Presonus StudioLive 32 Digital Console/Recorder | $3,899.99
In the digital console marketspace, the competition amongst manufacturers continues to be fierce. Manufacturers have been pulling out all of the stops in efforts to provide big console capability at small price points. PreSonus, a name that is recognized for producing very capable products with strong value, has recently introduced its latest offering, the StudioLive Series III line of digital consoles. I sat down with the largest frame in this series, the StudioLive 32, and looked over its capabilities and features.
In short, PreSonus has stuffed all of the processing and management capabilities into this console that we have come to expect of today’s digital desk, plus a whole lot more, and have done so at a price point that should give pause to anyone who is shopping with a budget in mind. And to be truthful, I can’t help but think that with the release of this product line PreSonus has quietly decided to put the mid-tier manufacturers on notice, as well.
The StudioLive 32’s console buttons are sized very well and are placed with a straightforward layout that does not create confusion or ambiguity.
Specs on the console are super-respectable. The StudioLive 32 that we reviewed has 40 inputs, 22 mix busses, touch-sensitive motorized faders, programmable scribble strips, PreSonus’ ‘Fat Channel’ processing (on every input and mix bus), built-in digital multi-track capability, transport controls (for Native DAW integration and Native multi-track recording/playback), 24 Filter DCAs, various other odds and ends (to include some fabulous integration options), as well as a generous set of analog connectivity options on the rear of the desk. My first impression upon getting the console was that PreSonus has put considerable effort into commoditizing their product. The desk is very solidly built and its packaging was straightforward. The opening and setup process was very easy to manage and there were no unnecessary “extras” in the box. The end result is that PreSonus has done a very good job of managing the intimidation factor that can come with unpacking a digital desk, especially if it’s your first foray into the digital realm. The console’s buttons are sized very well and are placed with a straightforward layout that does not create confusion or ambiguity. It’s obvious that PreSonus has done its homework in creating interfaces that are friendly to beginners but intuitive (and powerful) for seasoned operators. The Fat Channel section of the console is a splendid example of this. All audio shaping capability of the console (i.e., gates/comps/EQ) are placed in a single section of the console (the “Fat Channel”) with specific scribble strips calling out each function and parameter. To use the Fat Channel, simply select a channel and the Fat Channel section populates with the appropriate channel settings. And, for more advanced workflows, the console will allow users to create custom layouts of the Fat Channel section to better match your personal workflow.
Review Notes
During the review, the console sounded clean and demonstrated zero bad habits. And admittedly, while I would agree that such things are to be expected, it shouldn’t go unnoticed when a company gets it right.Each input and mix bus contain HP (high-pass) filters, gates, comps, EQ (parametric and shelving), limiter, and delay. The system also has eight 31-band graphic EQ’s that the user can assign across the mix buses as desired. And just to strut their stuff, PreSonus has used a real-time analyzer (RTA) as a backdrop for the parametric and graphic EQ’s so that you can see the signal as you are adjusting it. Got an issue with feedback or ringing? Just pull up the EQ for the appropriate mix/input, look for the spike, and pull it back. Where was that when I was growing up? On the output side of the desk, PreSonus has given us 16 FlexMixes, four subgroups, as well as the main mix output and solo buses.
The FlexMixes are PreSonus’s method of shielding users from having to manage Mix Engine capacity as you do with some consoles. Each FlexMix bus can act as a subgroup, an aux bus, or a matrix bus, easily selected via touch screen. If a stereo version is required, two FlexMix busses can be stereo paired with another one touch operation. This made it very easy to set up a workflow that used multiple stereo subgroups where each subgroup had a Fat Channel for content specific processing. For an added layer of capability, the console also provides 24 Filter DCAs with the ability to spill to the faders. In addition, the console allows for a custom layout, scene creation and recall, connectivity for external control software, and permissions management for remote users.
Added Functionality
With such a robust mix of processing capability, channel and bus count, usability, and affordability, it would be quite reasonable for PreSonus to have stopped there and called the StudioLive III a finished product. It did not, however. On top of this platform, PreSonus added a notable amount of integration and tracking capability into the console.
The console has the ability for native multi-track recording and playback via SD card (34x34). USB recording is 38x38 but it requires a computer; only the SD Card recorder is native. Simply plug in an SD memory device into the console, configure a new session with the touchscreen, and use the transport controls to run the session.
Using the UCNet protocol, remote operation of the desk is possible using PreSonus’s Universal Control software on a remote machine.
This is a great way to perform virtual sound checks and requires no external devices or software. Also, in the realm of recording and studio work, the console is intended to integrate with StudioOne, PreSonus’s fully featured DAW software, allowing the console to act as a control surface for the DAW. This capability is upcoming and should be fully functional in the near future. PreSonus even includes a free copy of StudioOne with the purchase of its StudioLive desks. Using the UCNet protocol, remote operation of the desk is possible using PreSonus’s Universal Control software on a remote machine. This software is touch-enabled and is easily used with a touch screen device. Examination of the software showed that its interface, like that of the console itself, was well laid out and easily usable with simple controls that will work well on touch screens. Along with Universal Control, PreSonus also freely offers the QMix-UC app that provides the same type of capabilities for Android and iOS. This is a great way to let musicians control their own monitor mixes, etc. As one would hope, permissions-based restrictions can be applied to all of these remote applications to keep users from getting into things that they shouldn’t have access to, such as the main mix, etc.
One thing that was peculiarly missing from the console, which is prevalent on so many others, is a slot to accept option cards. Generally, such cards are used for added system connectivity, primarily to transport digital audio to and from the console. PreSonus seems to have taken a different route here. Instead of creating more physical interfaces and having users purchase additional I/O cards, PreSonus has built in native AVB support. By using AVB, PreSonus allows any computer (with AVB support) on the same network as StudioLive to see the desk as an IO interface. This avoids having to buy cards and software licenses as is done with many other solutions. For this review, I simply plugged the StudioLive into the same network as my Mac, opened an existing DAW session, and selected the StudioLive as my IO device. That was it. What a breeze.There were a few minor nits that I had with the console, such as the scribble strips being a bit hard to read at certain viewing angles, and the need to individually enable Fat Channel functions (i.e., gate, comp, EQ, etc.).
PreSonus’s sources say the company has always provided individually bypassable Fat Channel processors in StudioLive mixers to give users more flexibility, including the ability to completely bypass a processor. To be honest, between the capability of this console and the price point at which PreSonus has placed it, I don’t really feel that there is a place for nit picking. This console has a ton of capability and will be easily usable for the vast majority of churches and users that would consider it. PreSonus has again shown that it has a very good handle on what really matters in a desk, and that it knows how to package its digital consoles for users who don’t want to learn that lesson the hard way.
John Spicer is audio ministry director at Seneca Creek Community Church in Gaithersburg, Md. He has been involved in church audio production for more than 20 years and is currently leading an all-volunteer team in pursuit of excellence and the perfect mix.
