Presonus Studio Live 16, from Presonus

You’ll never go back to an old-school analog mixer once you've used StudioLive. With its incredible signal-processing power on every channel, easy store and recall of every setting, and the ability to record it all with just two mouse clicks, you'll get spoiled fast! Easier to use, better sounding, and flawlessly integrated with state-of-the-art software, it delivers the most creative environment possible for both live performance and studio music production.

But StudioLive is not simply a mixer, it's a rapidly growing family of state-of-the-art, integrated hardware-software mixing and recording systems that deliver the features you need for live sound, live recording, and studio recording.

The StudioLive 16.4.2 is a great choice for those who want to mix smaller shows and worship services, and it's a great choice for small club systems, portable churches, small bands, corporate applications, educational institutions, and anywhere you want a rack-mount mixer. It's the perfect hardware core for a project studio. Or daisy-chain two StudioLive 16.4.2s to form a 32x4x2 performance and recording console for mid-sized shows and events.

Here, in one device, are high-headroom XMAX microphone preamplifiers, a built-in FireWire recording and playback interface, more than 90 signal processors, a big library of DSP effects, 6 aux buses, 4 subgroups, extensive LED metering, mixer save and recall, channel-strip save/recall/copy/paste, talkback, and more. Yet despite its many controls and features, it's compact, rack-mountable, and easy to transport.

Build live mixes that glisten with clarity and detail—then record and enhance the performance with the power of StudioLive 16.4.2. Get creative in the studio. Build mixes, loops, sound effects, and more, then bring them out to your show and mix them with the live performance. Process channels using your favorite plug-ins and completely automate your entire performance. StudioLive 16.4.2 revolutionizes music production, opening endless creative possibilities.

See it. Touch it. Change it: the ease of analog meets the power of digital.

When we designed StudioLive, one of our primary goals was to provide a familiar interface that would keep all critical controls visible and accessible—not buried inside multiple menus.

Sit down at a StudioLive 16.4.2, and you see real hardware Mute and Solo buttons, trim controls, and clearly labeled, individual knobs for the semi-parametric EQ and dynamics processing. The master section—complete with Talkback, Monitor, Cue, and a choice of headphone sources—looks just like the master section on an analog board but with far more power and flexibility. Aux sends have their own controls. Every channel has a big, bright meter display.

Bottom line: if you've ever used an analog mixer, you'll be right at home with a StudioLive 16.4.2. And even if you've never used a mixer before, you'll quickly be able to create quality mixes and recordings.

Which StudioLive is Best for You?

Your mixing and recording needs aren't necessarily exactly the same as everyone else's. That's why we created a StudioLive family of digital mixers, starting with the StudioLive 16.4.2 and the StudioLive 24.4.2.

Why choose the StudioLive 16.4.2 rather than the StudioLive 24.4.2? Obviously, if you don't need more than 16 channels and 6 aux buses, the 16.4.2 might be your best choice. The StudioLive 16.4.2 weighs only 35 lbs. (15.9 kg), and you can rack-mount it, which makes it perfect for compact studio systems, rack-based contractor installs, and bands that want to do mobile recording. And the StudioLive 16.4.2 is very easy on your budget.

• 16 mic/line inputs with high-headroom Class A XMAX mic preamplifiers
• 4 subgroups
• Stereo/mono main out
• 6 auxiliary mixes
• 32-in/18-out FireWire digital recording ­interface (24-bit/44.1 kHz and 48 kHz)
• Studio One Artist Digital Audio Workstation software for Mac and PC
• Capture 1.1 recording software for Mac and PC
• Direct recording interface compatible with Logic, Nuendo, Cubase, Sonar, Digital Performer, Ableton Live, and more
• 16 channel strips
• Trim control with –20 to +20 dBV line/-15 to +65 dBu mic gain range (80dB!)
• +48V phantom power switch for condenser microphones
• FireWire Input Select
• 100 mm precision faders
• Lighted Solo and Mute buttons
• Access to Fat Channel functions
• 15-LED ladder metering + clip LED
• Analog 1/4" insert (rear panel)
• 4 subgroup buses, each with:
  • Solo
  • Mute
  • Access to Fat Channel functions (except high-pass filter and phase reverse)
• 6 aux sends, each with
  • Solo
  • Pre/post-fader send
  • Output-level control
  • Access to Fat Channel functions (except phase reverse)
  • Mix and Mix/Pan Fat Channel metering
  • Available sources:  16 input channels, Aux A and B, Tape Input, Talkback
• 2 internal effects sends, each with:
  • Mute
  • Pre/post-fader send
  • Output-level control
  • Access to Fat Channel (except phase reverse)
  • Effects-send Select for Fat Channel metering
  • Mix button for aux-bus mixing and Fat Channel metering
• Master Section
  • Aux Input A and B
  • Level Control and Select (Fat Channel ­metering) switch
  • Access to all Fat Channel functions (except phase reverse)
  • Talkback System
    • Mic Level control
    • Output Select (   Aux 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, Main)
    • Talk button
    • Rear-panel XLR mic input with level control and continuous 48V phantom power
  • 2 Track In
    • Level control
    • Tape Input to Mains button
    • FireWire source on/off
  • Solo Bus
    • Cue Mix volume control
    • PFL/AFL and Solo In Place (SIP) buttons
  • Monitor Bus
    • Headphone-output level control
    • Control-room monitor-level control
    • Solo Bus to Monitor button
    • Tape Input to Monitor button
    • Main L/R FireWire Return to Monitor button
    • Main Mix to Monitor button
• Fat Channel with rotary encoders:
  • Pan with dedicated 15-LED display
  • Stereo link for input channels, aux buses, and subgroups
  • Phase reverse (main channels only)
  • High-pass filter: 6 dB/oct., sweepable from Off to 1 kHz (main channels and aux’s only)
  • 4-band semi-parametric equalization
    • Low EQ: sweepable from 36 Hz to 465 Hz, +/- 15 dB, switchable shelf or peaking
    • Low Mid EQ: sweepable from 90 Hz to 1.2 kHz, +/- 15 dB, switchable 0.55/2.0 Q
    • High Mid EQ: sweepable from 380 Hz to 5 kHz, +/- 15 dB, switchable 0.55/2.0 Q
    • High EQ: sweepable from 1.4 kHz to 18 kHz, ±15 dB, switchable shelf or peaking
  • Gate: Threshold 0 to –84 dB; Rate: 2 to 0.05 sec
  • Compressor: Threshold -56 to 0 dB, Ratio 1:1 to 14:1, Attack 0.2 to 150 ms, Release 40 to 1000 ms, Makeup Gain 0 to 28 dB, Soft Knee switch, Auto Mode with 10 ms Attack and 150 ms Release
  • Limiter: 0 dBFS Threshold
  • Output Assign: 4 subgroups and main with post-EQ/post-dynamics option
  • All settings can be copied among channels and saved as user presets.
  • 50 channel-strip presets for drums, bass, guitars, keyboards, and vocals
• 2 internal digital effects-processors, each with 50 customizable reverb and delay presets
  • 31-band graphic equalizers
    • Available on Main Outputs only
  • Scene Store and Recall
  • Global Scene Storage: all current StudioLive settings
    • Up to 80 at a time
  • Automatic Global AutoStore
  • Individual channel-strip Scene storage
    • Up to 48 at a time, plus…
    • 50 factory presets for instruments and vocal
  • Copy and Paste between channels
  • Customizable naming (for example, "Saturday Gig" or "Main Worship Service")
  • Lockout mode to keep inspired amateurs from changing your settings
• Metering/Displays
  • 16 x 16- LED Fat Channel matrix:
    • Pre-dynamics/pre-fader input
    • Post-dynamics/post-fader output
    • Gain reduction
    • Aux 1-6 and EFX A/B output
    • Fader-position recall
  • 8 x 15-LED main meter bank
    • Selected channel level
    • Selected channel gain reduction
    • Sub buses 1 to 4
    • Main stereo outputs
  • 15-LED horizontal Pan/Balance display
  • 64 x 194 LCD matrix
    • Effects parameters
    • Scene creation, storage, and recall
    • System menus
  • 2-digit Channel Selected display
• Input/Output
  • 16 main inputs, each with XLR mic, 1/4" line, and 1/4" inserts
  • 2 1/4" stereo (L/R) aux inputs
  • 1 XLR talkback-mic input with phantom power and level control
  • Unbalanced RCA stereo (L/R) tape inputs and outputs
  • XLR stereo (L/R) main outputs with level control
  • 1/4" stereo (L/R) main outputs
  • XLR mono output with level control
  • 1/4" stereo (L/R) control-room outputs
  • 1/4" Headphone output
  • 4 1/4" subgroup outputs
  • 6  1/4" aux outputs
  • 16 pre-insert, balanced direct outputs, Ch. 1-8, 9-16, 17-24 (DB25 sockets)
  • S/PDIF digital out
  • 2 FireWire 400 ports
• Digitalia
  • High-definition analog-to-digital converters (118 dB dynamic range)
  • Unlimited-headroom, 32-bit floating point, digital mixing and effects processing
  • Internal sample frequency 44.1 kHz and 48 kHz
• Physical
  • Rugged, non-flex steel chassis
  • 100 mm long-throw faders
  • Military-grade, quick-touch buttons
  • BNC 12V lamp socket
  • Optional dust covers available