I installed everything (followed the directions in the manual) and got SSL to play my mp3s, however, they sound very distorted. I turned the gains down and that helped but the mp3s still sound like they are coming over an AM radio. Any suggestions on why it is doing this? It is also annoying that every new song I load, the gain goes back to default and blasts me through the headphones.

Sounds like you've plugged the line outputs of the SL-1 into the phono inputs on your mixer.

that was it...