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The best studio recording gear Blog. |
Were taking a look at the StudioLive RM32AI rack mount digital mixer by Presonus, possibly the best audio interface for a gigging band. They make two versions of the mixer that come in a 32 channel and 16 channel option. What we have with us today is the 32 channel mixer, known as the Studiolive RM32AI. Other than the number of inputs and outputs, the systems are identical, like a number of new digital mixers these days, you wont find a analog control console on the RM32AI but instead, you control the system on a mac or pc and even better on a iPad or tablet connected to Wi-Fi.
This is a key selling point because that frees the Sound Engineer to leave the mixer on stage and make front-of-house adjustments remotely from the audience’s perspective and what is also very convenient is that the performers can adjust their individual monitor mixes themselves using the Presonus Studio Live app from their smartphone, all done wirelessly. The Presonus App allows you to use it as personal monitor, all controlled from the app control. This allows performers on stage to control their own monitor mixes remotely from their phones, "the drummer needs to hear more of snare", in the case, no problem he can raise the volume himself rather than struggle to get the attention of the sound engineer. I tested it with my iPhone and it worked really well. Lets talk about the UC surface software features, it includes fat channel processing, mix scroll view filters and a qmix. Taking a look at the chassis on the RM32AI, You would get 32 locking XLR inputs here on the front that feed xmax Class A mic preamps with 60 DB of gain also, there are 16 XLR outs for monitor mixes, three more XLR outputs for the mains left and rights with a trim pot and a mono out with a trim pot for a sub-woofer or LCR mixing. RCA inputs are included which are convenient for playing music between sets. A quarter-inch headphone jack and USB port are included for the USB Wi-Fi module and firmware updates. The input LED meters glow green if signal is present and red if you’re clipping and with the 48 volt phantom power activated, it will glow yellow on the back. There are MIDI ports on the back which are designed for use in a future, for firmware updates. Also included in the back is the option card slot and an Ethernet port if you prefer a wired LAN network connection. At the moment the RM series ships with the fire wire 800 option card which allows you to send digital audio to and from your computer, meaning you can both record sessions to listen and playback files from a DAW, so if you have background vocals, or maybe horn or string parts, the band can play live over those parts coming from the computer, assuming you’re not using all 32 channels for analog inputs. Presonus also includes its capture and Studio One software where you can use it to capture a live show and then open that recording complete with the mixer seen in the studio one DAW. The possibilities with this software are endless. You can record live shows, record practices, ect. This feature is very convenient, For example, lets say a band is late for a gig, but the sound engineer is there. With this software, they are able to virtually sound check the band, if they had previously recorded gigs. The way to connect to the RM32AI is fairly simple. You use an ethernet cable that is connected to the router and using the Wi-Fi dongle, you'll be able to use any WiFI capable device to control the interface, like any smartphone or tablet or computer. In my experiences, the iPad generally work quite well, even though its version of the UC surface software does not yet fully support the DCA filters feature, Presonus has told us they’re working on an update for that setup. Options are quite versatile, you can use one computer or an iPad for controlling the software and a second computer for audio recording and playback or use a single computer for software control and audio .The StudioLive interface software is honestly, the very easiest interface on the market and highly recommend it for any band looking to step up their live shows! Checkout the prices below for good deals, most of the sites like Amazon, where you can get it refurbished or brand new and save a few bucks.
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