Description
When SSL entered live sound in 2013 with the L500, it made waves: the mythical studio name taking on front of house. In use you feel the SSL DNA — a beefy Tempest engine, fully assignable paths and that famous sound. To me the L500 pulled it off: it established SSL as a credible stage player, not just a prestigious studio name.
Technical
Specifications
Inputs / Outputs
| Inputs / outputs | up to 976 inputs and 976 outputs (1,952 connections in total) |
|---|
Processing
| Max sample rate | 96 kHz |
|---|---|
| Bit depth | 24 bits |
| Processing resolution | 64 bits |
| Processing engine | SSL Tempest processing engine, 96 kHz operation |
| Channels | 256 mix paths at 96 kHz, of which 144 full-processing paths, assignable as channels, stem groups, auxes or masters (mono, stereo or LCR) |
Surface
| Motorized faders | Yes |
|---|---|
| Touchscreen | No |
| Faders | 100 mm motorised, touch-sensitive faders; each strip: solo/mute, Query and Select buttons, individual legend display and a set of quick controls |
| Screens | large 19-inch central touchscreen + a second touchscreen to the right, surrounded by encoders and switches |
Recording
| Onboard recording | No |
|---|
Networking
| Networking & protocols | MADI / Network |
|---|---|
| Redundant PSU | No |
| Redundant networking | No |
| Audio networking | 2 Blacklight II ports (256 I/O channels each), 12 MADI ports, 32-channel effects loop, up to 32 local analog and 16 local AES ins/outs |
Strip & details
Rotate your phone to landscape for a better view of the strip.
Rotate your phone to landscape for a better view of the strip.
Rotate your phone to landscape for a better view of the strip.
Diagrams
Rotate your phone to landscape for a better view of the diagram.
Rotate your phone to landscape for a better view of the diagram.
Software
SOLSA (SSL Off-Line Setup Application)SSL Off-Line Setup Application: software for preparing and editing SSL Live sessions offline, to configure patching, channels and the show before arriving on site.Download
TaCo (Tablet Control)Download
Other screenshots
Accessories
Stagebox / rack
- SSL ML 32.32 stagebox (MADI)
32-in / 32-out MADI stage rack deploying SuperAnalogue preamps on stage.
I/O card
- Blacklight II hub
Proprietary optical interface carrying 256 I/O channels over fibre between the console and the racks.
Documents
Editorial & artists
Our take
History & design
The SSL Live L500 is the flagship digital mixing console of the SSL Live range, announced in 2013 after four years of development. It is built on the Tempest processing engine and offers 256 mix paths at 96 kHz, of which 144 are full-processing paths freely assignable as channels, stem groups, auxes or masters (mono, stereo or LCR).
Its connectivity is vast: up to 976 inputs and 976 outputs (1,952 connections), via two Blacklight II optical ports (256 I/O channels each), twelve MADI ports, a 32-channel effects loop and up to 32 local analog and 16 local AES ins/outs. The surface carries 100 mm motorised touch faders — each strip with solo/mute, Query and Select buttons, a legend display and a set of quick controls — around a large 19-inch central touchscreen complemented by a second screen on the right.
Notable users
Links
Related consoles
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Documents are archived locally for preservation. Source credited. Takedown requests: [email protected]