Solid State Logic Nucleus2 User manual

Nucleus

2

User Guide

Nucleus

2

. This is SSL.

www.solidstatelogic.com

Document History

82BN0M01C September 2016 Initial Release

82BN0M01D October 2016 Minor changes

82BN0M01E November 2016 OSX 10.12 IP address setup

82BN0M01F January 2017 Added Dante Via & Network Architecture

82BN0M01G February 2017 Updated graphics

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page III

Table of Contents

I

ntroduction 1

How to use this Manual 2

Conventions 2

Glossary 2

Software Versions 2

Help! 2

1. Nucleus

2

Overview 3

C

hannel Strip and Mode Switches 3

Centre Section and Analogue Control 4

Nucleus

2

Remote 4

2. Nucleus

2

Configurations 5

DAWs With a Dante Network Connection 5

Multiple DAWs 8

3. Software Installation 9

Software Installation – Mac 9

Software Installation – Windows 11

Using the Dante interface on Nucleus

2

with an existing I/O setup 13

Dante Via Install and Setup 13

Configuration 13

4. Connection and Software Configuration 15

Physical Connections 15

Audio Connections 15

Data Connections 15

Configuring Network Connections 16

Network Wiring 16

Assigning the Nucleus

2

IP Address 16

Direct Network Connection Configuration (Mac) 17

Wider Network with a DHCP Server Configuration (Mac) 17

Direct Network Connection Configuration (Windows) 17

Wider Network with a DHCP Server Configuration (Windows) 17

Connecting Nucleus

2

to Multiple Computers 18

Nucleus

2

Internal Network Architecture 19

IP Address configuration 19

ipMIDI Configuration 20

MIDI Port Mapping 20

Pro Tools 20

Logic Pro 21

Dante Soundcard Configuration 22

Setup 22

Sample rate 23

Stand-alone System vs Wider Dante Network 23

SPDIF I/O & External Soundcard 23

5. Nucleus

2

Remote 25

Establishing the Remote Connection 25

Remote Tabs 26

The DAW Tab 26

The Network Setup Tab 26

The About Tab 26

Remote Layer Selection 27

Page IV Nucleus

2

User Guide

Layer Profile Configuration 27

Protocols 27

Creating Profiles – Method 1 27

Creating Profiles – Method 2 28

Selecting a Profile 28

Managing Profiles 29

T

imeline Functions 30

T

ransport Master 30

J

og Wheel Function 30

A

utomation Display (HUI Only) 30

Soft Key Configuration 31

Default Soft Keys 31

User 1, User 2 Soft Keys 31

Transport / Utility Soft Keys 32

Assigning Soft Key Functions 32

DAW Protocol Commands 33

DAW Keyboard Shortcuts 34

Soft Key Menus 35

Renaming Softkey Assignments 36

Assigning Modified Functions to Soft Keys 36

Removing and Replacing Soft Key Assignments 36

Configuring Continuous Controller Layers 37

6. DAW Operations 39

Layer Select 39

Soft Keys 39

Channel Control 40

Channel Scrolling 40

Basic Channel Parameters 40

Channel Metering 40

Track Arming 40

Automation Control 40

V-Pot and V-Sel Control 41

Plug-in Control (Pro Tools Only) 42

Master Control 43

Basic Transport 43

Navigation Controls 43

Additional Master Controls 43

MODE Display (MCU Only) 43

User Keys 44

7. Analogue Operations 45

Recording Sources 45

Monitoring 45

Talkback 46

Metering 46

Appendix 47

Transport/Utility Function Map 47

DAW Protocol Command Soft Key Labelling 48

Pro Tools 48

Logic 49

Nuendo 50

Index 51

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 1

Introduction

Nucleus

2

Welcome to Nucleus

2

, SSL’s integrated DAW controller and soundcard for the Dante audio-over-IP network. Nucleus

2

allows you to record audio and monitor your studio software through SSL’s legendary analogue circuitry and converters,

while placing full control of your session underneath your fingertips. While the basic configurations created by SSL’s studio

engineers allow you to get working with Nucleus

2

straight out of the box, the functions assigned to much of the control

surface can be adapted to suit the specifics of your working environment, as configured within the Nucleus

2

Logictivity

Remote software.

DAW Control Principles

A DAW controller is part mixing console and part computer keyboard. It is a mixing console insofar as it uses channel

strips and faders etc. to mix and manipulate audio. It is a computer keyboard insofar as, rather than affecting any audio

electronics within it, it simply sends (and receives) commands to a computer program.

Of course, Nucleus

2

’s two analogue channels makes it more than a DAW controller.

Nucleus

2

can be used to control DAW software using either HUI or MCU protocols. These are the standardised control

‘languages’ used by the majority of DAW software on the market today: HUI is used by ProTools, MCU by Logic and Nuendo.

Please refer to your DAW software’s user guide if you are unclear which protocol you use.

The Nucleus

2

control surface also replicates a number of computer keyboard keys, such as modifiers (

<Shift>

, ⌘ or

‘command’,

<Ctrl>

,

<Alt>

),

<Enter>

and

<Esc>

keys, and shortcuts such as ‘Save’ and ‘Undo’. Nucleus

2

uses two

connections to control DAW sessions: ipMIDI (a conventional MIDI signal, sent over Ethernet) for HUI or MCU control, and

USB for standard keyboard commands.

Using Nucleus

2

’s Layer structure, different DAW programs can be connected simultaneously, although only one can be

controlled at one time.

Because each DAW is different and the precise application of HUI and MCU protocols is specific to the DAW software being

used, this manual does not provide detailed descriptions of specific DAW operations. Please refer to your DAW User Guide

for information about how to apply the control offered by Nucleus

2

.

Page 2 Nucleus

2

User Guide

HOW TO USE THIS MANUAL

A

fter this introduction, you will find a quick overview of Nucleus

2

,

followed by more detailed sections covering installation,

u

se of the Nucleus

2

L

ogictivity Remote, and general Nucleus

2

o

peration.

C

onventions

Throughout this manual, the following conventions will be used:

• Labels found on the Nucleus

2

control surface are indicated in capitals LIKE THIS.

• Labels and text shown in the Nucleus

2

Remote or other computer dialogues are indicated in bold Like This.

•

The few instances where we refer directly to computer filenames etc. will be shown

L

ike This

.

•

Where necessary, DAW computer keyboard key strokes will be shown

l

ike this

w

hilst function keys (as opposed to

normal numbers, symbols and characters) such as the ‘Control’ key will be shown with ‘angle’ brackets such as

<Ctrl>

.

• Where DAW protocol commands appear, the command or function will be shown with ‘curly’ brackets {

like_this}

.

Notes and additional information appear like this.

• The Nucleus

2

Logictivity Remote app will in some cases be abbreviated to just ‘Remote’.

• The Nucleus

2

itself may be refered to either by name, as the ‘DAW controller’ or as the ‘control surface’.

Please be aware that screenshots shown may differ slightly in appearance from their on-screen equivalents.

Glossary

The following terms are either concerned with general DAW control, or specific Nucleus

2

operations:

CC Layer A Continuous Controller (‘CC’) Profile for use with MIDI devices.

Dante Digital Audio Network Through Ethernet. A combination of software, hardware, and network protocols that

deliver uncompressed, multi-channel, low-latency digital audio over a standard Ethernet network.

DAW Digital Audio Workstation. Software which emulates a recording studio, such as ProTools, Logic and Nuendo.

ipMIDI MIDI control data sent over Ethernet.

HUI Human User Interface. The DAW control protocol used by ProTools and others.

Layers Different DAW programmes, one of which can be controlled by Nucleus

2

at a time, though all transports can

be activated simultaneously from one transport master.

MCU Mackie Control Unit. The DAW control protocol used by Logic, Nuendo and others.

SD Card An SD memory card fitted to the rear of Nucleus

2

for Profile storage.

Soft Keys Many switches on Nucleus

2

can be programmed through the Nucleus

2

Remote to perform DAW specific

functions. These switches are grouped together as ‘soft key sets’.

USER The USER  and USER  switches located in the centre section area of Nucleus

2

are used to apply soft key

sets to the switches above and below the scribble strip displays.

V-Pot In-channel rotary encoder used to control a variety of parameters. The V-Pot is located below the digital display.

V-Sel In-channel encoder switch, used to control a variety of parameters, often associated with the V-Pot. The switch

is activated by pressing the V-Pot. Note that the VSEL switch is different from the channel select (SEL) switch.

Software Versions

The information in this manual is correct for Nucleus

2

software V2.0/1 or greater, Nucleus

2

firmware V2.0/0 or greater

and Nucleus

2

Browser V2.0/0 or greater.

Help!

Should you require assistance with Nucleus

2

that is not addressed by this manual, please refer to the Support pages of

the SSL Website at www.solidstatelogic.com/support/Nucleus2 and click on ‘Ask a Question’ to get in contact with us.

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 3

Channel meter

and record status

indicator

Mode Switches

The Mode switches are not part of the channel in which they are

located. In normal operation, they select V-Pot modes. By default only

Mode switches 1-8 are assigned. Note that the V-Pot modes are printed

beneath the switches, and not shown in the digital display.

When the USER switches in the centre section are pressed, the Mode

and V-Sel switches in channels 9-16 become soft switches (Soft Keys)

which can be configured using the Nucleus

2

Remote.

2-Row ‘Scribble Strip’ Display

In normal operation, the top row

displays the channel name and the

bottom row the V-Pot function.

When the centre section USER

switches are selected, the digital

display on channels 9-16 shows the

soft key assignments for each

corresponding Mode and V-Sel

switch.

V-Pots and V-Sel Switches

- Turn for the V-Pot

- Press for the V-Sel switch

Functions are defined by the

host application, or by pressing

a Mode switch.

When the centre section USER

switches are selected, Mode

and V-Sel switches in channels

9-16 become additional soft

switches.

Channel Cut and

Solo switches

Channel Select

switch.

Also used for

track arming,

automation and

plug-in control.

Channel Fader

1. Nucleus

2

Overview

The diagrams below and overleaf provide an overview of the Nucleus

2

control surface along with the main DAW screen of

the Nucleus

2

Remote.

CHANNEL STRIP AND MODE SWITCHES

Page 4 Nucleus

2

User Guide

CENTRE SECTION AND ANALOGUE CONTROL

Nucleus

2

REMOTE

Analogue Control:

Monitoring and

Mic inputs

Channel/Bank

scrollers

* Transport

Control

USER Soft Key

Set selectors

Additional DAW

Layer Selectors

DAW Channel

Control modifiers

DAW Computer

modifier keys *

* Global DAW

Control keys

Note

The function of switches in

areas with asterisks are

defined in the Nucleus

2

Remote.

(Default functions are shown.)

Defines which layer

is being edited

in the Remote

Defines the DAW

being controlled

Selects soft key

sets for the Soft Key

Setup display

Soft Key Setup

Enables single-letter

automation display

Defines which DAW

is transport master

Select DAW to view or

edit Nucleus

2

setup

Defines default

function of Jog Wheel

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 5

2. Nucleus

2

Configurations

Connection of Nucleus

2

to a Dante network requires the following:

• An Ethernet connection between either of Nucleus

2

’s Ethernet ports and the DAW computer(s) – for DAW control, the

Nucleus

2

Remote and Dante Standard Audio, if applicable

•

A USB connection between Nucleus

2

a

nd the host DAW computer(s) – for DAW keyboard commands

• Audio connections – for recording sources plus monitoring

The way in which audio is sent between Nucleus

2

and the host DAW computer is dependant on the connectivity options

associated with the DAW(s) being used. The rest of this section describes the installation and connections involved in

each option.

DAWs With a Dante Network Connection

For software which can send and receive audio via any soundcard connected to the computer, Nucleus

2

can be connected

directly to the DAW using the Ethernet connection.

Ethernet

(DAW control, Dante

Soundcard and

Remote)

Ethernet

(external

Dante

audio)

USB

(DAW

keyboard

commands)

DAW

Computer

Recording

Sources

Dante I/O

Mains

Power

Monitoring

Headphones

MP3

Player

Page 6 Nucleus

2

User Guide

DAWs With Proprietary Soundcards

S

ome DAWs can only receive audio via their own proprietary soundcard hardware. Many of these soundcards provide

d

igital (S/PDIF) connections, allowing you to take full advantage of the SSL quality pre-amps and converters. The two

N

ucleus

2

i

nput channels are sent using the left and right channels of the S/PDIF Out, and the S/PDIF In feeds the monitor

i

nputs.

I

f your S/PDIF connections are coaxial (usually using phono sockets), simple coaxial to optical S/PDIF converters will

b

e required to connect the soundcard digitally to the Nucleus

2

P

RE

(

pre-amp) outputs.

Using Nucleus

2

’s Digital IO

Ethernet

(DAW control

and Remote)

USB

(DAW keyboard

commands)

Optical to

coax adaptor

S/PDIF

(digital

audio)

DAW

Computer

Recording

Sources

Mains

Power

Monitoring

Headphones

MP3

Player

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 7

Using Nucleus

2

’s Analogue IO

F

or soundcards which don’t have digital IO, line-level analogue connections allow you still to make use of Nucleus

2

’

s SSL

p

re-amps. Nucleus

2

P

RE (Pre-Amp) outputs and EXTERNAL monitor inputs can be used to connect Nucleus

2

t

o the

s

oundcard inputs and outputs. (Note that the PRE amp outputs are sourced from the pre amp’s Insert Send, so are always

a

ctive.)

Ethernet

(DAW control

and Remote)

USB

(DAW keyboard

commands)

DAW

Computer

Recording

Sources

Mains

Power

Monitoring

Headphones

SEND Out

and

EXTERNAL

In

MP3

Player

External

Sound Card

Page 8 Nucleus

2

User Guide

Multiple DAWs

Up to three DAW applications on up to three computers can be connected to Nucleus

2

simultaneously, as described on

Page 14. This configuration requires both a Network Router and USB switcher.

Ethernet

(Dante Soundcard

and Remote)

USB

(DAW keyboard

commands)

D

AW

C

omputer

Network

Router

D

AW

C

omputer

D

AW

C

omputer

USB

switcher

Ethernet

(external

Dante audio)

Recording

Sources

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 9

3. Software Installation

In order for Nucleus

2

to integrate into your working environment, it will be necessary to install drivers and supporting

software on your DAW computer(s) and/or studio computer(s). The following computers and operating systems are

supported:

Mac

• Intel Core2 Duo, 1.2GHz or faster

• OS X Version 10.8.5 ‘Mountain Lion’ or greater

Windows

• 1.2GHz or faster

• Windows 7, 8, 8.1 and 10 (32 or 64bit)

For all computers, the following resources are required:

• 4GB RAM

• 15MB Hard Disk space

• Internet connection (for product registration and software download)

The

ipMIDI

and Dante Virtual Soundcard software will be required for one or more DAW computers, Nucleus

2

Remote

can either be installed onto one of the DAW computers or onto an entirely different computer if required.

Software Installation – Mac

1. Go to www.solidstatelogic.com, click ‘Register’ in the top right-hand corner, and create an SSL account. If you already

have an SSL account, please login.

2. Click on your Username in the top right-hand corner of the website, then go to ‘My Products’, and click ‘Register a

product’. Select ‘Nucleus’, enter your console serial number, and click ‘Add’.

3. Click on the ‘Downloads’ link that will appear next to your registered Nucleus

2

console, and download the latest

support file for your OS.

Dante Virtual Soundcard

Installation of the Dante Virtual Soundcard is optional; if you intend to connect Nucleus

2

to your DAW using only

analogue or S/PDIF audio connections, you do not need to install Dante Virtual Soundcard.

To install the optional Dante Virtual Soundcard application:

• To obtain a Dante Virtual Soundcard license, go to

www.audinate.com. Click ‘Register’ in the top right hand corner

and create an Audinate account. If you already have an Audinate account, please login.

• Click on your ‘My Account’ in the top right-hand corner and go to ‘My Products’. Beneath ‘Redeem a Software token’,

enter the Dante Virtual Soundcard token included in the Nucleus

2

packaging, and submit.

• A DVS license code will now appear in your account – make note of this license code. Go to 'Products' at the top of

the page, and click on 'Dante Virtual Soundcard'. Select your OS version from the drop-down menu and click on the

Download link. Download and run the installer; this will place Dante Virtual Soundcard in the Applications Folder..

• Open the Applications folder, and double-click the Dante Virtual Soundcard icon. Click on Licensing, and enter the

license that was generated in your Audinate account. To find this again, go to

www.audinate.com, login, and go to

My Products.

• To uninstall Dante Virtual Soundcard simply drag the application to the Trash.

Page 10 Nucleus

2

User Guide

Dante Controller

I

nstallation of the Dante Controller is optional; if you intend to connect Nucleus

2

t

o your DAW using only analogue or

S

/PDIF audio connections, you do not need to install Dante Controller.

• To install Dante Controller, go to

w

ww.audinate.com

.

Click ‘Register’ in the top right hand corner and create an

A

udinate account. If you already have an Audinate account, please login.

• Go to ‘Products’ > ‘Dante Controller’ and choose a download appropriate for your version of OS X.

• Locate the downloaded package in the Finder window and double-click to launch the installer. The installer will place

the Dante Controller app into your Applications folder.

– If it becomes necessary to uninstall Dante Controller, simply drag the application folder to the Trash.

Nucleus

2

Remote

• To install Nucleus

2

Remote, simply drag the Nucleus

2

Remote icon to the Applications folder alias. This will copy the

application onto the computer.

• To run Nucleus

2

Remote, locate and double-click the Nucleus

2

Remote icon in the Applications folder. If required,

drag this icon to the Dock on the Desktop to provide quick and easy access.

– If it is necessary to uninstall Nucleus

2

Remote, simply locate the Nucleus

2

Remote icon in the Applications folder and

drag it to the Trash.

ipMIDI Driver

If an older version of the

ipMIDI

driver is already present on the computer, it must be removed prior to running the

installer; simply delete the

ipMIDIDriver.bundle

file from the

/Library/Audio/MIDI Drivers

folder.

• To install the ipMIDI driver, locate the ipMIDI package in the Finder window. Double-click this icon to launch the ipMIDI

installer. Follow the instructions in the installer (it should be safe to accept the defaults).

It will be necessary to log out and back in again after the driver has been installed.

– To uninstall the ipMIDI driver, simply delete the

ipMIDIDriver.plugin

file from the

/Library/Audio/MIDI Drivers

folder.

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 11

Software Installation – Windows

1. Go to

www.solidstatelogic.com click ‘Register’ in the top right-hand corner, and create an SSL account. If you already

have an SSL account, please login.

2. Click on your Username in the top right-hand corner of the website, then go to ‘My Products’, and click ‘Register a

product’. Select ‘Nucleus’, enter your console serial number, and click ‘Add’.

3. Click on the ‘Downloads’ link that will appear next to your registered Nucleus

2

console, and download the latest

support file for your OS.

Dante Virtual Soundcard

Installation of the Dante Virtual Soundcard is optional; if you intend to connect Nucleus

2

to your DAW using only

analogue or S/PDIF audio connections, you do not need to install Dante Virtual Soundcard.

To install the Dante Virtual Soundcard application:

• To get a Dante Virtual Soundcard license, go to

www.audinate.com. Click ‘Register’ in the top right hand corner, and

create an Audinate account. If you already have an Audinate account, please login.

• Click on your ‘My Account’ in the top right-hand corner, and go to ‘My Products’. Beneath ‘Redeem a Software token’

enter the Dante Virtual Soundcard token included in the Nucleus

2

packaging, and submit.

• A DVS license code will now appear in your account – make note of this license code. Go to 'Products' at the top of

the page, and click on 'Dante Virtual Soundcard'. Select your OS version from the drop-down menu, and click on the

Download link. Download and run the installer; this will place a Dante Virtual Soundcard shortcut on the Desktop.

• Open Dante Virtual Soundcard from the Desktop icon. Click on Licensing, and enter the license that was generated in

your Audinate account. To find this again, go to www.audinate.com, login, and go to My Products.

– To uninstall Dante Virtual Soundcard run the Uninstall application located in the Dante Virtual Soundcard folder.

Dante Controller

Installation of the Dante Controller is optional; if you intend to connect Nucleus

2

to your DAW using only analogue or

S/PDIF audio connections, you do not need to install Dante Controller.

• To install Dante Controller, go to www.audinate.com. Click ‘Register’ in the top right hand corner and create an

Audinate account. If you already have an Audinate account, please login.

• Go to ‘Products’ > ‘Dante Controller’ and choose the appropriate download for your Windows version.

• locate the Dante Controller Setup application and double-click this file to run the installer. Follow the instructions in

the installer application. The installer will place a shortcut on the Desktop; double-click this shortcut to run Dante

Controller.

– If it becomes necessary to uninstall Dante Controller, run the Uninstall application located in the Dante Controller

folder.

Nucleus

2

Remote

• To install Nucleus

2

Remote, locate the Nucleus

2

Setup application and double-click this file to run the Nucleus

2

Remote installer. Follow the instructions in the installer (it should be safe to accept the defaults).

• On completion of the installation process, the installer will place a shortcut on the Desktop; double-click this icon to

run Nucleus

2

Remote.

– The Nucleus

2

Remote can be un-installed by running the Uninstall application located in the Nucleus

2

Remote folder.

Page 12 Nucleus

2

User Guide

ipMIDI Driver

I

f an older version of the

i

pMIDI

d

river is already present on the computer, it should be uninstalled (using

A

dd/Remove

P

rograms

)

before running the installer.

• To install the ipMIDI driver, locate the ipMIDI Setup application and double-click this file to launch the ipMIDI installer.

F

ollow the instructions in the installer (it should be safe to accept the defaults).

I

t will be necessary to restart the computer after the driver has been installed.

• To remove the ipMIDI driver, simply run the Uninstall application located in the ipMIDI folder.

US

ING THE

DA

NTE INTERFACE ON

NU

CLEUS

2

W

ITH AN EXISTING

I/O S

ETUP

There are several ways to integrate the Nucleus

2

mic pre’s & monitor section with an existing sound card setup.

O

n pages 6&7 there are example setups that use the Nucleus

2

o

ptical SPDIF and analogue I/O for connecting an external

s

ound card; an alternative is to use Dante Via.

D

ante Via is a soware that allows you to route audio sources on your computer to the Dante network (and therefore to

t

he Nucleus

2

D

ante soundcard). The example below shows how Pro Tools I/O can be used alongside Nucleus

2

;

outputs

1

and 2 of Pro Tools are going to Dante Via, and routed using Dante Controller to the Nucleus

2

m

onitoring section. The

N

ucleus

2

o

utputs 1 and 2 (from the SuperAnalogue mic pre’s) are routed over Dante to Dante Via, which routes them to

i

nputs 1 & 2 of Pro Tools.

Dante Via Install and Setup

1. Go to

www.audinate.com

2. Go to Products > Dante Via

3. Click on Buy Dante Via, select your OS from the dropdown menu, then click and download the installer. At this point

you can purchase a Dante Via license, or use the free trial.

4. Run the Dante Via installer and open the soware – please note that you will need to ‘stop’ Dante Virtual Soundcard, if it is

already running.

You will also need to install Dante Controller – instructions on how to do this can be found on pages 10&11.

Configuration

On the le side of the Dante Via window is a list of Audio Sources, and on the right Audio Destinations.

1. Under the Audio Sources list, click Enable Dante for the soundcard you wish to connect to the Dante network.

2. Under the Audio Destinations list, click Enable Dante for the soundcard you wish to connect to the Dante network.

The soundcard will now be available on the Dante network, and visible in Dante Controller.

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 13

Pro Tools

In/Out 1-2

Nucleus

2

In/Out 1-2

Computer running

Dante Via

Live Room

Sources

Control Room

Sources

3. Go to Dante Controller and make the audio routes between your soundcard and Nucleus

2

. To do this, expand the

transmitter/receiver I/O by clicking on the ‘+’ signs, then click on the channel cross-points to route your soundcard

channels to Nucleus2 and vice-versa (as shown below).

Page 14 Nucleus

2

User Guide

Nucleus

2

User Guide Page 15

4. Connection and Software Configuration

PHYSICAL CONNECTIONS

T

he Installation Guide that came with Nucleus

2

c

ontains important safety information. Please be sure to read that

g

uide before attempting to connect Nucleus

2

.

The mains power connection for Nucleus

2

is via a standard 3-pin IEC320 power cable into its external power supply. The

following audio and data connections can be found on the Nucleus

2

back panel:

Audio Connections

PRE  IN, PRE  IN Combi inputs for Nucleus

2

pre-amps 1 and 2, XLR connections are routed via the pre-amps;

plugging in a 1/4" jack will automatically select the high input impedance on the channel strip.

SEND/RETURN  and  Balanced 1/4" jack Insert Send and Return connections for pre-amps 1 and 2. (The Sends also

function as balanced Mic-pre outputs)

Inserts can also be used on the monitor circuits – see Page 42 for details.

EXTERNAL L and R Balanced XLR input for connecting an additional stereo signal to the Nucleus

2

monitoring

MONITOR L and R Balanced XLR outputs for connecting the Nucleus

2

monitoring to a pair of loudspeakers

MINI L and R Balanced XLR outputs for connecting Nucleus

2

to an auxiliary pair of loudspeakers

HEADPHONES 1/4" stereo headphone connections. Both sockets send identical signals

TALKBACK IN Balanced XLR input for talkback; with adjustable gain

IJACK 3.5mm stereo jack input provides an additional source into the monitoring and headphone sends

SPDIF Optical S/PDIF stereo IO. The outputs of the Nucleus

2

pre-amps feed the S/PDIF output (channel

1 is left, channel 2 is right) and the S/PDIF inputs feed the External monitor connection

Data Connections

Both Network and USB connections must be made between Nucleus

2

and the DAW computer(s) – for systems using

multiple computers, see Page 16.

NETWORK Standard RJ45 Ethernet connector for DAW data and Dante audio. The two ports function as a

network switch so either can be used for Dante and DAW control. The unused port may be used

for additional Dante Network devices.

USB Use a standard USB A-B cable to connect Nucleus

2

to a USB port on your DAW computer. This

connection is used for keyboard commands to the DAW.

Defining Keyboard Nationality (Mac)

Nucleus

2

emulates a UK keyboard. When Nucleus

2

is first connected to a Mac, a dialogue will be displayed which asks

you to identify the new keyboard. In order to identify the keyboard type, the Mac then requires the key to right of the left

Shift key to be pressed. Mode switch 16 on Nucleus

2

(see Page 27), is assigned a ‘Keyboard ID’ command by default;

pressing this switch will send the required keystroke to the Mac to correctly identify Nucleus

2

as a UK keyboard.

FOOTSWITCH Two footswitches can be connected to Nucleus

2

using the single 1/4" stereo (X-Y) jack

FOOTSWITCH connector – use a mono-to-stereo splitter cable to separate the two footswitch

connections.

TERMINAL The TERMINAL D-connector is used for advanced system configuration and diagnostics. We

strongly suggest not using this unless you are confident with terminal procedures and have an

in-depth understanding of quantum theory.

Page 16 Nucleus

2

User Guide

CONFIGURING NETWORK CONNECTIONS

Network Wiring

To ensure the fastest possible communication between your DAW computer and Nucleus

2

– and to simplify the installation

wiring – Nucleus

2

communicates with your workstation over Ethernet using the ipMIDI driver to emulate a multiport MIDI

interface. To ensure minimum latency ipMIDI uses multicast UDP rather than TCP/IP. This means that:

• The network connection should be short and direct.

Where possible all cables should be as short as possible and only routers that can support high data transfer rates

should be used. Problems have been experienced with some domestic routers, particularly when used with Pro Tools.

Typical symptoms of a slow network connection are:

- The Nucleus

2

fails to synchronise all controls when first connecting with the DAW.

- Channel controls and scribble strips on channels 9-16 fail to update reliably when using the CHANNEL scroller

switches.

• All computers on the network will receive ipMIDI packets.

Notes for network wizards

Because ipMIDI uses multicast UDP packets, messages between one computer and Nucleus

2

will be received by all

other computers on the network, potentially causing problems in installations with more than one Nucleus

2

. The UDP

packets can be blocked by using a firewall router and connecting the main network to the WAN connector. The firewall

can then be configured to allow all traffic apart from UDP ports 21928 through 21947 which are used by ipMIDI and

port 50081 which is used by the Nucleus

2

Remote application. Note that it may be necessary to use a separate Ethernet

switch in place of the integrated firewall router switch, as some of these can not support the high data transfer rate

required. The NetGear GS108 (an eight port switch) has been used successfully at SSL Begbroke.

A pre-configured LAN Integration Network Switch can be purchased from the SSL web store.

Also see setup example on page 16

To avoid the latency and communication issues illustrated above, we recommend that Nucleus

2

and the DAW computers

be connected directly on a dedicated network. In practice, most systems can be configured with a direct connection.

Assigning the Nucleus

2

IP Address

The Nucleus

2

IP address is configured via the Network Setup tab

in the Nucleus

2

Remote.

By default, Nucleus

2

uses a fixed IP address of 169.254.1.2 – the

IP Address, Subnet and Gateway shown in the picture should work

for a direct connection to a single DAW computer.

We suggest you do not attempt to change these unless you are

familiar with Ethernet configuration as doing so may break

communication between Nucleus

2

and the Remote.

If Nucleus

2

must be connected via a wider network – ideally, in

that case, through a network switch or router – Nucleus

2

should

probably be set to use a DHCP server (check the Use DHCP option)

to automatically set an IP Address, Subnet and Gateway suitable

for your wider network. If there is any possibility that a DHCP server

is not available the Fixed option should be used.

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Solid State Logic Nucleus2 User manual

Solid State Logic Nucleus2 User manual

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