Architect & Engineering Specifications; Mixer Inputs/Outputs; Effects And Graphic Eq; Metering/Networking Features/Bundled Software - PRESONUS StudioLive 32.4.2AI Instructions Manual

StudioLive 32.4.2AI Architect &
Engineering Specifications
Also available as a Word document:
PreSonus_StudioLive_32.4.2_AE.doc
1. GENERAL CONFIGURATION.
The mixer shall be a digital mixer and shall accommodate
32 line and/or 32 microphone signals, channels 1–32; and
shall include 32 analog Send/Return channel inserts; 32
channel Direct Outputs; 2 stereo pairs of Aux Return inputs;
1 stereo pair of RCA-type phono Tape inputs; 2 stereo pairs
of Main mix outputs; 1 Main mix mono output; 1 stereo pair
of Control Room outputs; 4 Subgroup outputs; 14 Aux Send
outputs; 1 stereo pair of RCA-type phono Tape outputs; 1
stereo Headphones output; 1 stereo S/PDIF coaxial digital
output; and two FireWire S800 ports that can connect to a
Mac or Windows PC for recording and control and to act as
a pass-through for attaching an external storage drive. The
mixer shall be capable of placement on a table and shall be
fitted with 1 rocker-type Power switch; 1 3-pin IEC power re-
ceptacle that accepts 100-240 VAC; 1 BNC socket, providing
12 VDC at 0.5A for fitting an external lamp (not included);
and shall be entirely self-contained.
2. MIXER INPUTS.
CHANNELS 1–32: Each channel shall include an electrically
balanced, mono microphone input, using an XLR-3-F-type
connector, accepting nominal levels from -30 dBu to +16
dBu via a rotary Trim control. Each channel shall include one
XMAX Class A solid-state microphone preamplifier. Phan-
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tom power shall be individually enabled/disabled for each
channel via a button-type switch. Thirty-two balanced line
inputs shall be wired using ¼" TRS phone jacks and shall
accept nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu and maxi-
mum input levels of +22 dBu. Each channel shall include a
pre-fader Insert point, using ¼" TRS phone jacks (tip=send,
ring=return, sleeve=ground), delivering and accepting
nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu and maximum input
levels of +18 dBu. In addition, each channel shall accept an
input signal from the digital return bus. The input of each
channel shall be switchable between the analog inputs and
the digital (FireWire or optional Thunderbolt or Dante) input,
using a button-type switch. Each channel, subgroup, and
auxiliary bus shall have a Solo switch and a Mute switch.
Each channel shall have a dedicated, 100 mm level-control
fader with marked increments at ∞, -60, -50, -40, -30, -30,
-20, -10, -5, 0, +5, and +10 dB.
OTHER INPUTS: The mixer shall include 4 balanced Aux Return
inputs, forming 2 stereo pairs, using ¼" TRS phone jacks, ac-
cepting nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu and maximum
input levels of +18 dBu; a Talkback microphone input that
shall include one XMAX Class A solid-state microphone
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preamplifier with 48V phantom power always present, plus a
rear-panel rotary level control; and 1 stereo pair of Tape Input
jacks, using unbalanced RCA-type phono jacks, accepting
nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu. The Tape Input source
shall be switchable between the analog Tape Input and the
Digital (FireWire) Input, using a button-type switch. The Tape
Input level shall be controllable using a rotary encoder.
3. MIXER OUTPUTS.
MAIN OUTPUTS: The mixer's Main mix-bus stereo outputs shall be
fitted in three ways: Using balanced XLR jacks, delivering a maxi-
mum output of +24 dBu, with an output impedance of 100Ω; us-
ing balanced ¼" TRS phone jacks, delivering a maximum output
of +24 dBu; and using unbalanced RCA-type phono jacks (labeled
Tape Out), delivering nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu.
Output level for both the XLR and TRS Main mix-bus outputs shall
be controllable using a single rear-panel knob. The Main mix-bus
Mono output shall be fitted with one balanced XLR jack, delivering
nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu and a maximum output
of +24 dBu, and with an output impedance of 100Ω; and it shall
include a rear-panel rotary level control.
OTHER OUTPUTS: Channels 1-32 shall include pre-insert,
balanced, analog Direct Outputs, using four sub-DB25 jacks
(channels 1-8, 9-16, 17-24, and 25-32), delivering nominal
levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu. The mixer shall include 4 Sub-
group outputs, using balanced ¼" TRS phone jacks, delivering
a maximum output level of +18 dBu and nominal levels from
-10 dBV to +4 dBu, with an output impedance of 100Ω; 1
stereo pair of Control Room outputs, using balanced ¼" TRS
phone jacks, delivering a maximum output level of +18 dBu
and nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu, with an output
impedance of 100Ω; 14 Aux Send outputs using balanced
¼" TRS phone jacks, delivering a maximum output level of
+18 dBu and nominal levels from -10 dBV to +4 dBu, with an
output impedance of 100Ω; and 1 stereo Headphones output,
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2013
using an unbalanced ¼" TRS phone jack (tip=left, ring=right,
sleeve=ground), and with a maximum output level of 150 mW.
4. AUXILIARY SEND SECTION.
In addition to the controls listed in section 2 (MIXER INPUTS),
the mixer shall include 14 sets of Aux Send controls, each
of which shall have a pre/post switch, a Solo switch, a Mute
switch, an Output level control that employs a rotary encoder,
and a Select switch for controlling the Fat Channel processing
section for the selected Aux Send.
A set of six assignable mute groups with All On and All Off buttons
shall mute any combination of channels, subgroups, and aux buses.
5. DYNAMICS PROCESSING, PARAMETRIC
EQ, AND BUS ASSIGNMENT.
All input channels, aux sends, subgroups, and the Main bus
shall be routed to a section called the "Fat Channel" when
their associated Select buttons are pressed. The Fat Chan-
nel shall provide the following digital signal-processing:
highpass filter and polarity invert (input channels only),
switchable gate/expander, compressor, limiter, pan, and
four-band fully parametric equalizer (EQ).
The gate/expander shall include Key Filter, Key Listen,
Threshold, Range, Attack, and Release parameters. The
compressor shall have sweepable Threshold, Ratio, Attack,
Release, and Gain; shall include an Auto Attack and Release
feature; and shall be switchable between hard and soft knee.
The limiter shall have a sweepable Threshold.
The four-band parametric EQ shall be a second-order shelv-
ing filter. The Low band shall have a sweepable frequency
from 36 Hz to 465 Hz, ±15 dB and shall be switchable
between shelf and peaking. The Low Mid band shall have a
sweepable center frequency from 90 Hz to 1.2 kHz, ±15 dB.
The High Mid EQ shall have a sweepable center frequency
from 380 Hz to 5 kHz, ±15 dB. The High band shall have a
sweepable frequency from 1.4 kHz to 18 kHz, ±15 dB and
shall be switchable between shelf and peaking. Each band
shall have a sweepable Q ranging from 0.1 to 4 and shall be
individually switchable on/off; a separate switch shall allow
the entire parametric EQ to be enabled/disabled.
The mixer shall be able to store two complete sets of Fat
Channel EQ and dynamics-processor settings for every
channel and bus; an Alt button shall enable A/B-comparison
between the two sets for a given channel or bus.
In addition, the Fat Channel shall enable signals to be
assigned to the subgroups and Main bus and shall enable
adjacent odd-even channels (e.g., channels 1-2, 3-4, etc.) to
be linked in stereo. The Fat Channel also shall provide button
switches that enable channel settings to be copied, loaded,
and saved to and from onboard memory.
The Fat Channel also shall include eight Quick Scene but-
tons for creating and recalling a scene without storing it to
permanent memory and giving it a name.
6. MIXER OUTPUT SECTION.
The mixer shall have 1 stereo 100 mm fader for the Main bus,
providing up to 10 dB gain, and 4 mono 100 mm Subgroup
faders, each providing up to 10 dB gain. These 5 faders shall
be marked at ∞, -60, -50, -40, -30, -30, -20, -10, -5, 0,
+5, and +10 dB. The mixer shall have a Solo bus that shall
include a rotary Cue Mix volume control; a button switch that
shall toggle between After-Fader Listen (AFL) and Pre-Fader
Listen (PFL); and a Solo-In-Place (SIP) mode, which shall be
engaged using a button switch. The mixer shall have a Monitor
bus that feeds the Control Room and Headphone outputs. The
Headphone output level and Control Room output level shall
be controllable with dedicated rotary encoders. The Tape Input,
Solo bus, Main bus, and main L/R FireWire returns shall each
be assignable to the Monitor bus using dedicated button-type
switches. The mixer shall have a Talkback mic section that
shall include a rotary level control; four buttons that assign
the Talkback mic to Aux Sends 1-2, 3-6, and 7-14 and to the
Main bus; and a latching Talkback (Talk) on/off button.

7. EFFECTS AND GRAPHIC EQ.

The mixer shall include four stereo, 32-bit effects processors,
two of which shall be dedicated to reverb effects and two dedi-
cated to delay effects, and shall include an onboard library
of effects presets. The effects library and effects parameters
shall be accessed using an FX button.
The mixer shall also include 8 dual-mono (16 channels),
31-band, 1/3-octave graphic equalizers with curve-fitting al-
gorithm. The graphic EQs shall be assignable to the Main mix
bus, the subgroups, or the aux sends. Gain attenuation shall
be ±15 dB. A "GEQ" switch shall display the Graphic EQ menu
on the LCD screen, providing fast access to the GEQ settings.
8. MEMORY AND GENERAL SETTINGS.
The mixer shall provide digital memory (storage) for the status
of all digital mixer parameters but not for the status of the
analog channel trims.
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The mixer shall enable
storage of up to 80 global 32.4.2AI 32.4.2AI
scenes, 48 channel-strip
scenes, and 50 presets for
instruments and vocals. The
mixer shall permit settings
to be copied between chan-
nels. Memory shall also be
provided for effects settings. The mixer shall include a
Digital Effects | Master Control section that includes an LCD
display and controls that provide access to systems settings
and the graphic equalizer and that enables store and recall of
mixer scenes and Fat Channel and effects settings. These con-
trols shall include a rotary Value encoder, Previous and Next
buttons, Page Up and Page Down buttons, an FX button for
accessing the effects, and Scene, System, Store, and Recall
buttons. This section also shall include a Tap button, the
primary purpose of which is setting tempo for the delay effects
described in Section 7 (EFFECTS AND GRAPHIC EQ).
9. AUDIO INTERFACE.
The mixer shall provide a built-in computer interface for
recording and playing back audio. The interface shall enable
48 audio streams to be sent to a Mac or PC computer and
34 streams to be returned from the computer to the mixer
via FireWire S800, as described in Section 1 (GENERAL CON-
FIGURATION) and Section 2 (MIXER INPUTS). The interface
shall support digital audio with up to 24-bit bit depth and
(selectable) 44.1 or 48 kHz sample rate.
10. METERING.
MAIN METERING: The mixer shall provide individual level
meters for the left and right channels of the Main bus and
for each of the four subgroups; these 6 meters shall be
15-segment LED meters, each with labeled points at -60,
-50, -40, -20, -10, 0, and +10 dB, with an additional point
labeled "OL" (Overload). The Main and Subgroup meters shall
be calibrated so that a 0 dBu signal at the Main or Subgroup
output shall be indicated as 0 dB on the meters, ±1 dB. The
mixer shall provide one 15-segment LED meter to display the
level of the currently selected channel; this meter shall have
labeled points at -72, -38, -24, -15, -10, -6, and -2 dB, with
an additional point labeled "OL" (Overload). The mixer shall
provide one 15-segment LED meter to display the gain reduc-
tion for the currently selected channel; this meter shall have
labeled points at -21, -18, -15, -12, -9, -6, and -2 dB. Button
switches shall be provided that turn PFL input metering on/off;
turn post-fader output metering on/off; turn gain-reduction
metering on/off; turn aux bus master out metering on/off, and
turn fader-recall (Locate) metering on/off.
MULTIPURPOSE METERING: Multipurpose metering shall be
provided in the Fat Channel section (described in Section
5, DYNAMICS PROCESSING, PARAMETRIC EQ, AND BUS
ASSIGNMENT) that shall display the levels of all 32 inputs,
post-gain and pre-dynamics, pre-EQ, and pre-fader; the
levels of all 32 inputs, post-dynamics, post-EQ, and post-
fader; the gain reduction for all 32 inputs; the output volume
of each of the 14 aux sends; the gain levels for each band of
any of the 31-band graphic EQs, or the fader settings for a
saved scene. A horizontal LED Pan meter shall be provided
that shall display the pan position for the selected channel
or linked channels.
11. NETWORKING FEATURES.
The mixer shall include an Ethernet control port and a dedicated
USB 2.0 control port that accepts an included USB Wi-Fi LAN
adapter. Using either of these connections, the mixer shall be
capable of being networked to a Mac or Windows computer and
to an iOS device by any of the following methods:
•A wired Ethernet connection between the
mixer and a Mac or Windows computer.
•A wired Ethernet connection between the mixer and a
Wi-Fi-capable router that is networked wirelessly to a Mac
or Windows computer and/or an iOS device.
• A wireless connection between the mixer's Wi-Fi LAN adapter
and a Wi-Fi-capable router that is networked wirelessly to a Mac
or Windows computer and/or an iOS device.
The mixer shall include an expansion-card slot that accepts
optional I/O and networking cards. Options shall include a
Thunderbolt-FireWire S800-S/PDIF Out card and an Ethernet/
Dante-FireWire S800-S/PDIF Out card.
12. BUNDLED SOFTWARE.
The mixer shall ship with at least three software packages for
Mac and Windows computers. These packages shall include:
•A multitrack audio-recording application primarily
intended for recording live events.
•A digital audio workstation application that enables record-
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