PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 Review

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(More customer reviews)This board, hands down, is one of the best and most intuitive boards on the planet. The PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 is a multidimensional board with several layers of access and control. After only a couple of days working with the mixer, I was flying through the setup and menus. The pres on this board are phenomenal and sound great with virtually any microphone. But wait, there's more! Not only can you setup and save "Scenes" for the board, with the new VSL software, changing the board from rehearsal mode, to recording particular instruments, to a live setup is as simple as drag-and-drop. There are virtually endless ways to use the StudioLive. For my group, Foolsbane, it is imperative that we be able to quickly record rehearsal and analyze various aspects of a song. With the bundled Capture software, it's as easy as opening the software, arming the tracks, and hitting record. The PreSonus StudioLive 24.4.2 has quickly become an indispensable tool for both the studio and on the road. Hurry and get yours today! I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

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PreSonus StudioLive 16.4.2 16-Channel Digital Mixer w/ FireWire I/O Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought the StudioLive about a month ago and have been playing with it since then in preparation for winter concert season. The first thing I did was connect a mic to every input and test the gain, routing, and outputs for every channel. Everything worked flawlessly, sounded great, and was easy to do.
Sound Quality
The sound quality on this is amazing. I've been working with Mackie mixers and the low-end A&H one, and the sound is cleaner (absolutely no audible noise even at very high gain). Some people might be worried that the digital EQ would be harsh, but believe me, this sounds just as "analog" as the analog boards I use, and it's actually more precise and more flexible. The quality of the compressor is also great. I've previously only used kind of low-end compressors, and this blows them out of the water. The tone is not colored at all, and I don't hear any weird digital artifacts. I've also pushed the compressor up to limiting, and it's a very smooth sound, not harsh and fuzzy like most digital limiters I've used.
Ease of Use
I love the simplicity and power of the FAT channel. It's great to be able to set up one channel, copy it to all the others, and tweak from there. Routing is also a piece of cake, and the FX interface is intuitive. Overall I think this is very well designed for use in live situations where adjustments have to be immediate.
Features
This is the only board anywhere near this price range that does everything I want - great, clean preamps and mixing; flexible, powerful, sweet-sounding EQ; excellent dynamics processing on every channel (and even the buses!); crystal-clear A/D for recording, with built-in firewire; recording pre or post FAT channel; analog direct outs on every channel right after the preamp; built-in effects that actually sound good.
I think it would be hard to find a live mixer with better sound than this for anywhere near this price. You might be able to find slightly better compression and FX on outboard gear, but it would cost at least $100/channel, and be a pain to patch together in live settings. Not only that, but patch bays and cables add noise that this mixer doesn't have. Plus, this takes no setup time (turn it on, recall settings, go) and is a lot easier to transport (even though the SKB case for this thing is HUGE!). So really I think this is a huge win.
I'm replacing a 16ch mixer, two 8U racks of outboard gear, 2 insert snakes and 2 patch snakes, and an A/D computer interface (E-MU 1616M) with this one piece of equipment that sounds better, cost less in total, and is 100x easier to setup and use. To me, that says 5 stars any day.

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StudioLive is the most powerful and flexible sixteen-channel digital mixer the world has seen. Loaded with sixteen high headroom Class-A XMAX microphone preamplifiers, built-in 28x18 FireWire recording and playback engine, 'Fat-Channel" processing with 4-band EQ's, compressors, limiters and gates, DSP effects, six aux buses, four sub-groups, extensive LED metering, mixer save and recall, channel-strip save/recall/copy/paste, talkback and more, breaking new boundaries for music performance and production

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M-Audio Fast Track Ultra High-speed 8 x 8 USB 2.0 Interface Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been using the Fast Track Ultra for about a month now.
System:
Gateway MC7801U Laptop
Pentium Duo 2 core 2Ghz T5800
4G RAM
Vista 64 Home Premium
Sonar 8 Producer 64 bit
I almost returned the product initially because it was locking up my laptop. After some persistent searching, I found a message buried on the MAudio website that fixed the problem:
[The high-performance mode can be a bit tricky on some systems and what you are seeing is not a surprise. High-performance mode basically misuses the host computer CPU clock. On typical PC systems this allows the driver to increase the performance of the USB bus. On computers that are already tweaked for high performance or have high performance graphics cards or the like, this mode can !!!!cripple the operating system. It works best with older PCs!!!...]
AHA! I had enabled "high-performance mode" and that appears to have been he cause of the system lockup.
After uninstalling / reinstalling the driver AND LEAVING "high-performance mode" OFF, the unit has been performing flawlessly. I have enough confidence in it now that I will shortly be placing it into service in live performance for a weekly contemporary worship service.
It would be beneficial if MAudio would update their documentation - or even provide a pop up confirmation / warning when the high-performance mode is enabled - to advise users of the dangers of "high-performance mode".
1 star deducted for not documenting this "feature".

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The Fast Track Ultra 8 x 8 audio/MIDI interface takes M-Audio's acclaimed mobile recording line to the next level with high-speed USB 2.0 connectivity, MX Core DSP mixer and four preamps with award-winning Octane technology. Featuring both analog and digital I/O, it allows recording on all eight channels simultaneously with pristine 24-bit/96kHz fidelity--while M-Audio's mature low-latency drivers ensure rock-solid stability and performance. The on-board MX Core DSP mixer processes eight hardware inputs and eight software returns to the eight hardware outputs, delivering flexible routing and monitoring with delay and reverb. Compatible with most major audio software*, Fast Track Ultra lets you record the way you want--in the studio or on the go.

High-speed USB 2.0 Technology The next generation of mobile recording interfaces has arrived--the Fast Track Ultra features high-speed USB 2.0 technology for advanced performance. Like FireWire, USB 2.0 delivers the bandwidth for 24-bit/96kHz audio resolution throughout the recording and monitoring process. The increased data speed lets you enjoy exceptional fidelity on all of your inputs and outputs simultaneously.
Built-in Effects Processing Tired of tracking vocals and instruments dry? Fast Track Ultra features MX Core DSP technology that gives you reverb and delay on the headphone outputs with separate sends for every channel. Adding effects is an easy way to inspire creativity and infuse a performance with new energy--without taxing your CPU resources.
Make the Connection Fast Track Ultra provides a complete recording solution, with six channels of analog inputs and outputs plus 2-channel digital S/PDIF I/O. Unlike most USB interfaces, it features two dedicated inserts on the first two channels, giving you the ability to insert outboard processing before A/D conversion. Easy connection via a single USB 2.0 cable delivers both audio and MIDI communication with your computer. Compatibility with most major audio software, means seamless integration into any studio setup.
MX Core DSP Technology for Sophisticated Channel Routing The Fast Track Ultra makes it easy to create multiple monitor mixes when recording other musicians. The robust MX Core mixer employs an array of eight individual DSP cores to deliver near-zero latency and a matrix for sophisticated channel routing options--accessible via an intuitive control panel that utilizes a separate mixer for each pair of outputs. The mixer expands the total I/O to an impressive 16 x 8 configuration, allowing you to connect synths and outboard gear to any of the interface's hardware inputs, then mix them with the eight audio streams coming from your computer.
Professional Octane Preamp Technology The quality of your recordings is only as good as the initial signal. The Fast Track Ultra features four preamps with multi-award-winning M-Audio Octane technology, creating a premium front end that delivers amazing audio clarity. You get professional, low-noise, high-gain preamplification with enough channels for a variety of miking applications. Features include +48V phantom power for condenser mics, signal/peak LED indicator lights and a pull-out gain knob that activates a 20dB pad for recording at high volumes. See why world-class artists choose the M-Audio Octane preamp.
Dual Headphone Amp Whether you usually track vocals or an ensemble, you're likely to need multiple headphone mixes. Fast Track Ultra has two completely independent headphone outputs so you can take advantage of the DSP mixer's powerful routing options and create the right mix for your performers--complete with reverb and delay.
The Perfect Combination Apple's latest MacBook and MacBook Air laptops don't include FireWire connectivity--the latest models are all about USB 2.0. If you want to make music with a MacBook, the Fast Track Ultra high-speed USB 2.0 interface delivers the perfect solution. Whether you're a musician, producer or DJ, the powerful combination of Apple and M-Audio gives you everything you need to put together a high-powered personal studio.
Bundled Software
Ableton Live Lite Ableton Live Lite delivers much of the functionality of Ableton Live--the revolutionary, multi-award winning music production solution that allows you to spontaneously compose, record, remix, improvise and edit your musical ideas in a seamless audio/MIDI environment. Live brings your acoustic, electronic and virtual instruments--as well as your digital audio recordings and MIDI sequences--together in a single interface with unparalleled ease of use.
inTone | Express Bundle Creative Software Applications for M-Audio Hardware Products. Your M-Audio hardware is compatible with a suite of creative applications that enable you to start making music right away. Designed by leading audio effects provider Audiffex, the inTone series provides a broad array of tools--from guitar and bass stomp boxes to virtual mixers and much more. Each software program lets you arrange channel routing and effects in a variety of ways, so you can develop a sound that's truly unique.

What's in the Box M-Audio Fast Track Ultra, Software/Driver CDs, AC Adapter, USB Cable, User's Manual

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