[RWP] New audio gear any thoughts?

Thu Nov 8 14:29:57 EST 2012

Chris:

The physical I/O on the StudioLive is pretty similar to that of the 
1640I, 16 mono channels with inserts and direct outs, 6 aux sends, four 
subs and main. Where it's different is the audio interface of the SL is 
32x18, not sure about the 24 channel version. As far as outputs, 17/18 
goes to a dedicated two track return, while the first 16 are channel 
strip returns. The first set of inputs are hard-wired to the first 16 
mono channels, but the last 16 are assignable to any of the subs, sends, 
effects returns, two track input, or talkback mic. You can also use the 
two internal effects sends as trackable inputs, which I find way more 
useful than the actual internal effects processors themselves, so you 
get 8 aux sends rather than 6, each of which can be used as a live input 
to the DAW, and the first six can drive external hardware at the same time.
So, if you really want to go crazy, you can track from all 16 channels, 
while also tracking each of the 8 sends, and still have room for all 
four subs, main mix, and one other stereo source, all without 
compromising the use of channel inputs or outputs. It's a bit crazy. 
It's definitely not a simple setup. And, if that's not enough, you can 
chain two of them together.

They did one really stupid thing though. Despite the fact that the 
firewire and tape two-track inputs are very discrete, and can be routed 
separately to either main, control room, both or neither, they share a 
common volume control. Don't know why they did that. There's probably 
enough room for one more pot. I use the RCA returns for my speech, so I 
can send it to control without going to main and not have to worry about 
using a channel strip. I could just as easily use my spare stereo 
effects return and get the same result, only I'd then have a gate, 
compressor and EQ on it if I wanted, which I don't, so yeah. I used to 
use a DEC express for speech from my screen reader, but having switched 
full time to NVDA and a 64-bit system, that doesn't work so well these 
days, so it's all software. I think someone has written a not very 
stable DEC-Talk driver for NVDA, and perhaps a doubletalk. I still have 
a LiteTalk somewhere, but I'm OK using eSpeak for editing anyway. It 
cuts through without having to be very loud. It also saves me from 
running an external synthesizer through a DI box or similar to make a 
bunch of bad noises go away.

On 11/8/2012 12:32 PM, Chris Belle wrote:
> yeh patrick your right, you can route firewire to your aux sends and
> also your sub mixes on the 1640i and some on the lesser units too but
> you only get two comming back.
>
> I too use more than one sound card, I have a delta44 and the realtek all
> tied to the mackie, and also a dedicated speech synth, the mackie has a
> nice feature on one of it's returns for monitoring that doesn't get sent
> to the main mix so it's great to run speech through the board, still
> send 6 mixes to my guys in the studio feedinga headphone amp, and they
> don't have to hear a thing without wasting an aux send.
>
> YOu can press the firewire button and use all 6 of your aux sends to
> power effects inside the daw like you would external effect boxes, but
> your inputs are all parse out how ever you set the board up, you have
> 16, so if you use your subs on firewire you take up 5 through 9 and if
> you use your firewire for powering effects you take up 9 through 14.
>
> So it depends on how you want to configure it, but this is all done with
> a button press.
>
> Absolutely no menus.
>
> I might wish for the talk back to have a foot switch, and to be able to
> descretely assign only a single aux send or sub mix to firewire at once
> instead of athe whole group, but hey, compromises have to be made for
> this price point, for 15 hundred, you get a hell of a lot of board.
>
> I wish I could get my hands on a presonus studio live like Patric has
> and see the diferences in operation.
>
> Patrick, what do you mean the presonus has more i/o, do you mean the
> onboard effects, or can you do more firewire routing with alternate does
> it have more aux sends than 6 or more sub mixes than 4 because that's
> what the mackie has?
>
>
> For all your audio production needs and technology training, visit us at
> www.affordablestudioservices.com
> Chris Belle cb1963 at sbcglobal.net
> Stephie Belle sdb1961 at sbcglobal.net for customized web design
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Patrick Perdue" <patrick at pdaudio.net>
> To: "Reapers Without Peepers" <rwp at reaaccess.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2012 9:19 AM
> Subject: Re: [RWP] New audio gear any thoughts?
>
>
>> I have a Presonus StudioLive 16.4.2, which offers a little more in
>> terms of I/O from and to firewire than does the Mackie Onyx 1640I, and
>> still find myself using another dedicated audio interface for things,
>> in my case, the Focusrite Saffire Pro14, mostly for it's clean
>> playback and SP/dif input capability. I want to occasionally run
>> things digitally, and my Presonus board has no such inputs.
>>
>> I think even if I had a 1640I, I'd still keep another interface
>> around. Those Mackies are nice boards. The biggest difference between
>> anything smaller than the 1640I is the number of channels and buses.
>> None of the smaller boards have the fun channel returns found in the
>> 1640I. I wish the 1220I did, at least. Oh well.
>>
>>
>> On 11/8/2012 10:01 AM, Kerry Hoath wrote:
>>> I'm considering one of the Mackie 8 or 12 channel mixers the 820i or the
>>> 1220i.
>>>
>>> The 1640I is like $2000 and i'm not sure if I need something that
>>> complex.
>>> I want to record singing with a backing track, and change levels for
>>> music and voice. I could apply affects but probably better to apply them
>>> in software later the price jump from the 1220 to the 1640i is rather
>>> large.
>>> I'm also looking at getting an interface for the pc, probably the tascam
>>> as it seems rather analog and behaves well.
>>> The presonus audiobox seems cool but if Ihave a 8-12 channel mixer
>>> there's no point having all that i/o on the audio box?
>>>
>>> Steff was always battling with volumes on ventrillo although that might
>>> be Ventrillo's fault.
>>>
>>> regards, Kerry.
>>>
>>> On 5/11/2012 10:41 PM, Chris Belle wrote:
>>>> Carey, if you want the best experience with an accessible interface,
>>>> then my recommendation is with any of the mackie onyx i series mixers.
>>>>
>>>> the little 820i clocks in at 4 hundred dollars, but there are no
>>>> menus, and you get a lot of i-o and routing hands on.
>>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
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