PreSonus StudioLive 16.4.2AI

With a powerful user interface, unrivaled sound quality, amazing DSP performance, direct Wi-Fi and LAN communication, fast and intuitive workflow, onboard FireWire s800 interface, and tightly integrated software suite for Mac, Windows, and iOS, StudioLive AI-series digital mixers create a streamlined working environment for both live and studio use.

Redesigned from the ground up, these state-of-the-art mixers provide analog workflow with extensive dual signal processing on every channel and bus and actively integrated software that solves real-world problems and lets you record and distribute what you mix. Configurable networking and communications option cards ensure your investment won’t be outdated as new technologies emerge.

In short, StudioLive AI-series mixers deliver the very best in digital mixing and recording technology and make it all incredibly intuitive and easy to learn and use.

The future is Active Integration

StudioLive AI-series mixers start with all the strengths that made the first generation of StudioLive mixers famous: powerful, surface-driven interface; loads of DSP processing and analog I/O; and layerless mixing, thanks to dedicated mix buses. Then they push the technology to the next level. So while the three StudioLive AI-series mixers — the StudioLive 32.4.2AI, 24.4.2AI, and 16.4.2AI —look and feel much like their non-AI counterparts, they have been reengineered from the ground up with far more capabilities and computing power.

The difference is Active Integration(AI), a complete, networked, tightly integrated hardware/software ecosystem in which every touch point in the system communicates to enhance the user experience and solve practical problems in ways not previously possible.

Actively integrated software

PreSonus StudioLive AI-series mixers are tightly integrated with an entire suite of free, state-of-the-art software that helps you mix and record better and have more fun doing it. No other digital mixer anywhere near this price class comes close with respect to software integration and features. In fact, most digital mixers in much higher price classes don’t come close.

Wi-Fi and wired networking

Like all StudioLive mixers, every AI-series mixer integrates a multi-channel recording interface. Unlike previous StudioLive mixers, however, AI-series mixers are equipped with a continuously bidirectional FireWire s800 audio interface that is located on an option card, so you can swap it out and use the latest cutting-edge technologies, such as Thunderbolt, Dante, and AVB. 

Safe, sane, and secure

Powerful networking and wireless remote control is great—but what if someone tries to hack into your Wi-Fi system and take control of the show or some clown attempts to play FOH engineer when you step away from the mixing station? You can put the kibosh on that, thanks to the StudioLive AI mixer’s security features!

A gigantic console in a small package

If a StudioLive AI mixer were an analog console, it would have 4-foot-long channel strips packed with knobs and buttons or it would require a massive outboard rack of expensive signal processors!

That's because each channel and bus has its own studio-grade compressor, limiter, gate/expander, and 4-band parametric equalizer. Each input channel, aux and FX bus also has a highpass filter, and input channels have polarity invert.

It all fits into one remarkable processing and routing section known as the Fat Channel.

Unlike most competing digital mixers, there are no limitations or compromises, no shared resources, no figuring out what processing is available where. You have all of the processing available at all times.

Because StudioLive AI mixers have so much more processing power and blazing-fast RAM than previous StudioLive models, you can create two complete sets of EQ and dynamics-processor settings for every channel and bus and then make quick A/B comparisons at the touch of the Alt EQ & Dyn button. Does your guitar player use a Strat for some songs and Les Paul for others? Don’t use up two channels, create two completely different Fat Channel settings for each guitar and access them with the press of a button before he’s got the next guitar strap on.

It’s like having two complete channel strips on every input and output—but simpler and more efficient!

Effects you'd expect from a $600 stand-alone processor

You get four programmable, 32-bit, stereo DSP effects engines—two of them loaded with reverbs and two armed with delay effects that you can really use. Each stereo processor has its own dedicated internal FX bus, and you can use all four all of the time without compromising other resources.

The reverbs are so rich and detailed that you feel like you're there. Delays are precise. Slap echo sounds like old-school tape effects. And all 50 preset effects have easy-to-use parameter adjustments, tap tempo, store, recall, and Scene selection for ultimate creative flexibility.

Plentiful graphic EQ

With StudioLive AI-series mixers, you get graphic EQ on every aux bus and on the mains—all at the same time, without compromising other resources. In addition, each graphic EQ has an A/B option, so you can, for example, boost the bass for a rock band and then switch over to a “smiley face” for intermission program music.

Connect to VSL-AI over a FireWire connection, and you can use the Smaart Spectra Spectrograph and RTA and StudioLive EQs to quickly kill feedback building up in floor wedges before the musicians even notice it!

A wealth of dedicated analog I/O

View the rear of a StudioLive AI-series mixer, and you’ll see a familiar jackfield, with individual XLR mic and ¼” line inputs and TRS insert points on every channel, along with a wealth of other dedicated inputs and outputs. Every input channel and bus send has its own dedicated jack—no sharing, no compromises.

The ease of analog meets the power of digital

Among the employees of PreSonus, there are more band members than you can shake a mic stand at. All of us have lived with conventional mixers for years. And many of us have struggled with the less-than-intuitive interfaces of earlier digital mixers, with their bank switching, layers, nested menus, etc. Many of today’s digital mixers have the same problems.

When you’re mixing a live event or have an artist in the studio, you need to be able to work quickly. So when we designed StudioLive, one of our primary goals was to provide a familiar interface that would keep all critical controls visible and accessible —not buried inside multiple menus. And the few times you do need to access a menu, StudioLive AI-series mixers quickly get you to the page you need. 

Complete store and recall—instantly

Two factors work against getting that Perfect Mix with an analog mixer. First, the Perfect Mix can be hard to reproduce a week, day, or hour after you perfect it. And second, a good mix should be dynamic: levels, effects, and EQ should be tailored to each song or segment of the show, service, or presentation. This adds up to a lot of settings to remember and reset at every performance.

That's where the power of digital comes in: StudioLive lets you save all of your digital settings for quick setup and recall. Unlike some digital mixers, StudioLive makes it very quick and easy.

Features:

• XLR mic and ¼” line inputs
• High-headroom Class A XMAX mic preamplifiers
• Analog ¼" inserts (rear panel)
• Trim control with –20 to +20 dBV line / -15 to +65 dBu mic gain range (80 dB!)
• +48V phantom power switch for condenser microphones
• Digital Audio Input Select
• 100 mm precision faders
• Phase reverse, highpass filter, noise gate/expander, compressor, 4-band EQ, limiter—all with A/B and Quick Null

Presonus Conjures Studio Magic

Registered owners of any currently available PreSonus® audio interface or mixer are receiving a free bonus: the Studio Magic Plug-in Suite for Mac® and Windows®. The software bundle includes seven popular plug-ins in VST, AU, and AAX formats. Currently eligible interfaces and mixers include the PreSonus AudioBox USB, AudioBox i-series, and Studio-series interfaces and StudioLive Series III, StudioLive AR USB, and StudioLive RML-series mixers. The software will be automatically added to registered users’ online My PreSonus accounts and can be downloaded at any time.

• SPL Attacker is a micro-plug-in that employs the same Differential Envelope processing technique as SPL’s famed Transient Designer. Using SPL Attacker, all attack events can be amplified, regardless of their signal level. By focusing on the initial transient instead of specific frequencies, SPL Attacker amplifies just the attack curves of a sound event. This allows instruments to be mixed at lower levels, which opens up space in the mix, while the relationship between tracks is preserved.
• Mäag Audio EQ2 delivers the sound of the Mäag Audio EQ2 two-band hardware equalizer. Mäag Audio’s EQ design allows for exceptionally low phase shift across all EQ adjustments, which helps maintain the integrity of your mix’s original sound while enhancing the very high “air” frequencies. An input attenuator lets you normalize levels before applying EQ.
• Lexicon’s MPX-i Reverb delivers seven classic Lexicon plate, hall, chamber, and room reverbs. A streamlined interface and 100 versatile, finely crafted presets enable you to quickly get the sound you want. Input and output metering let you monitor levels at a glance.
• The Eventide H910 plug-in is a faithful re-creation of the classic H910 Harmonizer, which offered unique combinations of pitch shifting, modulation, and delay. Use pitch changing to create specific musical intervals and perfect harmonies, spread guitars, fatten snares, apply subtle organic detuning to synths, and add slap-back delays to vocals.
• The Eventide 2016 Stereo Room, delivers a natural, yet distinctive-sounding reverb that can be lush or subtle. Derived from Eventide’s SP2016 hardware processor, its simple, intuitive controls allow you to fine tune your virtual space, from a dark hallway to a bright studio vocal room. Use multiple instances to bring out the character of different parts of a track.
• The Brainworx bx_opto compressor combines the best aspects and anomalies from several legendary, light-dependent compressor circuits. The result is a powerful dynamics processor, teeming with character and delivering sounds that can’t be achieved with analog optical compressors.
• Arturia’s Analog Lab Lite, is a “Greatest Hits” collection of physically modeled classic analog synths, organs, string machines, and pianos from Arturia’s V-Collection of virtual instruments. Enjoy models of iconic instruments from Oberheim, Roland, Sequential Circuits, ARP, Hammond, Fender, Wurlitzer, Moog, and Vox.