Buyer Reviews on Studio Live 32 Series 3
I thought I wouldn't change my mind nearly the StudioLive mixers. Just, I agreed to demo a StudioLive Series 3 32S and 24R mixer. In my demo setup, the 24R is functioning as the digital stagebox feeding the 32S simply tin can likewise piece of work every bit a remote controlled mixer.
Equally it turned out, these mixers are zilch similar the sometime series of the StudioLive mixers.
The Setup – Christmas Time!
I received the mixers 2 weeks before our large Christmas Eve service. If non for FedEx delightfully screwing up and losing the 32S for a few days I would have had 3 weeks before Christmas. So, to say I was in a flake of a time crunch would be an understatement.
The PreSonus mixers were replacing the Allen-Heath Qu32 mixer and AR8412 stagebox that my church had been using for the by 4 years. My plan was to demo the StudioLive mixers initially for how they sounded and so put the Qu32 dorsum in for service for the large outcome.
The Details
It's probably well-nigh 10 pounds heavier than the Qu32. Here's a picture of the two of them side-by-side.
They're both similar in footprint with the Qu32 being all in one airplane whereas the 32S has the screen area and Fatty channel beingness angled more than the fader expanse. The shelf for holding your iPad (at least that's what I call it) is bigger than the Qu32 every bit well as is the screen.
Buttons have a rubberized feel to them and are translucent so the colors change depending on the function and as well serve as "selected" and on/off indicators. Faders are full 100mm and feel as good every bit the Qu32 or SQ7.
I suppose I'1000 spoiled by the digital world now, but I think a live sound mixer really needs to have digital scribble strips as a requirement. The 32S has them. The controls on the 32S experience solid and quality. The faders are shine, the buttons have a solid feel to them. The bear upon-screen is responsive and adaptable in brightness. There are multiple levels of user dominance along with the ability to restrict user levels to certain functions.
The Command Panel on the Fat channel layout is pretty intuitive. There are scribble strips that modify according to the function selected. Effects Masters take designated mute buttons for each of the four effects masters.
A/B Testing of EQ
A peachy characteristic is the power to exercise an A/B comparison on EQ settings. This allows you to rapidly make a change to EQ settings for a specific aqueduct or bus so by pressing the button make changes that you tin audience without altering your original EQ settings. You can besides use information technology if a musician changes between instruments on the aforementioned aqueduct.
Fader Count and Setup
The board has a total of 33 faders with 24 faders on the left, split by the master fader and user buttons, then the eight remaining faders on the right. On the left hand side are the 16 aux mix select buttons along with the 4 effects mix select buttons. In the centre is the master fader along with the 8 user-assignable buttons.
Neither the aux mix button or user-assignable buttons take digital scribble strips. The 8 user-assignable buttons do have an expanse next to each button that allows labeling. The aux mix buttons shows the proper name on the screen so information technology'south not a big deal for my workflow. A note: I call them aux mix buttons but in reality the lath allows yous to assign the buttons to auxes or to subgroups or to matrices.
Above the aux mixes is a big button to bring focus back to the master mix. Pressing the aux mix button twice likewise brings focus back to the chief mix. I similar that the master mix button is big and then information technology's piece of cake to detect and striking in the nighttime. Above that are two buttons labeled INPUT and USER. The input button puts all the input channels on the scribble strips along with the faders.
To folio around all the inputs requires the press of the PREV and NEXT buttons above the other buttons. The USER button is user-assignable to be whatever you want to show on the channel strips. In my set upward I have the showtime 24 set for input channels, then on the other side of the chief fader, my 4 effects and iv DCAs.
The Rack-Mountable StudioLive 24R
At present well-nigh the StudioLive 24R. Information technology'due south a rackmountable 24 channel mixer that tin can be used every bit a standalone mixer, a dumb stagebox, or an intelligent stagebox with full DSP capability. Why did I go with this configuration instead of the PreSonus SB16 stageboxes? Simple. For one affair going with the 24R versus 2 SB16 stageboxes is about $800 cheaper. For another, I go a lot of flexibility. If I need to utilise the 24R as a standalone mixer for an outreach event I tin just pull it out, utilise it with an iPad or my figurer, then put it back into service as a stagebox.
Dual-Utilize Buttons
Several of the functions are allocated to dual-apply buttons. For example pressing the Talkback button speedily puts information technology into lock-on mode. Property information technology down while you're talking and so releases it makes it function equally a toggle. The Select buttons too have similar multi-functionality as well as the DCAs.
Yous have the ability to alter the beliefs of the mute switches so that when you mute the channels it as well mutes the auxes or it can stay with just FOH muted with the aux mutes independent of the FOH mutes.
Audio Quality
The audio quality is very squeamish. I think it has more depth and clarity than the X32 or Qu32. The board output is definitely more substantial than either of them. And in that location's a handy knob in the back to adapt the output level to your requirements. Furnishings are decent and you have the ability to download furnishings direct from PreSonus with some vintage sounds. I wish there were more options for effects but, for most of what I exercise, the included furnishings work fine.
My Thoughts
Some quibbles for me and my live sound perspective. A tone generator should be on a live lath. Similarly having the scene name on the bottom of the screen at all times would exist helpful. A major request would exist the ability to edit your scenes and projects offline. That is just such a tremendous fourth dimension-saver. It would be smashing to also have access to a meters view and a multi-band compressor. I know that yous tin can see all the meters on the tablet or estimator app simply having information technology available on the board is a big help.
I've barely scratched the surface in terms of capabilities of this configuration. I dear that you can practise multi-track recording direct to a SD menu on the console or through a USB interface to Capture on your computer. What's really cool is to do a virtual soundcheck with the SD bill of fare is crazy simple. Two button presses and yous're in virtual soundcheck mode. Interestingly what gets recorded to the SD file every bit well are the lath settings so when you play the file back it besides recalls the channels every bit when the file was recorded.
Personal Monitor Mixing
Monitoring mixes is piece of cake. I think 1 area that PreSonus excels in is the quality of their computer apps. The Universal Command app for the reckoner and tablet is commencement-charge per unit. The QMix-UC is an piece of cake-to-utilize personal monitor app. A unique feature is that for anyone to utilise a remote device permission must be granted from the board and it can be assigned per device. The board as well has multiple user-access levels to give everyone their own login.
All in all, I'thou impressed with the PreSonus StudioLive 32s and 24r combo. I love the sound quality and depth that I can reach hands. The board feels as solid as whatever other in this price range. The apps assist extend the mixers qualities. It'due south easy to setup and use with a custom user layer.
The Big Reveal
As a matter of fact, I was so impressed with the sounds coming out of this combination I went ahead and purchased it for my church as a permanent replacement to the Qu32/AR2412 combo that we had. These are nil like the former serial of the StudioLive mixers. PreSonus went dorsum to the drawing boards and brought out a serious contender in the toll bracket. You owe it to yourself to expect at one, demo it, and compare information technology to the other mixers in the price range before you make a decision.
Source: https://www.behindthemixer.com/presonus-32s-24r-review/