Solid State Logic SSL CONNEX, Portable USB Microphone. Conferencing, Content Creation, Live Streaming, Music Recording on PC/Mac, Quad Condenser Microphone Array and 4 User Modes

Solid State Logic is well known in the audio industry. So when I saw this I was a bit confused and curious.For a while SSL has been going down market and so far products like SSL2 interfaces, UC-1 and UF-8 have been really functional and of exceptional quality.But the question remained. With a sea of USB mics what can a large console manufacturer possibly bring to the table?At $150 it wasn’t a big stretch which further made me suspicious. But I went ahead and picked one up.When the package first arrived, the box was a colorful display of various angles of the Connex. When I opened it, I was able to pull out the Connex using two cardboard handles. Underneath there was a standard light stand to mic stand adapter and a USB-C to USB-C cable. Included was a USB-C to A adapter in case you need USB-A.Plugging the mic into a Mac, the mic was instantly available. All we needed to do was select that as the input and output source for applications.The user guide indicated that four modes are available.SOLO, which seems to work like a cardioid with EQ and compression setup for vocals. Yup, this thing is incorporating some processing inside the mic. SSL claims that each setting is processed for specific uses. The onboard headphone out connects to your headphones for playback from the computer.Comments from people during zoom calls were, “clear” “closeup”. When we recorded this setting to our DAW it sort of reminded us of a small capsule condenser running through EQ with a midrange boost and soft knee compression.Interestingly the headphone out was quite solid as well. Definitely on par with third party DAC-headphone adapters like Audioquest Dragonfly. This was a pleasant surprise which we really didn’t expect. Just as a high quality DAC alternative this thing is worth the price of admission.The next mode, GROUP, is meant for conference type uses where you set it down in the middle of the table for equal coverage. During one of our conference calls we switched out our usual system with Connex. Since the Connex only had a headphone output for playback we used the computer speakers for playback. Not as elegant as a dedicated conference system but, Hey it’s 150 bucks!Without any foreknowledge of the switch, comments were “less echo” “closeup and intelligible” dialog. SSL describes the processing of Group CONNEX’s quad microphone array and optimised mixer setting means all presenters are clearly heard and unwanted background noise isn’t.Again when we played back the recordings of this mode it reminded us of a ducking effect applied by the mic pointed in the direction of the speaker at the time. This would explain the “less Echo” comments since the other mics are lowered automatically. Also there is definitely heavier compression and EQ to accent voices. From my perspective it reminded me of the SSL Talkback found on their consoles. Which would make perfect sense for a conference room mic.The other two modes are meant mainly for musical application. When you switch to these two modes the first thing you notice is the drop in gain. There is also a marked difference in the imaging as these modes are mixed in stereo not dual mono as with SOLO and GROUP.We recorded guitar, drums and a live jazz band using the MUSIC Mode. Our first impressions, surprisingly good for a USB mic. If you play around with the positioning of the mic, which in our case was between 3-6 feet from the performer, the quality was again on par with a small diaphragm Stereo Condenser microphone ranging $200-$300. However what was most striking was the imaging. There was definitely some wide aspect mixing taking place. The user guide indicated that all 4 capsules are used in VOCAL and MUSIC modes and that they are mixed internally to create the resulting USB1-2 outputs. I have to say this was quite usable even by professional standards. Sure we could manage the same thing with two mics set up in X-Y pattern fead into preamps and possibly phase corrected. What seems to be going on with this thing is that all that has been preset for you.So I suppose my take away from this little experiment is that SSL has again taken the concept of a USB Mic, a well that’s been dipped into by many well regarded microphone manufacturers And cheap knockoffs, and included a mixing element for specific use cases. At first impression I figured this would limit how you can apply Connex. But the result of our experience was that if properly utilized the “Modes” as it were, can be applied to a wide range of musical and everyday applications. SSL brought its mixing muscle to the USB Mic market and boy does it show.Last point I’ll make is that we discovered a variant that allowed you to output each of the four capsules to USB outputs 3,4,5 and 6 allowing you to discreetly record each capsule to it’s own track on your DAW. So you can record the internally mixed outs on USB 1 and 2 and the individual CLEAN Mics to USB 3-6 for any post production.Final Thoughts: SSL HAD THEIR AUDIO GEEK SET TO 11 ON THIS ONE.The result is a USB microphone that not only caters to this every day office manager, but also to anyone interested in a music recording microphone that does exactly what’s needed to capture a performance.Connex packs a conference Mic , Stereo mic, cardioid mic, high quality headphone DAC and 6 channel USB interface in one portable package.

I was looking for a mic for zoom calls where the majority of the people are together with some joining remotely. In the group mode people are able to understand quiet talkers even at 15 feet away. I have not found a better solution under $600 dollars. I have not done a side by side comparision to these more expensive video conferencing mics but I garuntee you it would give some of those a run for their money. I do not know about the other modes but if you are looking for a mic to pick up multiple people speaking in a room this is the mic you should buy.

I was in search of a better microphone to sound better on video calls and for music and this has exceeded all my expectations! The headphone output sounds great and I’m also using it to stream my tunes on Apple Music. When I use it to record my guitar and sing in Garage band it sounds phenomenal!! So easy to use and has really made an impact in more ways than I was expecting. Super glad I went with SSL!

I have had my fair share of USB mics, mainly for zoom work calls, and as Covid has slowed I am back traveling for work again and this mic is the perfect companion for all of it. I am also a singer and guitar player and this mic has the quality for me to drop a few tracks in Ableton Live, and create ideas even in my hotel room. I have mainly used the main vocal setting and the Omni listening mode, and I have to say, better than others I have had, including Yeti, and the Rode Podcaster. This is compact, made of stainless steel, and has a cool, easy to pack, flat footprint. Amazing and now I actually own a piece of SSL gear!!!

Professional audio engineer of 30 years. I've had this for a year now. Apparently they focused their marketing efforts on Japanese market. BUY THIS. If for no other reason, you'll have a very high-quality portable audio interface that sounds great, is easy to use, and is so versatile you may not need another mic.For traveling musicians, the SSL Connex is a godsend. It also comes with a standard adapter for mounting it on a mic stand if you like. I'M TELLING YOU - at under $100, this thing is a freakin' steal! It even has a mode that lets you record all four mics on their own channels ("immersive mode"). Also, it just works. Plug 'n' play is real here.With all its features, I don't understand why you haven't already bought this.* I read a review where someone said, "It won't work in tandem with my SSL 2+, which is how I do my monitoring". I have one as well. If you're using macOS on an Apple device, you can easily create an "aggregate audio device" in the Audio MIDI Setup app. Combines both interfaces. Works great for me!

Using the SSL Connex for video conferencing and it works great in that application.

At first I was excited by the functionality of the Connex, but soon discovered that it won't work in tandem with my SSL 2+, which is how I do my monitoring. I tried every work around that I could think of, but the driver only allows you to pick one or the other, not both. Otherwise the Connex is a solid little unit.

It a great mic for recording the band rehearsal/writing session. Plug it in, hit the blue mode and you're off! Practical and portable