SSL Big Six as Windows (10) audio interface.

[tehlord]

Hi there.

Considering a Big Six, and was just wondering if there were any inherent issues using one as the primary computer interface too on the main DAW PC?

I have assumed it'll be fine for the most part, and I'm guessing that the main outputs show up in Windows as the output sound source and then it's just controlled via the main fader, or would the desk need to be switched to EXT1 or EXT2 on the main fader if I wanted to hear Windows (browser) audio?

[_leras]

I imagine emailing SSL will get you more information that here, if you can't work it out from the manual.

Out of curiosity what do you hope to get from it that you won't get from a good sound card?

[pekbro]

Definitely best to communicate with them, ime some mixers that are supposed to double as interfaces don't actually work in the same way as an interface. The lower end Mackie mixers for instance, while I didn't really try too hard to figure it out, I was not really able to process audio between the DAW and mixer as you might expect. It was not a big multi-out model though.

*Basically to use that mixer, i just plug it into my interface as line-in. Using it as an
interface was pretty useless for using plugins (fx and vi) on the computer end.
I was only trying it out for the heck of it, it was never my goal to use it that way.

[tehlord]

I imagine emailing SSL will get you more information that here, if you can't work it out from the manual.

Out of curiosity what do you hope to get from it that you won't get from a good sound card?

The manual describes the process of installing drivers and choosing specific inputs and outputs in windows sound settings which is normal, but it's the specifics of routing it through the mixer that isn't explained at all.

One of the reasons I want one over an interface is because of the quick and easy 'button press' routing, but this could be the reason it doesn't function as I'd need it to as a windows device. If I have to 'lose' a stereo pair of inputs every time I wanted to hear computer audio, it would partially defeat the purpose for me. It could be that windows audio is just summed into the main outputs, but that's something I'd need to find out.

On top of that, I want the SSL pre-amps, compression (channel and bus), EQ, analogue summing and hands on workflow.

Definitely best to communicate with them, ime some mixers that are supposed to double as interfaces don't actually work in the same way as an interface. The lower end Mackie mixers for instance, while I didn't really try too hard to figure it out, I was not really able to process audio between the DAW and mixer as you might expect. It was not a big multi-out model though.

*Basically to use that mixer, i just plug it into my interface as line-in. Using it as an
interface was pretty useless for using plugins (fx and vi) on the computer end.
I was only trying it out for the heck of it, it was never my goal to use it that way.

The SSL is very different to the stereo bus interfaces on cheaper mixers. It's a true 16 in and 16 out device over USB, but as described above it doesn't mention in the manual how computer audio comes back into the mixer if you're currently using it as a multi track mixdown/summing device.

[pekbro]

The SSL is very different to the stereo bus interfaces on cheaper mixers. It's a true 16 in and 16 out device over USB, but as described above it doesn't mention in the manual how computer audio comes back into the mixer if you're currently using it as a multi track mixdown/summing device.

Of course, Im just saying it's best to find out for certain how it works.

[tehlord]

I did get a response back from SSL who have confirmed (after they tested it!) that Windows audio will come back in on the selected USB audio return into the desk.

They also confirmed that if you're using (for example) USB return 15&16 for DAW audio, windows audio will be summed into that signal too so it's not one or the other.