Ssl Matrix User manual

Matrix
Owner’s Manual
www.solid-state-logic.com
Matrix. This is SSL.
The new standard in project studio integration

As research and development is a continual process, Solid State Logic reserves the right
to change the features and specifications described herein without notice or obligation
E&OE
June 2008 – 1st Release: 82S6MT060A
July 2008 – Corrected network connections
November 2008 – Amended network & US cable lengths
egbroke, Oxford, England, OX5 1RU • [phone]
320 West 46th Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10036, USA • [phone]
Suite 401, 5757 Wilshire lvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036, USA • [phone]
3-55-14 Sendagaya, Shibuya-Ku, Tokyo 151-0051, Japan • [phone]
7 bis, rue de la Victoire, le lanc Mesnil, Paris 93150, France • [phone]
Via Timavo 34, 20124 Milano, Italy • [phone]
Visit SSL at URL: http://www.solid-state-logic.com
© Solid State Logic
All Rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions
AWS 900, AWS 900+, Matrix,Solid State Logic and SSL are trademarks of Solid State Logic
All other product names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or
by any means, whether mechanical or electronic, without the
written permission of Solid State Logic, Oxford, England

a at tr ri ix x. . C Co on nt tr ro ol l y yo ou ur r C Cr re ea at ti iv vi it ty y. .
Welcome to Matrix. With the goal to bring the soul of analogue sound into the machinery of digital workflow, we designed
Matrix - a seamless way to work in both worlds simultaneously. With unparalleled creative control over your DAW and analogue
outboard, Matrix reconfigures your project studio around its most important element - you.
Matrix is a SuperAnalogue 16 channel, 40 line input mixing console with inbuilt signal router and multi-layer digital workstation
control. It’s simply the most elegant way to be creative with your entire arsenal of analogue outboard and cutting-edge digital
equipment. Designed to be at the heart of your everyday creative process, Matrix is built to meticulous SSL hardware standards,
to withstand even the most intensive studio use. Fully equipped to partner your monitors, workstations and outboard gear,
Matrix lets you shape your project studio around the way you work.
The Matrix SuperAnalogue router manages the sends and returns of up to 16 outboard processor units, together with the
assignment of the console’s channel strip insert points. Using the Insert Matrix in the Matrix Remote software, any combination
of your outboard gear can be rapidly inserted into any of your console channels, essentially giving you the ability to run your
outboard as ‘analogue plug-ins’ within your DAW.
With HUI and MCU modes, the 17 motorised faders and channel controls provide complete hands-on control over your DAW
mixer, allowing you to enjoy mixing on a tactile, fully-featured control surface. Additionally, Matrix gives you access to transport
and navigation functions, plug-in and virtual instrument parameters, and essential DAW commands, allowing you to work quickly
and easily using just the console surface.
Alongside its integration of your analogue and digital equipment, Matrix is also a first-class SSL mixer, drawing on our 30 years
of innovative analogue console design. The essential functions of recording and mixing - routing, level measurement and monitoring
- are organised and arranged to make everything available at your fingertips to streamline the entire recording and mixing process.
Matrix analogue architecture provides 16 channels, featuring dual line inputs, balanced insert sends and returns and a dedicated
direct output. Channel level control utilises the same high resolution Digital Controlled Attenuator as fitted to the AWS 900+
and Duality large format consoles. In Matrix the channel DCAs can be remote controlled via MIDI, enabling DAW tracks to
provide full automation control of analogue levels. Dual stereo mix busses and four stereo returns with full stereo mix bus routing
bring the total available mix inputs to 40. Powerful monitoring is a central feature of Matrix with independent Main and Mini
monitor outputs, Artist Monitor output with independent EQ and source selection, and three external monitor inputs with
source summing.
In short, Matrix is the new standard in project studio integration.
Introduction
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atrix Owner’s anual

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Audio Connections 3
Data Connections 4
Configuration of Data Connections 5
Connecting Matrix for use with Multiple Computers 8
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System Requirements: 9
Software Installation (Macintosh) 9
Software Installation (PC) 9
Matrix Remote Configuration 10
DAW Layer Configuration 11
ipMIDI Configuration 13
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Focus Modes 15
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Contents
II atrix Owner’s anual

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Ch ha ap pt te er r 3 3 – – A An na al lo og gu ue e S Si ig gn na al l F Fl lo ow w2 29 9
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The Master Channel Strip 30
The Digital Scribble Strip 31
Total Recall LEDs 31
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Channel Inputs 32
Channel Outputs 32
Auxiliary Sends 34
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Master us Controls 36
Monitoring 38
Talkback 39
Metering 40
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MON Soft Keys 42
METERS Soft Keys 43
AUTO Soft Keys 43
TR Soft Keys 44
IP Soft Keys 44
Misc Soft Keys 44
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Navigating the Projects List 49
Managing Projects 50
Managing Titles 51
Project and Title Notes 52
Track Sheets 52
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Taking a TR Snapshot 53
Naming a TR Snapshot 53
Deleting a TR Snapshot 53
Recalling a TR Snapshot 53
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Naming Devices 59
Device Chains 60
Assigning Devices and Chains to Channel Inserts 62
Contents
III
atrix Owner’s anual

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Ch ha ap pt te er r 5 5 – – D DA AW W C Co on nt tr ro ol l6 63 3
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Matrix Console Layer Selection 63
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The Digital Scribble Strip 65
V-Pot Modes 66
SEL Key Modes 67
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Pro Tools Default Profile 71
Nuendo Default Profile 76
CC (Continuous Controller) Default Profile 78
Contents
IV atrix Owner’s anual

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Ch ha ap pt te er r 6 6 – – D DA AW W a an nd d C CC C C Co on nf fi ig gu ur ra at ti io on n7 79 9
Matrix Console Layer Selection 79
Matrix Remote Layer Selection 79
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Selecting Profiles 80
Creating Profiles 81
Deleting Profiles 81
Renaming Profiles 81
acking Up a Profile 82
Restoring a Profile 82
Disable Handshake 82
Selecting the Transport Master 82
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DAW Control Protocols, US Commands and Menus 83
Soft Key Sets 83
Programming Soft Keys 84
Assigning DAW Protocol Functions 85
Assigning QWERTY Keystrokes 86
Creating Soft Key Menus 87
Renaming Soft Key Assignments 88
Assigning Modified Functions to Soft Keys 88
Removing and Replacing Soft Key Assignments 88
Editing Transport and Utility utton Assignments 89
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CC Snapshots 92
The Digital Scribble Strip 92
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3
Contents
V
atrix Owner’s anual

A
Ab bo ou ut t T Th hi is s a an nu ua al l
Whether you are an experienced studio engineer or an artist who is relatively new to the recording process, this manual will take
you through the full breadth of Matrix functions. Chapter 1 guides you through the process of connecting up and integrating Matrix
into your studio. Chapter 2 is a tutorial which provides an overview of the essential operating principles of Matrix, introducing
both its analogue and DAW control capabilities, a proportion of which will be familiar to users with studio experience. Chapter
3 then examines the analogue mixing capabilities of the console in more detail. Chapter 4 focuses on the Matrix Remote software
which controls a number of aspects of Matrix, including its relationship with outboard equipment. Chapter 5 introduces the
operational use of Matrix for DAW control, working alongside the control surface documentation in your DAW’s manual. The
Remote is also used to configure and customise Matrix’s control of DAWs, and this is the focus of Chapter 6.
A few simple conventions have been followed in this manual: Labelling on the console control surface or in software is in bold,
retaining the capitalisation of the label itself. ack panel labelling is represented in plain type, also following the capitalisation of
the labels.
Notes are used for clarification and occasionally for advanced descriptions. They are inset and italicized, and have a blue
line below and above.
If you click on any page and chapter references within the manual, your .pdf viewer will jump to that location. Internet references
are also hyperlinked in this way.
Note that these hyperlinks will not work in all .pdf viewers. They do work in Acrobat Reader, which is available from
www.adobe.com.
W
Wh ha at t E El ls se e Y Yo ou u W Wi il ll l n ne ee ed d
In order to make full use of your Matrix, you will require the following, in addition to the Matrix box contents:
A computer on which to run the Matrix Remote software. This can be the same computer as you use for your DAW software.
A Network Switch or Router. If you are running a setup with more than one computer, a network switch or router and additional
network cabling will be needed (see Page 8).
A US KVM switch and/or hub. If you are planning to connect Matrix to more than one computer, you will need a US switch.
If you are only using one computer, the KVM switch will not be necessary. Depending on the complexity of your current studio
setup, the hub may not be essential. You may well find, however, that you no longer have enough US sockets on your computer.
Note that the Matrix US socket is Type .
Multicore cabling. To fully connect your Matrix, you will need up to seventeen 8-channel looms terminating in male 25-way D-
Connectors.
A Stand. There is a wide range of commercially available mixer stands which are suitable for Matrix. SSL are happy to recommend
the Studiospares Z-Frame keyboard/mixer stand, and the Quik Lok ZM-2034 Mixer Stand. Alternatively, you can build Matrix
into your desk surface using the dimensions listed in Appendix .
Digital cabling. Depending on your setup, you may need suitable cables to connect up the AES or S/PDIF digital I/O.
Foot switches. You can also plug up to two momentary foot switches into Matrix.
About This anual
VI atrix Owner’s anual

CChhaapptteerr 11 –– Installation and Setup
This chapter covers everything involved in setting up Matrix. If you have not already done so, please refer to the separate printed
Installation Guide for safety information and instructions on positioning and connecting the Matrix Power supply.
There are a number of ways in which Matrix can be set up to fit into your studio environment. The diagram below outlines the
standard configuration:
Chapter 1 - Setup
1
atrix Owner’s anual

a at tr ri ix x R Re ea ar r P Pa an ne el l C Co on nn ne ec ct ti io on ns s
DEVICE SEND 1-8
DEVICE RETURN 1-8
DEVICE SEND 9-16
DEVICE RETURN 9-16
LINE IN 1-8
DAW RETURN 1-8 CHANNEL OUT 1-8CHANNEL OUT 9-16
LINE IN 9-16
DAW RETURN 9-16
PUSH
REC, MIX, CUE INS RTN
EXT 1,2 (L,R)
MON L/R, ARTIST OUT
REC, MIX, FOLLOW MON OUT
REC, MIX, CUE INS SENDCUE ST, FX OUT 1-4
FX RETURNS 1-4
GPIOUSBX-RACK / DIAGSW2SW1 NETWORKSD CARD
RIGHT - MINI - LEFT
IN - AES - OUT IN - SPDIF - OUT
+18dB
+24dB
RIGHT
LEFT
GAIN
T/HOLD
TB MICVU
Audio Input/output
ch nnels 1–8
Audio Input/output
ch nnels 9–16
M ster Section I/O
Power Input
Ethernet
0dBfs
switch
Meter
trim
TB Mic
trim
M ster
I/O
Mini LS M ster
I/O
Digit l I/O
Optic l nd AES
Foot-
switch X-R ck
I/F
USB SD memory c rd
slot
Unused
Chapter 1 - Setup
2atrix Owner’s anual