Recording - June 2014 - 24

BY SVEN-ERIK SEAHOLM

When PreSonus introduced the StudioLive 16.0.2
digital mixer (reviewed November 2011), I saw it as
a golden opportunity to upgrade my studio's input
channel count while still enjoying zero-latency monitoring via the mixer's ability to combine 'live' and 'digital' streams simultaneously. Feel is everything with
musical performances, and a software mixer that 'digitizes' my input before spitting it back to me, however
few milliseconds later, has just never been an option.
Additionally, the ability to EQ, gate and compress at
the input stage comes in very handy when recording
drums and other multi-input configurations. Being able
to bring this mixer into a club, church or other venue
and use it to capture performances in a live setting
makes it even more versatile and brings us even closer to the music's inspiration.
The new StudioLive 16.4.2AI has more features than my
16.0.2 or the original 16.4.2, but its really significant
improvements are inside the chassis and involve a whole
new audio engine, networking, and add-on software,
something PreSonus calls Active Integration or AI. Since
we've looked at the original 16.4.2's big brother the
24.4.2 in January 2011, the new AI features are where I'm
going to put most of my focus. But first, a quick review...

PreSonus
StudioLive 16.4.2AI Digital Mixer
In the back
The StudioLive 16.4.2AI comes with a full 16 of
PreSonus' excellent XMAX Class A microphone preamps (as opposed to just 12 on the 16.0.2) and boasts
an even more clear, clean and robust sound due to a
new higher-resolution mixing algorithm. A 17th preamp is provided for a talkback mic.
Each channel also has a 1/4" Line in and its own TRS
Insert jack for outboard processing. There are six Aux
outputs, four Sub outputs, four Aux inputs, and a pair
each of Main outs and Control Room outs, all of which
are standard 1/4". There are also two XLR Main outs
and a single XLR Mono out. RCA-type Tape ins and
outs are also provided. The main and mono outs, as
well as the talkback mic input, all have small volume
trim knobs. Two DB25 connectors provide eight PreInsert Balanced Direct Outputs each.
An Option Card comes preinstalled; it offers a coaxial S/PDIF output, an Ethernet jack to hardwire the
mixer to a LAN, and two FireWire 800 ports for connecting to your computer and daisy-chaining an external hard drive or other FireWire device.
At 22" L x 18" W x 7" D, the 16.4.2AI sports a significantly larger footprint than its little brother, but is still
rackable and quite manageably sized. It weighs a bulky
but manageable 23 pounds and has a solid build quality, but I would still definitely recommend a heavy duty gig
case for those who intend to travel with it frequently.
24

RECORDING June 2014

Networking and a whole lot more

Up on top
The front panel layout will be familiar to anyone who's seen a StudioLive
mixer before; in fact, it's deceptive, in that it is almost identical to that of the
old 16.4.2 mixer. Check out the top panel photo and follow along.
Each channel has a gain control, 48V phantom power button, and
Digital Return button up top, and Select, Solo, and Mute buttons just
above the nice-feeling long-throw non-motorized fader. In between, there's
a sort of generalized control surface which includes Select, Mute, and
Solo controls for the six Aux buses and the four FX buses, and a set of 16
vertical LED meters and control knobs. While the meters can act as level
meters when running audio through the board, they're also parameter displays for the Fat Channel, the powerful effects processing chain- highpass filter, gate, compressor, limiter, and 4-band EQ-that's simultaneously available on every input, Aux, and Sub. You simply select a channel and its Fat Channel displays and controls "go live" on the front panel.
The master section includes a backlit LCD for working with scenes, presets, FX processor parameters, and system settings, some generalized
controls for meters and I/O and talkback, and seven LED meters for the
selected channel's Level and Gain Reduction, the Sub Group levels, and
the Main Bus levels. The nicely loud and clear headphone output is on the
front edge of the chassis, and a top-panel USB socket accepts an included Wi-Fi "dongle" for wireless control of the mixer via a wireless router.
In flight
As I became surer of my navigational footing, I came to appreciate the
16.4.2AI's ease of operation and, despite the bevy of new features not on my
16.0.2, a notably quicker setup time thanks to the greater number of Fat
Channel controls on the front panel. Loadable Channel Presets provide you with

Recording - June 2014

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