DAW controllers let us take direct control over our projects – can SSL’s new UF8 bridge the gap between software and hardware?

Solid State Logic’s large format consoles are found in most high-end mixing and post production facilities the world over, and they’re considered by many to be about the best that money can buy – although you should note that you’ll need an awful lot of the stuff if you want to buy one for your own studio! Those of us with more modest budgets tend to settle for recording and mixing in the box, and really, with modern computing power and circuit-modelled instruments and plugins, that’s not such a bad thing sonically.

What it lacks, though, is the hands-on element, and while high resolution graphic user interfaces are all well and good, compared to working on a large format console, poking at faders and knobs one-at-a-time with your mouse is a bit like trying to paint your hallway through your letterbox! DAW controllers are a great way to bridge this gap, and with their new UF8, SSL are aiming to bring a slice of their peerless expertise and enviable cachet to this particular area of studio technology.

The UF8 is a mid-sized controller, with a similar footprint to a large laptop. This allows for a comfortable, uncluttered layout, with plenty of space given to each of the unit’s eight channel strips, which include 100mm touch-sensitive motorised faders, a continuous rotary controller, and a high resolution LCD display panel. At a height of less than 5cm, UF8 is surprisingly svelte too, and this slimness is enhanced by the top surface having no raised or angled sections. If you do want to angle the unit towards you, SSL have included a pair of clever stands that can be attached to the underside of the unit in a number of different configurations so that you can achieve the desired angle. Alternatively, an optional kit allows the UF8 to be secured in a rack, where it occupies 6u of space.