PreSonus StudioLive 16.4.2 Digital Mixer  

StudioLive is one of the most powerful and flexible 16-channel digital mixers the world has seen. Loaded with 16 high-headroom XMAX microphone preamplifiers, built-in 32x18 FireWire recording and playback engine, Fat-Channel processing with 4-band EQs, compressors, limiters and gates, DSP effects, 6 aux buses, 4 sub-groups, extensive LED metering, mixer save and recall, channel-strip save/recall/copy/paste, talkback, and more, it breaks new boundaries for music performance and production.

Note:Since 5/26/09, you can make your StudioLive 16.4.2 64-bit compatible via a PreSonus web update. There is also a firmware update that includes a new graphic EQ and makes it possible to daisy-chain multiple StudioLive 16.4.2 units or other FireStudio-series interfaces.

Loaded with Racks of Effects

StudioLive is loaded with everything needed for professional live sound production totaling 28 compressors, 28 limiters, 28 gates, 28 high-pass filters, 2 stereo reverb/delays, 2 master stereo limiters and more, saving you loads of money and trips from the trailer during load in/out. All StudioLive digital effects are created and processed with 32-bit floating point precision for maximum sonic performance and enhanced musicality.

Best In Both Worlds

StudioLive seamlessly integrates a professional digital mixer with a complete multi-channel recording system delivering the most creative environment available for both live performance and studio music production. Take your recording studio to the gig, and have your soundman record and even enhance your shows with the power of StudioLive.

StudioLive 16.4.2 gives you ultimate creative control in the studio. Record with or without Fat Channel or DSP effects processing. Create mixes, loops, sound effects and more, then bring them out to your show and mix them with the live performance. Process channels using your favorite plug-ins, and completely automate your entire show using your favorite music recording and production software. StudioLive completely revolutionizes music production, opening endless creative possibilities.

Powerful and Easy Digital Mixing

The StudioLive mixer features the innovative and intuitive QuickTouch design allowing fast access to every parameter, mix, effect, and aux, allowing quick and creative control during music production. Load and save functions are also included to create snapshots of channel settings, save effect settings, totally recalling a mix, and more. All digital mixing and effects processing is done with 32-bit floating point precision for unmatched musicality.

Fat Channel

(EQ, Compressor, Limiter, Gate, on every channel)
The heart of StudioLive is the Fat Channel feature, engaged by pressing any "select" button, and features extensive equalization and dynamics available to every input channel, every aux output, every subgroup output, and main output. High pass filter, and four-band semi-parametric equalization algorithms are based on PreSonus' custom-designed digital EyeQ equalizer, delivering extremely musical results. Also included in the Fat Channel are compressors, limiters and gates modeled after PreSonus' award-winning ACP88 for complete dynamics control.

DSP Effects

Two programmable 32-bit stereo DSP effects engines are loaded in StudioLive with a wide range of reverbs, delays, and time-based effects with easy to use parameter adjustment, tap tempo, store, recall, and scene selection for ultimate creative flexibility.

Load and Save Your Settings

The PreSonus StudioLive allows you to save all of your digital settings for quick setup and recall. Save "scenes" (all settings) including fader levels with LED position matching, channel strips (Fat Channel), and individual DSP effects for ultimate ease, quickness and control.

Professional Sound Quality

StudioLive spares no expense when it comes to sound quality. All digital mixing is done with ultra high headroom 32-bit floating point processing for optimal sonic performance. Analog input and output is converted to digital audio with the highest-quality digital converters available delivering a dynamic range of +118dB for spectacular sonic results and unmatched musicality.

Built-in 32x18 FireWire Recording

StudioLive includes PreSonus' award-winning FireWire technology with JetPLL synchronization delivering 22 channels of recording and 18 channels of simultaneous playback. Each FireWire recording channel can be set to record either pre or post Fat-Channel signal processing giving total flexibility and power. StudioLive can also return 18 FireWire playback channels from your recording and production software for remixing and live performance with pre-recorded tracks, as well as studio mixing using the mixer's internal signal processing and summing algorithms. The StudioLive Mixer is compatible with Mac and Windows audio recording and music production software including Logic, Nuendo, Cubase, Sonar, Digital Performer, Audition and more.

Integrated Multi-Track Recording Software—CAPTURE
StudioLive 16.4.2 also ships complete with CAPTURE multi-track recording software so you can effortlessly record your shows right out of the box. CAPTURE software was designed to interface with StudioLive 16.4.2 perfectly to allow instant setup and recording of performances. With the look and feel of industry standard digital multi-track hard disk recorders, CAPTURE software is instantly familiar to every musician and engineer. StudioLive HDR software gives you full editing capability as well as export to WAV file formats for compatibility with ProTools, Cubase, Nuendo, Logic, Sonar and all other recording and music production software. Or you can play back your recorded tracks into StudioLive 16.4.2 via FireWire and mix your tracks with the mixing power and capabilities of the PreSonus StudioLive 16.4.2, then record the final mix back to CAPTURE.

XMAX Class A Preamplifiers

StudioLive includes sixteen custom-designed high-voltage, discrete, XMAX Class A microphone preamplifiers for all types of microphones. The job of a microphone preamplifier is to boost microphone level signals to line level so that the signal can be converted from analog to digital. This mic-to-line boost is generally a preamplification of over 400 times the voltage of the original mic level signal. This preamplification stage is one of the most important stages that the signal will go through before being converted to digital, and is why a high performance preamplifier is important to achieving great results.

All XMAX preamplifiers are built with the same three elements:
• High Voltage—The XMAX preamplifier runs on power rails of 30V. Most off the shelf op amp-based designs run on power rails of 10V to 18V. Higher voltage power rails deliver more headroom, deeper lows, smoother highs and an overall fuller sound. .

• Discrete—No op amps. Only transistors, resistors and capacitors. Op amps add noise, coloration and harshness to a signal. Discrete designs deliver ultra low noise and transparency.

• Class A—When a circuit is running in Class A mode the circuit is always in an "on" state operating at its optimal voltage requirements. Class A mode has zero crossover distortion and delivers purer, clearer and more musical sonics than class A/B designs which are found in most op-amp circuits.

The net result of the XMAX preamp design is high headroom, low noise, wide dynamic range and wide frequency range, and most importantly, musicality and transparency—smooth highs, solid deep lows, and everything in between.

VSL Control Software
The optional PreSonus Virtual StudioLive software for Mac and Windows, which is offered as a free download, provides bidirectional control of the StudioLive 16.4.2 digital mixer. Now you can see and control the most-used mixer parameters onscreen, including channel, subgroup, aux send, and main levels, as well as Fat Channel, effects, and graphic EQ settings.

Control the mixer with a mouse or watch VSL update when you adjust the hardware. Drag Fat Channel presets onto all 16 channels in seconds. Mute or solo every channel with a sweep of the mouse. Apply a new Scene to the whole mixer just by dragging it on VSL from a list you see at all times, or collect and trade Scenes with other StudioLive users.

To top it off, you can use low-cost third-party software to control VSL—and therefore, your StudioLive mixer—from an iPhone, iPad, laptop, or any other device that supports VNC remote control of your computer. Now you can walk around the venue and tweak the mix, in real time, from any location, fixing monitor mixes from the stage and eliminating sonic problems on the spot.