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Solid State Logic, Ltd. (SSL) is the world's largest
manufacturer of professional analog and digital audio consoles for
music, broadcast, post production and film. Since the company's
founding in 1969, SSL has pioneered advances in console technology
with the relentless goal of providing an intelligent and efficient
means to assist the creative process. When SSL debuted its SL 4000
B Series console in 1977, it revolutionized the music industry.
The console was the first production blend of an advanced in-line
audio console with a computer-automated operation. It was followed
four years later by the SL 4000 E Series, which took automation
to yet another plateau with its Total Recall system. This earned
SSL the prestigious UK Design Council Award, a Queen's Award for
Export Achievement, and the respect and admiration of generations
of audio professionals as it set the bar for future console performance.
The SL 4000 Series consoles were followed by other industry-leading
audio platforms. SSL's ScreenSound pioneered the use of nonlinear
digital audio for video; SoundNet became the world's first multipurpose
digital audio networking system; and the award-winning SL 8000 G
Series was introduced for music and film surround sound work. When
SSL launched the SL 9000 J Series mixing console and its all-new
"Super Analog*" technology, top music recording facilities
around the world quickly embraced it. The C200 introduced a powerful
new digital operational core, and the XL 9000 K Series established
new standards in analog console performance. Solid State Logic also
set benchmarks for customer technical support by establishing regional
offices around the world. With more than 3,000 SSL-equipped facilities
operational today, the unrivaled sonic quality, superb ergonomics
and outstanding automation of SSL consoles is universally recognized.
Whether tracking, overdubbing, mixing, or scoring film and television,
an estimated two-thirds of the popular music made over the last
30 years was in some way touched by SSL.
In his long career as a mastering engineer, Douglas Sax
has worked with many of the industry's top artists including The
Who, Tina Turner, the Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Rod Stewart, Carly
Simon, Pink Floyd, Bette Midler, Ray Charles, and Aerosmith. With
partners Lincoln Mayorga and older brother Sherwood, Sax opened
The Mastering Lab -- one of the world's first independent mastering
facilities -- in 1967. Featuring all hand-built equipment, the studio
was soon turning out many of the top hits of the '70s, including
Who's Next, Nilsson Schmilsson, the Rolling Stones' Sticky Fingers
and the Eagles' eponymous debut. As a part of The Mastering Lab,
Sax established a pioneering set of procedures for testing and evaluating
audio components by ear. The Lab also manufactured loudspeakers
and preamps that have been used industry wide.
In 1970, Sax and Mayorga realized a lifelong dream with the founding
of Sheffield Lab Recordings, an audiophile label dedicated to producing
state-of-the-art, direct-to-disc classical and jazz albums. Sax
acted as Executive Producer on all of Sheffield Lab's recordings,
which were distributed worldwide and elevated the public's awareness
of sound excellence. For this, Sax was awarded the prestigious honorary
lifetime membership in the Audio Engineering Society in 1988. Additionally,
the three-time GRAMMY nominee pioneered test methods to correctly
evaluate the effects of passive components such as resistors, switches,
relays, potentiometers, capacitors, wire, inductors and transformers.
Through his body of work, Sax has inspired a whole generation of
engineers. He continues to play an active role in the contemporary
music scene, mastering many of today's top albums, including Rod
Stewart's GRAMMY-nominated As Time Goes By and the recent surround
sound SACD release of Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon.
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