Solid State Logic was founded in 1969 to manufacture solid-state control systems for organs. They began building consoles with automation in the mid-1970s, when none were available. They were originally known for their large-format mixing consoles, but currently they offer a remarkable variety of audio hardware and software products. (Tape Op has reviewed several of SSL’s audio interfaces in issues #138, #155, and #165, and our reviewers have always found them to be excellent-sounding interfaces. -Ed.)
I have collected numerous preamps over the years, so I was looking for a simple line-only computer audio interface without microphone preamps. I was pleased to find the Alpha 8 AD/DA converter with eight in and eight out 1⁄4-inch TRS analog connectors, and I ended up buying one. The Alpha 8 also has S/PDIF and ADAT ports, making this unit potentially a hub for 18 channels of I/O. It can operate as a standalone device, with several examples detailed in the User Guide. The computer interface is USB-C. The Alpha 8 is touted as an expander for an existing environment using the ADAT and S/PDIF digital connections. An example in the manual illustrates how you could configure SSL's Alpha 18 to operate with the Alpha 8. Another application for the Alpha 8 is for outboard analog processing using the analog I/O. I use it as an analog I/O interface connected to my Mac.
The front panel has eight Select buttons, which are used in conjunction with Level, Clock, Rate, and settings buttons. These configure analog/digital I/O, headphone settings, routing, and more. It has easy-to-read, five-segment LED metering for all eight analog inputs and outputs. The TRS analog I/O connectors can be configured for +24, +20, +18, or +9 dBu operating levels, which are shown in the LED. Also on the front panel LED are indicators for clock source, sample rate, and USB connection status.
The rear panel is straightforward with BNC word clock I/O connectors with a button to engage 75 ohm input termination – a nice addition. I’ve been using S/PDIF I/O to interface with a Lexicon PCM 92, which has XLR AES I/O connectors. The Alpha 8 operates fine with my homemade RCA to XLR connectors to the PCM 92. It has an IEC power input, suggesting they put thought into the design of the power supply.