Presonus StudioLive 24.4.2
Following up on the runaway success of its StudioLive 16.4.2 digital mixer, PreSonus announced a new member of the family: the StudioLive 24.4.2. Like its 16-channel sibling, the 24-channel StudioLive 24.4.2 is designed for both studio recording and live sound, without compromising the requirements for either.
Presonus StudioLive 24.4.2
The Presonus StudioLive 24.4.2 sports the same friendly user interface, robust feature set, and extensive I/O configuration as the StudioLive 16.4.2 but with several significant additions and enhancements. The most obvious difference is that the new mixer provides 24 input channels, rather than 16. As with the 16.4.2, each input features a trim pot, XLR mic input with XMAXT mic preamp, 1/4-inch TRS balanced line inputs and unbalanced insert points. Like the 16.4.2, the StudioLive 24.4.2 offers 4 subgroup outputs, but where the 16-channel model offers 6 aux buses, the 24.4.2 provides 10 aux buses. It can also be controlled via the VSL (Virtual Studio Live) software from a laptop and even a phone.
Of course, both StudioLive models serve as dual-port FireWire audio interfaces that can route all channels and buses to and from a Mac or Windows PC. But where the 16.4.2 is a 32x18 FireWire interface, the 24.4.2 can send 32 channels to the computer and can return 26 channels via FireWire.
The now-familiar Fat Channel provides extensive metering and the programming interface for the EQ, dynamics processing, high-pass filter, and signal routing. But the StudioLive 24.4.2's Fat Channel provides a 4-band fully parametric EQ, an upgrade over the StudioLive 16.4.2's semiparametric equalizer. The StudioLive 24.4.2's gate/expander has also been upgraded from the gate/expander in the 16.4.2, adding Key Filter and Key Listen features.
Like the StudioLive 16.4.2, the StudioLive 24.4.2 provides 31-band graphic EQ. But whereas the 16-channel mixer has 1 stereo graphic EQ for the main bus only, the 24-channel StudioLive has 4 stereo 31-band graphic EQs, and they're available to the main, subgroup, and aux outputs. The graphic EQ's settings can be stored and recalled individually or as part of a mix scene, as with every other setting on the StudioLive.
Otherwise, for the most part, the StudioLive 24.4.2 has essentially the same feature set and interface as the StudioLive 16.4.2. Nothing has been taken away. You still get two stereo 32-bit effects processors, stereo tape sends and returns, a talkback section, stereo S/PDIF digital output, and all of the other powerful StudioLive features. You can daisy-chain the StudioLive 24.4.2 with another StudioLive (either model) and with FireStudio-series interfaces, to create a mega-system with up to 52 inputs and outputs for mixing with recording. Up to three StudioLive 24.4.2s can be daisy-chained in Standalone mode for live mixing without recording.
The two StudioLive models offer the same superb audio quality, with high-headroom, 32-bit floating-point processing; Class A XMAXT mic preamps; and 24-bit, 48 kHz digital converters with 118 dB dynamic range. Both mixers' FireWire interfaces work with any ASIO- or Core Audio-compliant audio application and are compatible with Windows and Mac OS X, including Windows 7 and Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard). Latency is so low that you can use your host program and plug-ins with either StudioLive in real time for live performances.
StudioLive comes bundled with PreSonus's new CaptureT 1.1 recording software for Mac OS X (including OS X 10.6) and Windows (including Windows 7). Designed primarily for live recording, Capture is preconfigured to record with the StudioLive, so all mixer channels are correctly routed to Capture tracks. Launch Capture, open a new session, click once to arm all tracks, click on Record, and you're capturing the audio from up to 32 channels and a stereo bus of your choice! It could not be simpler.
You also get a free copy of PreSonus' groundbreaking Studio One Artist digital audio workstation software for Mac and Windows, which features unlimited track count, a full complement of PreSonus Native Effects plug-ins, and more than 4 GB of third-party resources.
Virtual Studio Live
StudioLive mixer owners will be delighted to learn that they can control the most-used StudioLive parameters directly from a computer, thanks to PreSonus' new VSL software for the StudioLive 16.4.2 and StudioLive 24.4.2 digital mixers. VSL(short for “Virtual StudioLive”) provides bidirectional control of channel, subgroup, and main-bus levels; Fat Channel parameters; aux mixes; effects; and the graphic EQ. You get a visual overview of your StudioLive settings so you can see, tweak, and organize them and can easily manage your presets and Scenes. The software will be available for Mac OS X and Windows in the first quarter of 2010 and will be a free download.
Controlling your StudioLive with VSL is as easy as drag-and-drop. Drag different Fat Channel presets into each channel in seconds—or just drag part of a preset to the appropriate processor within the Fat Channel. Assign channels to multiple buses and control mute and solo on every channel with a sweep of the mouse. Load effects; adjust the Fat Channel's gate, compressor, and EQ; and adjust the graphic EQ quickly and easily from your computer. You can even load an entire mixer Scene by dragging it from a list that you see at all times.
Preset management is a breeze with VSL. You can store and organize a library of presets on your computer, reorder them to best fit your workflow for the gig, then transfer them to your mixer whenever you need them. Create presets anywhere you can take a computer, then drag them to your preset pool next time you connect the computer to the StudioLive. You can even drag presets out of the browser and email, IM, or disk-swap them with other StudioLive owners.
Since the control is bidirectional, fader moves and parameter changes made on the StudioLive are reflected in VSL, as well. So, for example, you can set up the StudioLive the way you want it and then save your Scene or other presets in VSL.
VSL is a 64-bit application, uses very little CPU power, and is wicked fast. Unlike previous efforts at computer-controlling a digital mixer, VSL has an innovative UI that can selectively drag preset components from sharable XML presets, so you can even drag an EQ into Skype so your friend can drop it on their StudioLive mixer. You can access controls buried deep into the front panel and see all controls at once with 1 to 2 ms of screen latency over a very high speed FireWire link—not a MIDI link requiring routing, setup configuration, and so on, as with some products.
Finally, if you connect a computer to the StudioLive via FireWire and set the computer up as a WiFi base, it's easy to control VSL (and therefore the StudioLive) from a WiFi-enabled tablet PC,using VNC or RDC (Remote Desktop Control). That allows you to tweak and mix from anywhere in the venue where you can maintain a WiFi link.
