Solid State Logic’s History with Audio Precision
For four decades, Audio Precision has been proud to support Solid State Logic (SSL) in delivering the finest professional recording equipment possible, initially establishing the relationship in 1985 when SSL purchased their first AP System One for testing their legendary 4000 series analogue consoles. With the System One, what once required multiple instruments and complex manual patching could now be accomplished within a single analyzer, enabling engineers to more easily and traceably perform a comprehensive range of measurements. That System One, holding the record as the oldest, continuously in service analyzer we could find, was still in use until we replaced it with a brand-new state-of-the-art APx555B just earlier this year.
SSL has continued to expand its product range as the professional audio world evolved. At each stage, AP analyzers played a central role in helping SSL validate and refine their designs so that their consoles remained the gold standard for broadcasters, studios, and artists worldwide. One such example came with SSL’s need for higher-resolution measurements, which led to the adoption of our System Two analyzer, supporting the development of their 9000 series “Super Analogue” console. Today, the APx555B has become central to SSL’s engineering validation. We’re thrilled to recognize SSL as the winner of our “Oldest, Continuously In-Service System One” contest. Their story is a perfect reflection of what we strive for at Audio Precision: exacting standards, robust equipment with the flexibility to grow with time, and a passion for sound.
"Solid State Logic (SSL) is a world class leader in both analogue and digital console design and manufacturing. Absolute demand for critical, accurate signal measurement has been made possible with the Audio Precision, System One analyzer, testing our vast array of products for almost 40 years. The early introduction of Audio Precision’s System One Dual Domain analyzer was instrumental in the complex testing of digital consoles, seamlessly interfacing between the digital and analogue world.
Even today, the winning AP System One machine, tested in October 1985, was still being used every day to systems test our large format analogue consoles, providing the same reliable, accurate measurements, as it did from new. I personally find the System One analyzer, a true “workhorse,” it is the one piece of test equipment that has not disappointed to deliver results, whether, making static measurements or running procedures, it works faultlessly every time.
When Audio Precision informed me that I had won a new APx555B analyzer, I was shocked and amazed. I couldn't believe it! This now allows the start, in a new platform of testing, being used for Solid State Logic's newest product, the 'Oracle', a fully analogue console completely digitally controlled, something SSL has always dreamed of and now is a reality.
Thank you, Audio Precision, to all the good people working to make such great products, and looking forward to the next 40 years!"
A Moment 40 Years in the Making
To celebrate their win, the Audio Precision team flew to England to personally deliver their brand-new APx555B analyzer to the team at SSL. During our visit, we had the chance to tour their facility, meet the talented team behind their legendary consoles, and help them set up and explore their new analyzer’s full capabilities. It was rewarding to see the excitement their team had for how this upgrade will benefit their test and measurement workflow moving forward. Check out the photos below for highlights from this trip!
System One to APx: A Legacy
In 1985, Audio Precision launched System One, forever changing the way engineers measured audio devices. The true genius of this instrument was in combining precision signal generation and analysis with the revolutionary power and flexibility of the personal computer. The easy-to-use software took tasks which previously required several distinct pieces of hardware and laborious manual steps and allowed individual measurements to be radically accelerated from hours to minutes. System One quickly became the gold standard in audio testing.
With this year marking the 40th anniversary of the System One audio analyzer, we couldn’t help but reflect on the instrument’s pioneering innovation that continues to define Audio Precision today. That legacy lives on in every product we create, and audio professionals continue to rely on our tools to push the boundaries of audio technology.
But how did we get here?
As we celebrate this milestone in Audio Precision history, we’re not just looking back, we’re also looking forward. The same curiosity and passion that fueled the development of the System One continues to inspire us today. Audio Precision remains committed to being the standard for audio measurement and continuing to build the highest-performance, most reliable, and easiest-to-use audio analyzers. Our commitment to help engineers worldwide design, validate, characterize, and manufacture consumer, professional, and industrial audio products remains as strong as ever.
The legacy of System One reminds us that true innovation is never static; it evolves, improves, and opens new possibilities. As we look ahead, we’re excited to explore the future of audio test and measurement. Four decades of progress have laid a strong foundation, and we remain committed to advancing audio technology and continuing the work that System One began.
“Since shipping the first System One in 1985, the founders of Audio Precision set the standard for audio test and measurement. We are invisible, but almost every device in the world that plays, records, stores, or processes sound was probably tested at some point in its development or manufacture by an Audio Precision analyzer. This is a legacy of which we are immensely proud, but we do not take the responsibility of continuing this legacy lightly. We are continuously working to expand the envelope of analog performance, digital connectivity, and measurement capability. There are very few companies that have led their field for 40 years and it is absolutely our intent to lead for 40 more.”
Celebrate the Win, Revisit the Journey
AP Video: 40 Years of System One
The launch of the System One audio analyzer didn’t just raise the bar—it redefined it. Revolutionizing audio measurement with unparalleled performance, usability, and legendary reliability, System One marked the beginning of Audio Precision and our legacy in audio testing. Watch the video to hear more about our journey.
WATCH NOW >System One Handoff: A Milestone Moment
From their first System One to the System Two and now the APx555, our analyzers have played a key role in SSL's product development journey, supporting them at every stage of the way. Learn more about our shared history and the special handoff ceremony, where we celebrated decades of creating high-quality audio.
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