Bought this thing because of the amazing ability to input my external instruments into Studio One and be able to EQ and place plugins on them w/o having to track them as audio. Unfortunately, I immediately started having lots of crazy problems with Studio One ending in not even being able to get some of the outs of the thing working. I finally just unplugged the thing and went back to using my analog mixing board and all the crazy problems are gone.
Your video is really cool! I have a R32 for live and studio purposes and I must say it's the most impressive piece of equipment in terms of quality and flexibility for the price. It's great for songwriting sessions, band rehearsals, live mixes, studio recordings...you name it! Also, I wanted to integrate it with my other studio equipment and did a bit of research. I then found out that MOTU Interfaces are all capable of communicating with the AVB protocol which allows you to route all channels into any established signal chain.
I Just found one for $500 Looking to expand it to 32 inputs for live recoding purposes. However, Great reply, and thanks for sharing your personal experience I am inspired 😄
I have this, it has the (now infamous) first cold start issue. When you turn it on after being unplugged for a while, it doesn't output sound. You have to shut it down via the iPad and then re-start. Are you familiar with this issue? Is there any chance it's just a PSU problem? Warranty repair is a pain, I'm in Hawaii. Thx.
Thanks for the message. That's the first I've heard of this issue, though I have not been following these very closely lately. I'm not sure I'd jump a power supply issue if it powers on as usual (albeit with no output) and then works appropriately after power cycling again. It could be something wonky in the PSU, but I would try reloading the firmware if you haven't already. Is this happening independently, or is the mixer connected to an AVB network?
The rumor is that it is perhaps a diode - I would guess one powering some SRAM that is leaky and so corrupts the SRAM over time (between sessions.) This would make sense, as a restart after an initial power up works, and subsequent re-starts during the same session are not "cold." I just thought you might know more than that.@@DcSoundOp
Is there a control surface that can be used to control the Studiolive series III rack mixers through Universal Control in a live mixing application? For example, having a Studiolive 32r controlled through a laptop and connecting a control surface to move faders, knobs and such.
I'm a little curious about the Multitrack recording via AVB, as I can't find any videos on it (although it is a feature). The reason I am curious is because I want to have the StudioLive 24R on the stage and send the "Control" and "Audio Network" into a Network switch where it will send the AVB to a broadcast room where the audio will be mixed in a DAW, and the Control to a wifi router so that I can mix the mains on an Ipad or tablet.
You should check out @Beers with the Beard UA-cam channel - ua-cam.com/video/v-Rkl7Th_1g/v-deo.html - he has a couple of good videos on AVB with computers & is also a senior product manager at a certain company you might be familiar with. He should have all the answers you're going to need 😉
yes i have one and have have used it for a couple years. funny this video is 5 years old and do you know what improvements presonus has made to this unit. from what i can see none. don't get me wrong i like this unit. i went from a 16-4-2 (can only be operated remotely with an apple device. refused to make it android compatible.) board to this. then they stopped supporting it after ai came out. how long before they ditch the r series? but come on. only 2 effects. what if i want to use a delay and reverb. no problem. but what if i want a different reverb on the snare than what i have on the vocal and still use delay? can't. one reverb for all, one delay for all. the 24r has 4 effects. it would be nice if they would upgrade the 16r and add the other 2 effects channels. and you are stuck with the effects they provide. you can't use other pluggins like waves etc. the fat channel is just ok. if you want to take your mix to the next level you aren't going to do it with this because its too limited. the price is good though. doesn't break the bank. i recently switched to using it as an interface and running all the channels through the mixer from harrison mixbus. if i only need a coup[le things like using drumagogg or slate trigger i use live professor cause you cant add them to the 16r itself.
Is there anyway to send midi CC messages to change presets on the fly??? Is very important for us as band that effects and faders move automatically while backing track is playing
Saving for mine now, should be good in the New Year. I want to run all my hardware through it and into Ableton. In my set upI have… Roland TR8 - 4 outs Roland Ju-06 - 1 out Roland VT-4 - 2 outs Behringer Neutron - 1 out Behringer Pro-1 - 1 out Behringer Model D - 1 out Behringer TD-3 - 1 out Akai Rhythm Wolf - 2 outs Akai MPC One - 2 outs This is perfect for my needs....
@@AeonHorus UA-cam doesn’t let you, but you can send a dm on Instagram or email info@dcsoundop.com - I just put a post on the community page here the other day about submissions for a rig rundown video series I’m working on if you’re interested too. Thanks!
I own an digital console from another brand for FOH duty, but would be interested in a StudioLove 3 Rack unit to use for musicians to make there own IEM mixes.. (I can use direct out from 32 channel to the StudioLive) Did you by any change test the useability of that feature (QMIX-UC) for multiple Iphone users?
I don't believe this one had an Auto-Mix function back when we had it for the video, not sure if that has changed with updates though. Thanks for the question Dave.
Awesome, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, it's a really cool system. Unfortunately, I can't share that recording, as it was a commercial broadcast job. That one was also taking line-level inputs from the record mixer, so I don't know how we'd tell what this unit sounds like, vs the $50k worth of Yamaha Rio front end. Also, the last time I gave samples of a mic / recorder combo using acoustic guitar, I got quite a few angry messages from folks who wanted to hear drums or whole band instead, people were shockingly upset and rude about it and how it didn't meet their standards for being 'a real test' etc. So that's made me rethink the value of providing samples at all, haha. I did use it to make all of the videos I've released on this channel so far this year, and I think it sounds really nice. I think you've got the right idea, if you're interested in a mixer at this price, order one and test it out in your situation, with your gear and your ears. Thanks for watching, let me know how it goes when you get yours set up!
I have a recording of a rehearsal I do with my Duo and I recorded it on my Presonus StudioLive 16R soundcloud.com/rayshantimusic/ray-and-shanti-sampler-2
Hi, thanks for the review. I’ve just picked up a 32R second hand. I’m using it as an audio interface and passing a bunch of synths through it to arrange stuff with in Logic. I’m also using the headphone port with a pair of Audio Technica IEM’s. If I plug my headphones in with no audio playing I can hear quite noticeable hiss with the dial set at 12 o’clock. Is this normal? Do you have the same experience? I was assuming the headphone pre might be a fairly cheap affair? Cheers.
It has been a while & I primarily used this one with ATH-M50x headphones or Sony 7506's, but I don't remember any unusual amounts of hiss standing out. I'm not sure if the 16 & 32R models share the same headphone amp tech, but maybe reach out to PreSonus on email and ask if they have any ideas or ways you could tell if it is out of spec. Thanks for the question, I hope you enjoy the 32R!
@@MarinSubasic can’t comment on the former. Re the latter, latency afaik is down to the speed of the connection you use to your computer. This unit offers usb and Ethernet so if you can connect via Ethernet then latency is incredibly low. It’s also unnoticeable via usb for me. No problems when connected to a 2009 Mac Pro.
Hey Yubilan, I believe Dawark had the same question here in the comments too. If you're asking about the SD card recorder, you'll want to be sure you have the most recent Firmware version. If that doesn't do it, the beta version that worked for me is: forums.presonus.com/viewtopic.php?f=384&t=28521 - If you're talking about recording to a DAW, I know you said your settings are 'ok'... but I'd bet you'll find something isn't quite right. Double check your routing in the mixer, and the software and the computer's global settings. Also don't hesitate to reach out to PreSonus with questions, or check out the user groups on Facebook for quicker answers from everyday users who know these inside & out. I don't have a 16R in front of me anymore, so staying up on the latest firmware and offering any real tech-support is very difficult. Hope that's helpful, good luck!
hi, im having the same issue with recording on the SD card. it records blanks. The firmware version on the presonus site is StudioLive 16 Series III Rack Firmware v1.6.13152. is that what we are looking for? I do have this firmware version and still have that issue. If you have a later version could you please share it. thanks
Dwarak, I've reached out to PreSonus & it is scheduled to be pushed out in the next firmware release sometime this month. It's currently in Beta though, but you can grab it at this link - forums.presonus.com/viewtopic.php?f=384&t=28521 - Just for the record, I sent that e-mail to PreSonus @ 10:02 am here & got a response back at 10:07 am - I wouldn't hesitate to message PreSonus if you have any further questions about the firmware etc. They are really responsive to issues.
Hi there wonderful review. I'm aware of your analysis of the 16R is great in terms of repairability. Presently, I've been looking into the 32R but not sure how much different it will be when it comes to repairing down the line. Also, I had a question regarding the use of Studio One Remote. I have a hp spectre x360 and it has tablet mode but unsure if it is compatible. Universal control is nice, but I'd like to use or link it with studio one pro so I can edit from my DAW with my plugins aside of just Universal Control software. Do you have any whereabouts in the subject?
I don't have any experience with Studio One Remote specifically, but all of the universal control and other software I've used from PreSonus in the past year has been really well designed to work on every device and platform I've tried it with. They have some really talented software people there these days, so I doubt Remote would let you down on a Spectre x360. Hopefully someone can chime in with some more experience though and help answer your question better. Thanks for the message!
Thanks for the video. I have the older model RM16AI using Dante. I am seriously considering this model and your video was very helpful. But I do have a question and maybe you know the answer. I have the MBP with USB C aka Thunderbolt 3 only. I saw in the video that you plugged into the AVB port in the back. Did you have any issues running USB C straight from MBP into the AVB port. Also can you run a laptop into the 16R USB Type B and also another laptop into the AVB port at the same time. Example run multi tracks for a live show using the USB Type B port but also record the whole show through the AVB port. Thanks in advance if you know the answers to these questions.
Hi DcSounOp! Presonus has top quality EQ! I hooked external reverb the way you advised. So now I have another problemo :) I get the sound I want when most of signal comes from Lexicon reverb. I go with instruments channel 1,2,3,4,5, input and aux 1 out into reverb in and from reverb out to in channel 16 - here I have my sound. I add a minimum of Input channels dry sound to it. Because the input cahanel is on minimum EQ would not wok, hi pass works but EQ works only on aux master, channel 16, and main out mixer. What I would like to do is to address each channel EQ before sending it to out1, regardless the channel input volume. Is this possible? Thanks! -- Andrej Ofak
Hi DcSoundOp, is it possible to use the device with like Lexicon reverb as a send return function. How would you do it? I am new at this, so sorry if it to basic qestion. All best from Slovenia!
Hi Andrej, you can do it for sure. On the 16r Specifically, you would just create an aux mix for the send to the Lexicon. Patch that to the reverb unit via one of the mix outputs, and then path the return from the lexicon to an input channel. It would be up to you to decide if it was worth using up physical outputs and inputs just for a reverb, when there are some very capable effects (in the box). You could do it though, very simple to setup.
DcSoundOp Thanks, yes I tried the reverbs on PreSonus StudioLive 24 and Lexicon, how artificiel it may sound, it helps me with the playing somehow . I use bose tonematch mixer and I like how i can use the para EQ to get rid of unwanted frequencies when amplifying accordion and guitar, so I am looking forward to meet PreSonus StudioLive 16R.Your info will be very helpful. All best from Slovenia! Our music: ua-cam.com/video/0pCIRHKY0qE/v-deo.html
@@andrejofak4787 Andrej, wow that's really incredible music you're making. Just beautiful playing and great sounds. I love the percussive stuff you both do and I think the reverb fits very nicely in the mix. It's awesome getting to meet more people from Slovenia. I just finished reviewing headphones from your neighbor Ollo audio & it seems like the music scene there is very vibrant. Thanks again for the message!
@@DcSoundOp Glad you like it, the reverb on the recording is a natural one, from The church of Saint Pancras in my town. Some say this is one of the churches with the best acoustics in Europe. ..Thanks again for your support and info. Andrej
I currently have a StudioLive 16.0.2 mixer that is beginning to show it's age. It was serviced by presonus a while back and I am also considering the space saving of a rackmount mixer like this. Could this be used as the sole mixer/interface for computer and recording using Studio One DAW?
These are a completely different animal to the XR18 - this would be more similar to the M32c or X32 Rack unit in it's abilities. That being said, I have heard nothing but good reports from XR mixer owners. Assuming you know what it is capable of before you buy it, they seem to do a good job for the very reasonable cost. Thanks for the message!
Hey man! I got this card because of you! THANKS! I was wondering if you have tried to REamp through it? I have now in 2 weeks tried hard - but failed just as hard... I think this is way more complex than Ill ever imagine with the UC and so. Anyway- is there anyway you would make a tutorial about how to set this badboy up for reamping?
Hey Lasse, thanks for the message. I'm sorry to hear you're having issues. I don't have the 16 on loan anymore, so walking through a specific setup may be tricky. Where are you getting stuck or what problems are you having related to reamping? Let me know a bit more about what's going on. Thanks again for the message.
Ohh man ... Bummer... To be honest I really don't know whats the problem.. . It's a combination. Whenever I get the unit to send out a signal and it returns into it - it creates feedback from hell. I have another presonus soundcard from where I can EASILY reAmp but when I apply the settings to this unit... It's not working. Even though i setup everything In UC and in S1. I have tryed everything now - outcome with this card is always the same - no sound or negative loop.
Can I mix using the effects and the processing on the unit for FOH while recording dry without the processing for post production mixes in my DAW at the same time?
Great video! One question ¿does it work well with Studio live 3? Im thinking about this interface to use it with a DAW primarly instead of live recording.
Hey Nash, thanks for the message. Can you tell us a bit more about the issue you're having or where you are getting stuck. Also, have you reached out to anyone @PreSonus, they are very active here and on social media & are always very happy to help if you give them a shout.
I own a few xR18's. Do you find it cumbersome with I/O on the front and back of the unit? I've really enjoyed everything being front facing on the XAir line. Also, whats the built in effects scenario? Also a big selling point for the xR18. I think Bngr missed the boat on an opportunity with not allowing interaction between the XRs and say, X32 being able to use the XR as a S16 if needed. I'll probably pick up one of these 16R's in the upcoming months.
Hey Jason, yeah the i/O being split is a bit of a pain, especially in live work when it's racked up with other gear. This isn't unique to the 16R though, and it's an okay trade-off in my mind if you really need a single rack space unit. Fitting this into my Pelican to travel left a lot more room, and gave me twice the inputs as my old MOTU896, so the split i/O was worth the trouble in that case. As effects go, it has two dedicated EFX sends that are in addition to the other AUX sends and buses. There are a bunch of reverbs and delays and they were certainly useable. No unusual noise, lots of adjustable parameters and presets as you'd expect. I'm not a heavy effects user personally, but I didn't have any complaints. Thanks for watching!
That will depend a bit on how you are connecting everything and what you're recording setup is. The 16r can be attached to the 32 as a stagebox, but won't increase the number of total channels the 32 can process. If you are only using them as a usb interface though, you could use them both at the same time to expand the number of raw inputs you have to your DAW. Let me know if that makes sense, or if you have more specifics about the setup you're trying to sort out. All the best, thanks for watching!
DcSoundOp how would I go about setting up the 16r to expand the tracks in my studio one 4 Daw software with the studio live console can you do tutorial on it?
Finally got got to try out my new 32R. Overall great system, quite easy to get it to sound to my taste. However, I noticed that the compressor doesn’t always work at times. I went back and forth with the standard, tube and FET, but after working for a while, it actually stops. Gain knob respond but not output and all the other settings. Anyone else had this with their system? FYI, I already uploaded the latest firmware.
Hey, thanks for the message. Congrats on the new 32R, that's really exciting. Have you reached out to Presonus directly about the issue you are having? If you just bought it, make sure you register it on their site & then call them about it. The folks over there are really into what they do & will get you sorted out. The procedure for contacting them about mixing systems is linked here - www.presonus.com/support/Contact-Technical-Support - good luck & let us know how it all turns out!
VERY very helpful and detailed set of videos. Considering buying this! One of my major concerns was.... USB. I've never bought a USB interface (have always used Firewire). This whole line got rid of Firewire all of the sudden. I really wanted to buy the Studiolive RML16ai but it is now discontinued. From what I've read (most of which are really outdated forum threads), USB is slower than firewire/firewire can handle more data? I really have no idea. I have been doing mobile recording with a Presonus Firestudio and Protools for about 8 years, and still am. I literally just want to double my inputs. I understand I would have to get used to setting the input gain on the Universal Control mixer pre-Protools as opposed to physical knobs on the interface. But other than that, would buying this USB interface more or less be a flawless transition between the two? Thanks again for the extremely in-depth videos!
Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! Be sure to check out the website @ www.dcsoundop.com - there's lots more free tools and educational resources there from other folks in the industry. Thanks for watching!
What kind of work are you planning to do with it? The Apollo is super nice if you don't need so many physical inputs all the time. Probably a more useful everyday interface for the desktop, where the 16R would be great if you're looking for something to mic a whole band all the time. The apollo X also has the optical inputs to add additional mic pres later, so you wouldn't be stuck. But it really does depend on what you need to get out of it most of the time. Thanks for the question Herman, look forward to talking more.
Thanks Chris, I haven't heard anything about multi-track to the SD card, not sure if that's something that could be done in firmware, or if it's a hardware limitation that would prevent it from being possible. It certainly would be cool though. Thanks for watching!
Sssoooo... ekhm... was the audio for this video recorded with the PreSonus unit then? That would be very much not changing my current opinion regarding this company. Thanks :)
Built in is an SD recorder that records two tracks, but the unit itself is an interface too that you can use to record to your computer. Is that what you were asking? let me know!
Be careful of relying on these alone. My Soundcraft ui24 died in the middle of a big show with 2k people. Left high and dry with no sound. Ohh and it’s been at Soundcraft since Aug and I might never get it back. No parts availability
You learn once in life to carry spares on big gigs like that, but I'm not sure how a Soundcraft Ui failure should deter people from PreSonus's mixers the future? 2k people without any spare gear though sounds like a serious nightmare, what did you do for the rest of the night? It's def. frustrating, but the global supply chain issues and parts shortages are not unique to Soundcraft. I doubt they would refuse to send it back to you if you'd rather have it until parts are available again. I'd imagine it's a logistical nightmare for any company to stockpile a queue of repairs like that for months... it's not something any manufacturer wants to deal with & it costs a ton of money to do. Let us know how it goes if you hear anything... what was the diagnosis on what went wrong with the mixer? What part are they waiting for? Thanks for the message Todd!
I bought a Studiolive mixer a few years back. Sitting in my basement, rarely used, the power supply went out. Post warranty, so I paid to get it fixed. Then it broke again, would not power on. Worst piece of crap I have ever seen.
That's unfortunate to hear. Was it the same thing that went 'out' in the power supply both times? I'd be interested to know what they replaced the first time & what went wrong the second time. Which version mixer was it? Thx for the message!
*** Shop for all three of the StudioLive Series 3 Rack Mixers here amzn.to/2F8cMH3 - (this is an affiliate link, it helps support the channel at no cost to you, thanks!) ***
And this is how a review should be done!
Please do try to mix it live, we want to see how it works before buying it. thanks!
Bought this thing because of the amazing ability to input my external instruments into Studio One and be able to EQ and place plugins on them w/o having to track them as audio. Unfortunately, I immediately started having lots of crazy problems with Studio One ending in not even being able to get some of the outs of the thing working. I finally just unplugged the thing and went back to using my analog mixing board and all the crazy problems are gone.
Get one of the Studiolive series 3 mixers. They are next level and you will never look back!
Your video is really cool! I have a R32 for live and studio purposes and I must say it's the most impressive piece of equipment in terms of quality and flexibility for the price. It's great for songwriting sessions, band rehearsals, live mixes, studio recordings...you name it! Also, I wanted to integrate it with my other studio equipment and did a bit of research. I then found out that MOTU Interfaces are all capable of communicating with the AVB protocol which allows you to route all channels into any established signal chain.
So is it compatible with cubase?
I Just found one for $500
Looking to expand it to 32 inputs for live recoding purposes. However,
Great reply, and thanks for sharing your personal experience I am inspired 😄
Does the SD card record just stereo out or can you get all 16 tracks from it?
I have this, it has the (now infamous) first cold start issue. When you turn it on after being unplugged for a while, it doesn't output sound. You have to shut it down via the iPad and then re-start. Are you familiar with this issue? Is there any chance it's just a PSU problem? Warranty repair is a pain, I'm in Hawaii. Thx.
Thanks for the message. That's the first I've heard of this issue, though I have not been following these very closely lately. I'm not sure I'd jump a power supply issue if it powers on as usual (albeit with no output) and then works appropriately after power cycling again. It could be something wonky in the PSU, but I would try reloading the firmware if you haven't already. Is this happening independently, or is the mixer connected to an AVB network?
The rumor is that it is perhaps a diode - I would guess one powering some SRAM that is leaky and so corrupts the SRAM over time (between sessions.) This would make sense, as a restart after an initial power up works, and subsequent re-starts during the same session are not "cold." I just thought you might know more than that.@@DcSoundOp
@@petersturges7370 Sorry I couldn’t help. Are you considering doing the repair yourself? If so, let us know what you find.
Is there a control surface that can be used to control the Studiolive series III rack mixers through Universal Control in a live mixing application? For example, having a Studiolive 32r controlled through a laptop and connecting a control surface to move faders, knobs and such.
I'm a little curious about the Multitrack recording via AVB, as I can't find any videos on it (although it is a feature).
The reason I am curious is because I want to have the StudioLive 24R on the stage and send the "Control" and "Audio Network" into a Network switch where it will send the AVB to a broadcast room where the audio will be mixed in a DAW, and the Control to a wifi router so that I can mix the mains on an Ipad or tablet.
You should check out @Beers with the Beard UA-cam channel - ua-cam.com/video/v-Rkl7Th_1g/v-deo.html - he has a couple of good videos on AVB with computers & is also a senior product manager at a certain company you might be familiar with. He should have all the answers you're going to need 😉
yes i have one and have have used it for a couple years. funny this video is 5 years old and do you know what improvements presonus has made to this unit. from what i can see none. don't get me wrong i like this unit. i went from a 16-4-2 (can only be operated remotely with an apple device. refused to make it android compatible.) board to this. then they stopped supporting it after ai came out. how long before they ditch the r series? but come on. only 2 effects. what if i want to use a delay and reverb. no problem. but what if i want a different reverb on the snare than what i have on the vocal and still use delay? can't. one reverb for all, one delay for all. the 24r has 4 effects. it would be nice if they would upgrade the 16r and add the other 2 effects channels. and you are stuck with the effects they provide. you can't use other pluggins like waves etc. the fat channel is just ok. if you want to take your mix to the next level you aren't going to do it with this because its too limited. the price is good though. doesn't break the bank. i recently switched to using it as an interface and running all the channels through the mixer from harrison mixbus. if i only need a coup[le things like using drumagogg or slate trigger i use live professor cause you cant add them to the 16r itself.
Excellent video on the 16R. Thank you so much for taking the time. I love the PreSonus gear.
Thanks Rick, really appreciate the message 🤝
Is there anyway to send midi CC messages to change presets on the fly??? Is very important for us as band that effects and faders move automatically while backing track is playing
Saving for mine now, should be good in the New Year.
I want to run all my hardware through it and into Ableton.
In my set upI have…
Roland TR8 - 4 outs
Roland Ju-06 - 1 out
Roland VT-4 - 2 outs
Behringer Neutron - 1 out
Behringer Pro-1 - 1 out
Behringer Model D - 1 out
Behringer TD-3 - 1 out
Akai Rhythm Wolf - 2 outs
Akai MPC One - 2 outs
This is perfect for my needs....
Let us know how it works out when you get it all put together! Would love to see some photos of your setup!
@@DcSoundOp How to show photos here?
@@AeonHorus UA-cam doesn’t let you, but you can send a dm on Instagram or email info@dcsoundop.com - I just put a post on the community page here the other day about submissions for a rig rundown video series I’m working on if you’re interested too. Thanks!
I own an digital console from another brand for FOH duty, but would be interested in a StudioLove 3 Rack unit to use for musicians to make there own IEM mixes.. (I can use direct out from 32 channel to the StudioLive) Did you by any change test the useability of that feature (QMIX-UC) for multiple Iphone users?
I didn't get a chance to test that with multiple users.
Does this have Dugan or Dugan style Auto mixer function ?
I don't believe this one had an Auto-Mix function back when we had it for the video, not sure if that has changed with updates though. Thanks for the question Dave.
Thanks !
If I enabled the AVB Audio Networking, do the audio network channels appear on the Universal Control? Thanks.
Hi!
If I have two Studiolive 16r I can connect them through the avb port and get 32 channels as a mixer on uc surface?
Nice! I just bought one, can't wait to arrive! Can you share with us your gig recorded to hear what it sounds like? Thanks!
Awesome, I'm sure you'll enjoy it, it's a really cool system.
Unfortunately, I can't share that recording, as it was a commercial broadcast job. That one was also taking line-level inputs from the record mixer, so I don't know how we'd tell what this unit sounds like, vs the $50k worth of Yamaha Rio front end.
Also, the last time I gave samples of a mic / recorder combo using acoustic guitar, I got quite a few angry messages from folks who wanted to hear drums or whole band instead, people were shockingly upset and rude about it and how it didn't meet their standards for being 'a real test' etc. So that's made me rethink the value of providing samples at all, haha.
I did use it to make all of the videos I've released on this channel so far this year, and I think it sounds really nice. I think you've got the right idea, if you're interested in a mixer at this price, order one and test it out in your situation, with your gear and your ears.
Thanks for watching, let me know how it goes when you get yours set up!
I have a recording of a rehearsal I do with my Duo and I recorded it on my Presonus StudioLive 16R soundcloud.com/rayshantimusic/ray-and-shanti-sampler-2
Ray Foo Productions sounds nice man
Can you daisy chain 2 16r to get 32 io over avb and then have all the available in a daw over usb? Thanks
Hi, thanks for the review. I’ve just picked up a 32R second hand. I’m using it as an audio interface and passing a bunch of synths through it to arrange stuff with in Logic. I’m also using the headphone port with a pair of Audio Technica IEM’s. If I plug my headphones in with no audio playing I can hear quite noticeable hiss with the dial set at 12 o’clock. Is this normal? Do you have the same experience? I was assuming the headphone pre might be a fairly cheap affair? Cheers.
It has been a while & I primarily used this one with ATH-M50x headphones or Sony 7506's, but I don't remember any unusual amounts of hiss standing out. I'm not sure if the 16 & 32R models share the same headphone amp tech, but maybe reach out to PreSonus on email and ask if they have any ideas or ways you could tell if it is out of spec. Thanks for the question, I hope you enjoy the 32R!
DcSoundOp thanks for the reply. I’m told that the headphone preamps aren’t the greatest but yeah, I’ll conform with them.
Hi, could you tell me something about the quality of the ASIO / in your case AU driver? Can you get low latency when playing softsynths? thanks!
@@MarinSubasic can’t comment on the former. Re the latter, latency afaik is down to the speed of the connection you use to your computer. This unit offers usb and Ethernet so if you can connect via Ethernet then latency is incredibly low. It’s also unnoticeable via usb for me. No problems when connected to a 2009 Mac Pro.
@@dizz740 Thanks!
I own the 24r and love it. Great video!
I just bought one ,..I recorded but I can't hear back what I recorded..settings are ok - what else can I do? thanks
Hey Yubilan, I believe Dawark had the same question here in the comments too. If you're asking about the SD card recorder, you'll want to be sure you have the most recent Firmware version. If that doesn't do it, the beta version that worked for me is: forums.presonus.com/viewtopic.php?f=384&t=28521 -
If you're talking about recording to a DAW, I know you said your settings are 'ok'... but I'd bet you'll find something isn't quite right. Double check your routing in the mixer, and the software and the computer's global settings. Also don't hesitate to reach out to PreSonus with questions, or check out the user groups on Facebook for quicker answers from everyday users who know these inside & out. I don't have a 16R in front of me anymore, so staying up on the latest firmware and offering any real tech-support is very difficult.
Hope that's helpful, good luck!
Im just using the 16R through my computer and headphones,..also studio one 3 version.
hi, im having the same issue with recording on the SD card. it records blanks. The firmware version on the presonus site is StudioLive 16 Series III Rack Firmware v1.6.13152. is that what we are looking for? I do have this firmware version and still have that issue. If you have a later version could you please share it. thanks
Dwarak, I've reached out to PreSonus & it is scheduled to be pushed out in the next firmware release sometime this month. It's currently in Beta though, but you can grab it at this link - forums.presonus.com/viewtopic.php?f=384&t=28521 - Just for the record, I sent that e-mail to PreSonus @ 10:02 am here & got a response back at 10:07 am - I wouldn't hesitate to message PreSonus if you have any further questions about the firmware etc. They are really responsive to issues.
Thanks. appreciate the help and guidance. These videos has been very helpful for me.
Hi there wonderful review. I'm aware of your analysis of the 16R is great in terms of repairability. Presently, I've been looking into the 32R but not sure how much different it will be when it comes to repairing down the line. Also, I had a question regarding the use of Studio One Remote. I have a hp spectre x360 and it has tablet mode but unsure if it is compatible. Universal control is nice, but I'd like to use or link it with studio one pro so I can edit from my DAW with my plugins aside of just Universal Control software. Do you have any whereabouts in the subject?
I don't have any experience with Studio One Remote specifically, but all of the universal control and other software I've used from PreSonus in the past year has been really well designed to work on every device and platform I've tried it with. They have some really talented software people there these days, so I doubt Remote would let you down on a Spectre x360. Hopefully someone can chime in with some more experience though and help answer your question better. Thanks for the message!
@@DcSoundOp Thank you so much for your response and help. Wonderful review again
very well done video and extremely useful info and commentary - don't get that often enough - thank you!!
Thanks for the video. I have the older model RM16AI using Dante. I am seriously considering this model and your video was very helpful. But I do have a question and maybe you know the answer. I have the MBP with USB C aka Thunderbolt 3 only. I saw in the video that you plugged into the AVB port in the back. Did you have any issues running USB C straight from MBP into the AVB port. Also can you run a laptop into the 16R USB Type B and also another laptop into the AVB port at the same time. Example run multi tracks for a live show using the USB Type B port but also record the whole show through the AVB port. Thanks in advance if you know the answers to these questions.
Hi DcSounOp! Presonus has top quality EQ! I hooked external reverb the way you advised. So now I have another problemo :) I get the sound I want when most of signal comes from Lexicon reverb. I go with instruments channel 1,2,3,4,5, input and aux 1 out into reverb in and from reverb out to in channel 16 - here I have my sound. I add a minimum of Input channels dry sound to it. Because the input cahanel is on minimum EQ would not wok, hi pass works but EQ works only on aux master, channel 16, and main out mixer. What I would like to do is to address each channel EQ before sending it to out1, regardless the channel input volume. Is this possible? Thanks!
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Andrej Ofak
Hi DcSoundOp, is it possible to use the device with like Lexicon reverb as a send return function. How would you do it? I am new at this, so sorry if it to basic qestion. All best from Slovenia!
Hi Andrej, you can do it for sure. On the 16r Specifically, you would just create an aux mix for the send to the Lexicon. Patch that to the reverb unit via one of the mix outputs, and then path the return from the lexicon to an input channel. It would be up to you to decide if it was worth using up physical outputs and inputs just for a reverb, when there are some very capable effects (in the box). You could do it though, very simple to setup.
DcSoundOp Thanks, yes I tried the reverbs on PreSonus StudioLive 24 and Lexicon, how artificiel it may sound, it helps me with the playing somehow . I use bose tonematch mixer and I like how i can use the para EQ to get rid of unwanted frequencies when amplifying accordion and guitar, so I am looking forward to meet PreSonus StudioLive 16R.Your info will be very helpful. All best from Slovenia! Our music: ua-cam.com/video/0pCIRHKY0qE/v-deo.html
@@andrejofak4787 Andrej, wow that's really incredible music you're making. Just beautiful playing and great sounds. I love the percussive stuff you both do and I think the reverb fits very nicely in the mix.
It's awesome getting to meet more people from Slovenia. I just finished reviewing headphones from your neighbor Ollo audio & it seems like the music scene there is very vibrant. Thanks again for the message!
@@DcSoundOp Glad you like it, the reverb on the recording is a natural one, from The church of Saint Pancras in my town. Some say this is one of the churches with the best acoustics in Europe. ..Thanks again for your support and info. Andrej
I currently have a StudioLive 16.0.2 mixer that is beginning to show it's age. It was serviced by presonus a while back and I am also considering the space saving of a rackmount mixer like this. Could this be used as the sole mixer/interface for computer and recording using Studio One DAW?
How does this compare to behringer xr18
These are a completely different animal to the XR18 - this would be more similar to the M32c or X32 Rack unit in it's abilities. That being said, I have heard nothing but good reports from XR mixer owners. Assuming you know what it is capable of before you buy it, they seem to do a good job for the very reasonable cost. Thanks for the message!
Hey man! I got this card because of you! THANKS!
I was wondering if you have tried to REamp through it?
I have now in 2 weeks tried hard - but failed just as hard... I think this is way more complex than Ill ever imagine with the UC and so.
Anyway- is there anyway you would make a tutorial about how to set this badboy up for reamping?
Hey Lasse, thanks for the message. I'm sorry to hear you're having issues. I don't have the 16 on loan anymore, so walking through a specific setup may be tricky. Where are you getting stuck or what problems are you having related to reamping? Let me know a bit more about what's going on. Thanks again for the message.
Ohh man ... Bummer... To be honest I really don't know whats the problem.. . It's a combination. Whenever I get the unit to send out a signal and it returns into it - it creates feedback from hell. I have another presonus soundcard from where I can EASILY reAmp but when I apply the settings to this unit... It's not working. Even though i setup everything In UC and in S1.
I have tryed everything now - outcome with this card is always the same - no sound or negative loop.
Can I mix using the effects and the processing on the unit for FOH while recording dry without the processing for post production mixes in my DAW at the same time?
Yes. Use capture with a computer hooked up via USB and make sure all the USB sends are set to Pre.
Thanks for a great video. Do all outputs have delay capability for syncing delay speakers and/or for video feeds? Thanks
I absolutely cannot wait to get one of these or the 32. I wanna do a proper review/walkthrough going through all the fat channel devices etc.
Did you?
Very informative review, just subscribed and Thank you!
Thanks for the message & for subscribing! Stay in touch.
What does the 16r record at? thanks..
48k 24 bit from what I remember, assuming you're asking about the sample rate & bit depth of the internal SD recorder?
@@DcSoundOp Thank you for the reply. Yes or recording to a computer, I take it the sample rate is not that high?
Great video! One question ¿does it work well with Studio live 3? Im thinking about this interface to use it with a DAW primarly instead of live recording.
I’m having trouble using my rm as my audio interface with studio one .Can somebody please help
Hey Nash, thanks for the message. Can you tell us a bit more about the issue you're having or where you are getting stuck. Also, have you reached out to anyone @PreSonus, they are very active here and on social media & are always very happy to help if you give them a shout.
It's really great and all but why TRS as outputs?
I'd imagine it was due to the space & layout restrictions of trying to put so much i/O into a single rack space.
@@DcSoundOp I guess is that, but even the other models stand with the TRS output...i really wish they didnt go that way
@@WallY07wAc The RM32Ai was 4U and had XLR outputs. To squeeze it down to 2U they had to go for TRS
@@griffin8062 no need to squeeze it, besides the rm32ai is currently outdated compare to the third generation except for the clock speed
I own a few xR18's. Do you find it cumbersome with I/O on the front and back of the unit? I've really enjoyed everything being front facing on the XAir line. Also, whats the built in effects scenario? Also a big selling point for the xR18. I think Bngr missed the boat on an opportunity with not allowing interaction between the XRs and say, X32 being able to use the XR as a S16 if needed. I'll probably pick up one of these 16R's in the upcoming months.
Hey Jason, yeah the i/O being split is a bit of a pain, especially in live work when it's racked up with other gear. This isn't unique to the 16R though, and it's an okay trade-off in my mind if you really need a single rack space unit. Fitting this into my Pelican to travel left a lot more room, and gave me twice the inputs as my old MOTU896, so the split i/O was worth the trouble in that case.
As effects go, it has two dedicated EFX sends that are in addition to the other AUX sends and buses. There are a bunch of reverbs and delays and they were certainly useable. No unusual noise, lots of adjustable parameters and presets as you'd expect. I'm not a heavy effects user personally, but I didn't have any complaints.
Thanks for watching!
Hello I have a studio live 3 32 channel mixer I want to expand my channels for recording will the 16R give me 16 extra channels to record on
That will depend a bit on how you are connecting everything and what you're recording setup is. The 16r can be attached to the 32 as a stagebox, but won't increase the number of total channels the 32 can process. If you are only using them as a usb interface though, you could use them both at the same time to expand the number of raw inputs you have to your DAW. Let me know if that makes sense, or if you have more specifics about the setup you're trying to sort out. All the best, thanks for watching!
DcSoundOp how would I go about setting up the 16r to expand the tracks in my studio one 4 Daw software with the studio live console can you do tutorial on it?
Finally got got to try out my new 32R. Overall great system, quite easy to get it to sound to my taste.
However, I noticed that the compressor doesn’t always work at times. I went back and forth with the standard, tube and FET, but after working for a while, it actually stops. Gain knob respond but not output and all the other settings. Anyone else had this with their system? FYI, I already uploaded the latest firmware.
Hey, thanks for the message. Congrats on the new 32R, that's really exciting. Have you reached out to Presonus directly about the issue you are having? If you just bought it, make sure you register it on their site & then call them about it. The folks over there are really into what they do & will get you sorted out. The procedure for contacting them about mixing systems is linked here - www.presonus.com/support/Contact-Technical-Support - good luck & let us know how it all turns out!
Thanks for another great video! When you plugged a 1/4" line level input into the combo jack, will the signal bypass the mic pre? Thanks.
That is correct, it will bypass the pre.
I can’t get mine to playback out of my computer
I just got a 16r still confused
Whatcha confused about? I’ll try to point you in the right direction if there is something specific you’re stuck on.
VERY very helpful and detailed set of videos. Considering buying this! One of my major concerns was.... USB. I've never bought a USB interface (have always used Firewire). This whole line got rid of Firewire all of the sudden. I really wanted to buy the Studiolive RML16ai but it is now discontinued. From what I've read (most of which are really outdated forum threads), USB is slower than firewire/firewire can handle more data? I really have no idea. I have been doing mobile recording with a Presonus Firestudio and Protools for about 8 years, and still am. I literally just want to double my inputs. I understand I would have to get used to setting the input gain on the Universal Control mixer pre-Protools as opposed to physical knobs on the interface. But other than that, would buying this USB interface more or less be a flawless transition between the two? Thanks again for the extremely in-depth videos!
I've had no difficulty recording 32 channels at once over USB. USB has plenty of bandwidth.
great video i love PreSonus stuff, the quality, the community, and the support. great company
You're going to love what I've got coming up soon!!
cool, ....
Does this have the sync functionality like the mixers?
You can use the Dante switch ...
???
Thankyou so much for sharing.
Your videos have help me so much.
Thanks, I'm glad you're enjoying the videos! Be sure to check out the website @ www.dcsoundop.com - there's lots more free tools and educational resources there from other folks in the industry. Thanks for watching!
I’m between this and the Apollo x twin
What kind of work are you planning to do with it? The Apollo is super nice if you don't need so many physical inputs all the time. Probably a more useful everyday interface for the desktop, where the 16R would be great if you're looking for something to mic a whole band all the time. The apollo X also has the optical inputs to add additional mic pres later, so you wouldn't be stuck. But it really does depend on what you need to get out of it most of the time. Thanks for the question Herman, look forward to talking more.
Great video! Do you think there will ever be functionality to record multitrack to the SD Card instead of just a stereo mix?
Thanks Chris, I haven't heard anything about multi-track to the SD card, not sure if that's something that could be done in firmware, or if it's a hardware limitation that would prevent it from being possible. It certainly would be cool though. Thanks for watching!
DcSoundOp awesome, yeah I wonder if it's a feature they're purposefully reserving for the consoles but it would be very handy!!
Its physically not possible with the rack units. They wanted to keep cost down.
Sssoooo... ekhm... was the audio for this video recorded with the PreSonus unit then? That would be very much not changing my current opinion regarding this company. Thanks :)
MyselfCollective Nope, didn’t use it on this video. VP-83 into a Tascam DR-05 on this one, traveling this week. Thanks for the compliment though 😆
Awesome vid👍
16r has multitrack recording?
Built in is an SD recorder that records two tracks, but the unit itself is an interface too that you can use to record to your computer. Is that what you were asking? let me know!
DcSoundOp yes man thanks!
Have you try behringer xr18???
Halid Haris Please dont buy it! I have only troubles and giving it back. It was freezing in the middle of my two concerts! I hope this help ;)
Be careful of relying on these alone. My Soundcraft ui24 died in the middle of a big show with 2k people. Left high and dry with no sound. Ohh and it’s been at Soundcraft since Aug and I might never get it back. No parts availability
You learn once in life to carry spares on big gigs like that, but I'm not sure how a Soundcraft Ui failure should deter people from PreSonus's mixers the future? 2k people without any spare gear though sounds like a serious nightmare, what did you do for the rest of the night?
It's def. frustrating, but the global supply chain issues and parts shortages are not unique to Soundcraft. I doubt they would refuse to send it back to you if you'd rather have it until parts are available again. I'd imagine it's a logistical nightmare for any company to stockpile a queue of repairs like that for months... it's not something any manufacturer wants to deal with & it costs a ton of money to do.
Let us know how it goes if you hear anything... what was the diagnosis on what went wrong with the mixer? What part are they waiting for? Thanks for the message Todd!
Dante at a reasonable price? Afraid not. Seems Dante licensing stops that. Thank those greedy jerks.
I bought a Studiolive mixer a few years back. Sitting in my basement, rarely used, the power supply went out. Post warranty, so I paid to get it fixed. Then it broke again, would not power on. Worst piece of crap I have ever seen.
That's unfortunate to hear. Was it the same thing that went 'out' in the power supply both times? I'd be interested to know what they replaced the first time & what went wrong the second time. Which version mixer was it? Thx for the message!
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