PreSonus StudioLive 16.0.2 • 16-Channel Mixer and DAW Interface

[Jon Chappell]

 

Excellent Review! a question: if I use the reverb to monitor a recording session in addition to the eq and compressor, I can record on the pc without the reverb, but with other fx? Thanks

 

 

You have the option of recording with the "other fx" (dynamics + EQ) or not, simply by hitting the Digital Out switch. (This is explained in post #22 above.)

 

This is one reason why the 16.0.2 is such a good recording/live hybrid board (it's built into the name Studio + Live = StudioLive). You can set up a live sound with compression, low-cut filter, limiter, gate, and parametric EQ, and feed the board (via the FireWire cable) a completely dry signal. Or you can record your fx and save yourself a lot of post-production work!

[Jon Chappell]

16.0.2 vs. 16.4.2

 

I’ve received email questioning the differences between the 16.0.2 and the earlier 16.4.2 mixer. First, the numbering scheme. In PreSonus parlance, the first number is how many channels (16 in both cases). The second number is for subgroups. The 16.4.2 has 4; the 16.02. has none. Don’t get subgroups and aux sends confused. Each board has aux sends (the 16.4.2 has six; the 16.0.2 has four), and these have individual faders as well as 1/4" outputs on the back panel.

 

The 16.0.2 features MIDI I/O, which the earlier model doesn’t have. You’ll notice too that they are very different sizes. The 16.4.2 is quite a bit larger. Check out these photos.

 

A bird’s-eye view:

This photo, from a PreSonus ad, show an aerial view of the different sizes of all three boards now in their StudioLive line. What’s striking is the difference between the two footprints for the two 16-channel boards at the right. Note that despite their both being 16 channels, the 16.0.2 is quite a bit smaller. The 16.4.2 looks closer in scale to the 24.4.2 than it does to the 16.0.2.

 

 

From the front:

This is a photo that shows the boards in a foreshortened view. Still a pretty significant size difference.

 

 

Around Back:

Even the back panel view shows them to be different animals. The 16.0.2 is much shallower, making it more wedge-like than its bulkier big brother.

 

 

What a difference a few subgroups make, eh? Actually, there are more differences, especially in connectivity, but for what the 16.0.2 offers, it’s quite compact.

[Jon Chappell]

In fact, its small size is what makes the 16.0.2 so appealing. In getting ready to bring the unit out for a rehearsal and recording session, I assembled the various components I would need. You can really see how compact the whole setup becomes. Below are photos of what I’m bringing:

 

• Top shelf: StudioLive 16.0.2

• 2nd shelf: 2 headphone amps (PreSonus HP4's) with 2 headphones resting on and beside them

• 3rd shelf: laptop (MacBook Pro) with another set of headphones

• Bottom shelf: headphones #4 (I’m recording a four-piece band)

 

 

_

 

 

For a sense of scale, I put my guitar (Gibson ES-335) next to the mixer stand:

 

 

Of course, I left all the power cords and audio cables out of the photo for cleanliness’s sake. If you look carefully in the top photo, you can see the black D-Sub connectors dangling from the back of the mixer, just to the left of the stand. These are Planet Waves' Mod Snakes.

 

The mixer, headphone amps, and laptop take up no more room onstage than a turntable, large drum machine, or Akai MPC. The 16.0.2 is rack-mountable as well. I just checked PreSonus's site, and it look like the rack ears aren't available yet, but you can pre-order them here for about $40.

[scud133]

This thing looks amazingly cool. Subscribed.

[scud133]

Here's a few captain obvious questions...

 

1. How do you see the levels of all the channels, including the master? Those of us coming from Mackie-world are used to having a level indicator for each channel, or at least a clip light for each.

 

2. Is there a pre-fade level option to quickly set the trims?

 

3. What all is involved in setting up the sends to get monitor mixes going?

 

Basically I'm wondering about how much trouble it is to get up and going quickly, and then worrying about the fat channel fx and specifics once the band gets a soundcheck going.

[Jon Chappell]

Here's a few captain obvious questions... 1. How do you see the levels of all the channels, including the master? Those of us coming from Mackie-world are used to having a level indicator for each channel, or at least a clip light for each. 2. Is there a pre-fade level option to quickly set the trims? 3. What all is involved in setting up the sends to get monitor mixes going? Basically I'm wondering about how much trouble it is to get up and going quickly, and then worrying about the fat channel fx and specifics once the band gets a soundcheck going.

 

Right. I was so enamored of the Fat Channel feature, I probably skipped over the other common approach -- getting everyone passing audio through the system first, then tweaking individual channels once everyone's accounted for in the mains.

 

But the 16.0.2 does this as fast and as well as a conventional mixer. To your points:

 

1. and 2. Hitting either the Input or Output switch on the left side of the board converts the meter bank to 12 conventional level meters. Hitting Input gives you pre-fader, pre-dynamics levels of the input bus. There's one meter for every channel fader on the board (8 mono, 4 stereo). Hitting the Output switch shows Aux and Main bus levels.

 

 

3. Setting up the aux sends (which you'd use for monitor feeds and headphone mixes) does rely on the Fat Channel, but it is just as quick to configure as a "normal" mixer.

 

You hit any one of the four Aux switches, Aux 1 through Aux 4 (on the left side of the board, next to the meters), to show the aux levels for all 16 channels (12 faders). Once you've activated, say, Aux 3, the 12 rotary encoders just under the meters adjust the aux-send levels for their corresponding channels. The meters show their levels, making mixing an aux setup a snap. Hit Aux 2, and you get 12 "new" meters. Et cetera. Simple.

 

 

There's more to the aux sends than I've just described, too. For example, you can apply dynamics processing, EQ, and effects to the aux buses; link two of them as a stereo pair; and rout the talkback mic to them; but that's how you pass audio from point A to point B--whether it's the mains or an Aux out and off to a headphone amp for individual monitoring.

[musiklife]

 

Here's a few captain obvious questions... 1. How do you see the levels of all the channels, including the master? Those of us coming from Mackie-world are used to having a level indicator for each channel, or at least a clip light for each. 2. Is there a pre-fade level option to quickly set the trims? 3. What all is involved in setting up the sends to get monitor mixes going? Basically I'm wondering about how much trouble it is to get up and going quickly, and then worrying about the fat channel fx and specifics once the band gets a soundcheck going.

 

 

That's one of the coolest features about the StudioLive 1602. Once you are familiar with the work flow, you can get a quick mix with EQ, compression, and effects, get a monitor mixes, AND start recording in just a couple of minutes:

 

1. press input to turn on input metering and trim the input gains of the preamps.

 

2. push up the Aux 1 fader (Aux 1 master send); press the Aux 1 button and turn the fat channel knobs (channel sends) to create a mix for Aux 1 (repeat for Aux 2-4 for more aux mixes)

 

3. load fat channel presets for all of your channels to add EQ, compression, limiter, gate on every channel (this goes really fast once of do it once or twice).

 

4. select a reverb for FX A and a delay for FX B (typical)

 

5. pull up the faders and get a quick mix

 

6. add reverb and delay to channels by pressing "mix" in the FX A/B area and turn the fat channel knobs (channel sends) to add reverb/delay to desired channels.

 

Then if you want to record, open Capture, open a new song, click on "enable all" and hit record.

 

that's it.

 

It's really fun to work on because you have quick and easy access to everything.

[Jon Chappell]

Welcome to the Forums, Brad! Please feel free to continue to add, augment, correct and say "true dat" to any info I present.

 

Folks, Brad will be more than willing to answer any questions you have about the StudioLive 16.0.2, or on anything in the PreSonus line.

 

Okay, onward.

 

This week I spent time recording a band and got to try out the board in a crowded rehearsal space. That made me appreciate the smaller footprint of the 16.0.2 even more. But first I'd like to present the effects, as I think the way PreSonus has implemented them is just right. Let's get to it!

 

 

StudioLive 16.0.2 Onboard Effects

 

We’ve talked about the tone-shaping aspects of the Fat Channel (dynamics, EQ, panning, routing, etc.), but you can further tailor your sound “in the box” by using the 16.0.2’s two effects buses. These are dedicated buses (named A and B) and are independent of the four Aux buses (1–4).

 

Old school recordists who use analog boards (remember them?) used buses for “aux” functions (like creating alternate pre- and post-fader mixes for monitors and headphones) and effects in the same way, because both involved routing the signal out of the mixer (via jacks) to do their thing—aux signals to a monitor amp, powered speaker, or headphone distribution amp; effects to an outboard processor, like a Lexicon or TC reverb unit. In the case of effects, the signal had to not only go out, but come back in (through another set of jacks).

 

In a digital board, effects can be implemented with onboard processing. You don’t need the physical I/O, and so you save on real estate and expense. That’s the approach the 16.0.2 takes, where compact size and low price are large parts of its appeal. Here, the effects are treated entirely as internal buses, and the results work quite well, largely because PreSonus is intelligent and realistic about their implementation. The effects consist mostly of delays and reverbs, so any modulation effects (like flanging on cymbals, etc.) will have to be done out of the box.

 

Here’s a table of the FX contained in the 16.0.2. There are nine reverbs and four delays to choose from. The mixer comes preloaded with the 50 you see in the chart, any or all of which can be overwritten and renamed. There are 50 additional slots where you can write your own effects—either edited from the original 50 and resaved, or built from scratch.

 

[Jon Chappell]

Take a look at the photo that shows how the effects are implemented on the mixer's surface. There are two FX switches on the left side, next to the meter ladder on Channel 1. Activating either switch turns all the meters over to that effect (A or B), showing the relative levels for all 16 channels. On the right side of the board is where all the editing and aux/main assigning takes place.

 

 

The selection and parameters are adjusted using the main display and the controls under it. The red highlighting borders show controls relative to the effects. For example, the sideways oval encircles the FX switch, which causes the display to show the effects parameters (versus the Master Control function). The short columns called FXA and FXB show the Level controls and three assign switches: (Aux1–4), Main, and Select.

 

This means an effect can be assigned to the four aux buses and to the mains, as well as channels. Remember, the Select switch indicates that the effects are also subject to Fat Channel control. This is a surprising amount of versatility in the routing and shaping of the effects.

[Jon Chappell]

As to editing the effect parameters themselves, the 16.0.2 offers five screens, or Pages. The first (Page 1) is called QuickView, and it shows the memory location, Name/TYPE, and most important parameter of each effect.

 

In the photo below, the important parameters are Time (ms) and Decay (s) in the delay and reverb effects, respectively.

 

[Jon Chappell]

Page 2 shows FXA in more detail. Note that the Time (ms) parameter is included here, along with five more (Time X, FeedBack, F_Freq, F_Gain, and F_Q).

 

 

 

Page 3 shows FXB in more detail, repeating the Decay (s) parameter you see in the QuickView (Page 1) screen.

 

 

Pages 4 and 5 show the Store functions, along with the memory locations and names, for FXA and FXB.

 

 

The effects offer quite a variety of ambient based delays and reverbs. You won’t find exotic modulation controls over the delays, and the time in milliseconds proceeds at 5ms intervals. So you couldn’t craft an ultra-exact, tempo-specific delay. But for general delay and reverb functions, and for anything you’ll encounter in a live situation, these are more than adequate in terms of selection.

 

I encountered one strange bug when programming the effects, though. Hitting the Select channel on FX B wouldn't change the cursor highlight to B. So I'd hit Select B, and start tweaking, only to find I'd be changing A's programs. You have to use the Next key to get to FX B. The FX B should move the cursor there for you. I trust PreSonus will fix this in an update.

 

The effects themselves sound terrific. I had some pretty wet stuff going, and I couldn’t detect any fizzy stuff in even a very long reverb tail of the Cathedral reverb. These are smooth-sounding and musical effects, and perfect for a submix or an overall mix.

[Jon Chappell]

I should point out that the editable parameters are different, depending on which algorithm you use. For example, here's a shot of two different delays and the respective parameters that appear:

 

[Jon Chappell]

The StudioLive 16.0.2 in Rehearsal

 

I’ve been doing a lot of recording on the StudioLive 16.0.2, and it’s been satisfying on a lot of levels. Like any mixer, you simply get faster on it the more you work with it, and that’s true here as well. There’s just about no operation on the board I can’t do with speed and confidence.

 

So I was really curious to see what would happen when I was forced out of my comfort zone a bit. That happened when I asked the New York City pop-punk band Tied For Last to swap their existing Mackie 1402 board for the PreSonus 16.0.2 in one of their rehearsals. They weren’t up for recording anything that night (even just to test the board, which I had to respect), but we’ll get to that at a later date. For now, we would use the board strictly in a live context.

 

I set up the board on a narrow stand, and flattened out a music stand to support the headphone amps. We used one of those TV tray stands for the laptop. It all fit in the center of the room, with enough breathing space that I wasn't nervous that someone would crash into the rig.

 

The NYC pop-punk band Tied for Last rehearses in a small space—perfect for the StudioLive 16.0.2.

 

_

Besides the 16.0.2, you can see two PreSonus HP4 headphone amps to the right of the mixer, and a MacBook Pro running PreSonus Universal Control and Capture in the foreground.

 

_

[Jon Chappell]

I set up the StudioLive 16.0.2 in the center of the band (a quartet of two guitars, one bass, and a drum set), facing the control surface toward the leader (lead singer and rhythm guitarist).

 

I showed him how the board worked, including Fat Channel operation. Then I offered him the choice of controlling the board using either the front panel or the laptop.

 

In my earlier tests of the board, I personally found it easier to use Universal Control. But when you put a physical board in front of someone—especially if they have a background in analog or otherwise conventional boards—it’s not surprising that they’ll go to the control surface.

 

 

That’s what happened here. Steve (in the blonde hair and glasses) liked tweaking the knobs, even when it meant he had to get clarification on the Fat Channel (an unfamiliarity that goes away in a short time). He just never warmed to the more representative (I think) Universal Control. But that just shows you that there’s different strokes, and that PreSonus’s Fat Channel is that strong: even a sexy interface, right beside it, doesn’t trump the front-panel appeal.

 

 

_

[Jon Chappell]

The advantage to all this, of course, is that you really have two ways to control the board. And because they can be used simultaneously, you can offer the laptop control to someone else—another band member facing the leader, or an engineer sitting out of the circle completely. That’s what ended up happening here. The lead guitar player (holding the white Strat), whose day job is doing post-production video editing, cottoned to the laptop approach immediately, and made adjustments that way.

 

 

So controlling the 16.0.2 with a laptop doesn’t have to be an either/or thing. Two people can control it simultaneously. You just figure out beforehand who wants the manual/hands-on control and who is comfortable using the laptop.

 

Of course, there are advantages to each approach. The person with access to the board can make faster changes—such as if feedback appears—while the laptop jockey can make more fine-tuned tweaks, such as EQ or effects manipulation. That seemed to suit the personalities here. The lead singer was more accustomed to making large-scale changes--levels, especially--while the lead guitarist made more micro changes (FX, EQ). Neither got in each other's way when simultaneously making changes on the board. In fact, they didn't even discuss it; they just fell into their normal roles.

[Jon Chappell]

A press release from PreSonus:

 

PreSonus Enhances StudioLive Mixers and More with Universal Control 1.5.2

 

Baton Rouge, Louisiana – PreSonus™ is now shipping Universal Control 1.5.2, a free, major update to its driver and control software, which also includes important firmware updates for its StudioLive™ 16.4.2 and 16.0.2 digital mixers. We thank all who participated in the public beta testing for version 1.5.2; the beta version is replaced by this release.

 

With this update, current StudioLive 16.4.2 mixer owners can now take advantage of six 31-band graphic EQs that are dedicated to the aux buses, variable (2 to 500 ms) output delays on each subgroup, and Aux Flip mode, which lets you include the Tape input, Main FireWire return, Aux A input Aux B input, FXA bus, and FXB bus in Aux mixes 1 through 6. An overlay for the 16.4.2 control surface is available for the cost of shipping and handling from the PreSonus Store at

www.presonus.com

.

 

Universal Control 1.5.2 adds compatibility with Mac OS X® 10.7 (Lion) for the FireStudio™ Mobile, FireStudio Project, FireStudio Tube, FireStudio Lightpipe, and all three StudioLive-series mixers. The original FireStudio (26x26) is not included in the Universal Control 1.5.2 update; however, PreSonus will continue to support users of this product with Universal Control 1.2 and is developing a release that will add Lion compatibility.

 

The StudioLive 16.0.2 mixer adds compatibility with PreSonus StudioLive Remote control software for Apple iPad®—a much-requested feature. StudioLive Remote 1.1 is required for iPad control of the StudioLive 16.0.2 and will be available imminently at the Apple Store. Of great importance, with this update, StudioLive 16.0.2 owners can choose to

record channels 1 through 16, as before, or can record channels 1 through 14 and the L/R main bus.

Thus, you can use the StudioLive 16.0.2 to

mix down previously recorded tracks and record the stereo mix to PreSonus Capture™ or to a DAW

(including PreSonus Studio One™).

 

PreSonus Virtual StudioLive for the StudioLive mixers has also been improved, adding three new features. With dual horizontal scrolling, you can separately scroll through Fat Channel settings and channel strips. You can now close the Aux Master view in order to maintain the fader view on low-resolution screens. The new Factory Reset feature resets a connected StudioLive mixer to its default settings and erases user-library changes.

 

This release is compatible with 32- and 64-bit Microsoft Windows® XP, Vista, and 7 and with Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and 10.7 (Lion).

 

Universal Control 1.5.2 can be downloaded free at

www.presonus.com/technical-support/downloads/drivers-software

.

[Dan_]

Hi there, I'm planning to buy a 16.0.2, but I would like your help before...

I 've read (don't remember where on the net) that it's not possible to record the general mix (with eq and effect) via firewire (only the dry sound is recorded)

Is that true and in case how to do that in order to record also the eq and effects on the general mix?

Thanks for your help

Dan

[Jon Chappell]

I've read that it's not possible to record the general mix (with eq and effect) via firewire (only the dry sound is recorded). Is that true and in case how to do that in order to record also the eq and effects on the general mix? Thanks for your help. Dan

 

Well, what you say isn't quite true, but you're sort of on the right track in that the 16.0.2 mix does not go over the FireWire bus. So you can't record the "general mix" over FireWire period. BUT you can record all 16 channels (mono or stereo), with both EQ and FX over FireWire to the computer--just in 16 separate feeds. In other words, nothing has to go dry to the computer.

 

Now, the workaround for processing a stereo mix (which is the second part of your question) is to simply assign the main mix output from the computer/DAW (via FireWire) to Outputs 1 and 2. These returns are hard-routed to Channels 1 and 2 (as well as to the FireWire input buttons in the Monitor section). You can monitor your stereo mix from the DAW this way, and since it's all done over FireWire, you don't even give up your analog inputs on Channels 1 and 2. And of course you have full access to all the Fat Channel processing for your mixdown. That's how you'd do it.

 

The manual points out that the FireWire stream is always-on and simultaneously bi-directional. There's even a clever power-user tip about using your DAW's plug-ins to provide effects as inserts. This is over and above your question, but it should illustrate how flexible and well-integrated the 16.0.2's FireWire operation is.

 

Check out this cool routine for incorporating your DAW plug-ins with your 16.0.2's inputs and onboard processing (EQ, effects, dynamics, etc.). They use StudioOne as their DAW example, but it's true of any DAW.

 

[ricknaqvi]

Hi,

 

The 1602 has a maximum of 16 recording channels.

 

Originally, there was no way to record the stereo mix with the 1602. Only the 16 individual channel streams.

 

However, just yesterday we released the new Version 1.52 of Universal Control (our driver/control panel) that will now let you choose to record channels 15/16 OR the stereo mix.

 

When the stereo mix is recorded it will give you all of the effects as well - basically the exact mix that is coming out of the board.

 

Hope this helps!

[Jon Chappell]

Originally, there was no way to record the stereo mix with the 1602. Only the 16 individual channel streams. However, just yesterday we released the new Version 1.52 of Universal Control (our driver/control panel) that will now let you choose to record channels 15/16 OR the stereo mix. When the stereo mix is recorded it will give you all of the effects as well - basically the exact mix that is coming out of the board.

 

Thanks, Rick! Great news!

 

Wow! How timely is that?! First, reader Dan_ writes in to ask about recording the 16.0.2 mix. Then just yesterday PreSonus releases the upgrade to Universal Control that addresses that very issue! And I posted the press release right above Dan's post (with the appropriate verbiage boldfaced)!

 

Note too that the 16.0.2 now supports iPad remote control. That means that, among other things, every band member can control their own monitor mix--without pestering the soundman.

 

Man, don't you love software-based technology?

[Anderton]

Man, don't you love software-based technology?

 

 

Love the review, Jon. Keep the insights coming.

[Dan_]

Well thanks for your help.

[Kosko]

Just want to say thanks for this review, it's the best I've seen out there so far. This latest software updated takes care of some of the last of my concerns. If I'm understanding this correctly, now even a buddy in the band can take home his own mix from 15/16 using a simple voice recorder without hooking upto a daw first?

[Jon Chappell]

 

Just want to say thanks for this review, it's the best I've seen out there so far. This latest software updated takes care of some of the last of my concerns. If I'm understanding this correctly, now even a buddy in the band can take home his own mix from 15/16 using a simple voice recorder without hooking upto a daw first?

 

 

You could always get an audio mix from the 16.0.2, which is what you'd use for a handheld recorder. In fact, there are a couple of ways to do this. What we were discussing above was the digital mix over FireWire. The new software upgrade now allows the digital mix to be transported over FireWire to the DAW.

 

But the short answer to your questions, is yes, you can hook up a simple voice recorder to the 16.0.2 to get a mixdown, without going through a DAW.

[Kosko]

Hi Jon,

 

Thank you for your response. One concern I have about the mixer is lack of gain metering. I'm not sure if I'm getting this right, but similar to a Firepod, would I have to monitor the gain in the actual DAW in order to make sure I'm not going into the red, and also not too quiet (except with no clip light)?

 

In a live situation, would you set the main volume for a channel with the gain knob, and then make quick adjustments with the sliders?

 

When recording into Capture, is the volume/gain of the track take the master volume into accord, or is it separate from the track being recorded? For instance, could you turn up the volume in the venue, but keep recording at the same volume? (As long as it's the main adjusted, rather than a tracks individual gain).

 

This ended up being a few more questions than I had intended, but any info on this particular aspect would certainly be helpful. For reference, I'm coming from an environment of entirely separated recording / PA interfaces... volume knobs on the PA and a Firepod.

 

EDIT: Or maybe I missed the meter's section in the lower left and Presonus thought of all that already as well...