.
UF8 has an all-metal enclosure with
a sleek gray and black aesthetic. The
multi-color LED buttons bring a pop of color
to the unit during various tasks, but there
aren't any classic SSL-style pots in sight. It
can lay flat on the desktop or be tilted at
an angle with the optional table legs supplied
with it. It can also be rack-mounted
if desired, but the rack mount kit is sold
separately. The back panel hosts its few
connectors, including the barrel connection
power supply, a USB-C port for the
computer (C to C and C to A cables are
included), a USB-A port for linking UF8
units (or holding an iLok), and two 1
/4
"
jacks for optional footswitches. Footswitch
commands can be customized; the default
setting is play and record.
The eight motorized faders are paired
with high-resolution color displays and
multi-purpose endless rotary encoders.
The display can show metering, panning,
track names, automation modes, plugin
parameters, and V-pot + soft key assignments
(more on that later). The button
layout is intuitive and includes everything
but a master transport control. Transport
functions can be programmed into the soft
keys, although I didn't find this to be the
most convenient location for them. That
said, the customizable soft keys are what
set UF8 apart from most DAW controllers;
they brilliantly cater UF8 to the workflow
that best suits your style, and provide an
elegant way of avoiding redundant controls
when daisy chaining multiple units.
Recording - September 2021

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