PreSonus StudioLive AR16c 16-Channel Digital Mixer

Looking for a high quality studio/live mixer with an integrated audio interface, that's relatively easy to use? Then take a look at the PreSonus StudioLive AR16c!

Portable, Affordable, Recordable

Don't be fooled by the classic analogue mixer design of the AR16c - this baby was built to record, and to do it well.

Featuring a pristine analogue front-end, and a 18x4 24-bit audio interface, the hybrid design makes recording studio productions easy, and even allows you to mix live shows from a single, intuitive console.

Add to this a 3-band analog EQ, mic/line boost for low-input vintage instruments, and much more besides, and you have yourself an all-in-one recording and production powerhouse.

PreSonus StudioLive AR16c 16-Channel Digital Mixer Highlights

• 18-channel (16 + "Stereo Super") analogue mixer with integrated audio interface
• 12 balanced mic inputs with XMAX preamps
• 2 insert points, 2 instrument/line inputs
• 16 balanced line level inputs (8 mono, 4 stereo pairs)
• Super Stereo channel (Ch. 17/18) with Bluetooth 5.0 input, RCA inputs, 1/8" stereo input, and switchable SD/USB stereo playback
• 8 Mono and 4 Stereo channels, each with level knob, pan, mute, PFL solo, highpass filter, and 3-band semi-parametric EQ
• 2 monitor buses with dedicated channel sends, AFL solo, and balanced TRS output
• L/R Control Room outputs with level control
• Headphone output with level control
• 3-band quasi-parametric EQ on each channel (with sweepable mid-band on each mono channel)
• Stereo effects processor with 16 presets, dedicated send and return, and bypass footswitch jack
• Mic/line boost on stereo channels for low-level input sources and consumer devices
• Includes Captuire multitrack recording software, Studio One Artist DAW, and Studio Magic plug-in suite

Full-Featured Audio Interface

With the AR16c you not only get a great mixing desk, you also get an audio interface which operates at up to 96 kHz for high-definition mixing and recording, allowing you to record each of the sixteen inputs, plus the main mix.

In addition to this, the inclusion of twelve XMAX mic preamps gives you all the gain you need to capture even the most subtle details without adding any unwanted noise.

Stereo Super Channel

In addition to the afore-mentioned channels, the AR16c hosts the unique Super Channel, which can handle four stereo sources at once, allowing you to easily integrate consumer devices into your studio workflow.

Featuring connectivity options such as RCA inputs (for turntables, etc.), a 1/8" stereo input for your mobile device, and even Bluetooth connectivity, the Super Channel makes a welcome addition to this already-awesome little mixer.

Stereo Recording Without A Computer

Thanks to the AR16c combining both an analogue mixer with an audio interface, and the integrated state-of-the-art recording software, it can help you achieve your creative vision with relative ease.

In addition to this, PreSonus Capture allows you to create multitrack recordings for your podcast or band with a single click, and the award-winning Studio One Artist DAW makes fine-tuning/mixing/production intuitive.

Effects Without Latency

As any guitarist or vocalist will tell you, adding a little reverb to the monitor mix will make them feel more at ease during the recording process.

Thanks to the StudioLive AR16c's onboard effects processor, you can add in high-quality reverb, delay, or even chorus to any channel, giving you a professional studio-like experience in your headphones.

You can even record the MainMix and Effects Mix separately too (with or without the dry channels) and blend with your multi-track recording to your heart's content.

All The Connections You Need

The StudioLive AR16c is the ultimate recording solution, bring together a high-quality audio interface with all of the connections and channels you could need.

With the eight mono channels and four stereo channels, you get a musical three-band EQ and one of the acclaimed XMAX mic preamps.

In addition to this, two dedicated monitor mixes with balanced outputs provide your musicians the custom mix that they need.

Not only that, but the USB-C compatible connector ensures the AR16c audio interface will be the centre of your studio for years to come.

Computer System Requirements

Below are the minimum computer-system requirements for use with Capture and Studio One.

Mac

• macOS 10.11 or higher (64-bit only)
• Intel Core 2 Duo processor (Intel Core i3 or faster recommended)

Windows

• Windows 7 x64 SP1 + platform update, Windows 8.1 x64, Windows 10 x64
• Intel Core 2 Duo (Intel Core i3 or faster recommended)

Mac and Windows Systems

• 4 GB RAM (8 GB or more recommended)
• 30 GB hard-drive space (Studio One)
• Internal or external 7200 RPM storage drive highly recommended
• Monitor with 1366x768 resolution (high-dpi monitor recommended)

The minimum system requirements may differ for DAWs other than Studio One. Please check the requirements for your DAW of choice with its manufacturer.

Note that the speed of your processor, amount of RAM and size and speed of your hard drive will greatly affect the overall performance of your recording system. Also, a more powerful system (faster processor with more RAM) will allow for lower latency (signal delay) than you might experience while monitoring audio signals.

PreSonus StudioLive AR16c 16-Channel Digital Mixer Technical Specs

Microphone Preamp

• Type: XLR Female, Class A XMAX
• Maximum Input level (unity gain): +9 dBu ±1.0 dB
• Gain Control Range: 43 dB (+12 to +55 dB)
• Frequency Response to Analog Outputs: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Frequency Response to USB (Direct): 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/- 1.5 dB
• S/N Ratio to Outputs (+4 dBu): 94 dB
• THD+N (min. gain, A-wtd): < 0.01%
• Input Impedance: 1 kOhm
• EIN (+55 dB gain, 150Ohm input, 20 Hz-22 kHz, A-wtd): Mono Channels: < 128 dBu
• Common Mode Rejection Ratio (1 kHz, +55 dB gain): 65 dB
• Phantom Power: +48V, ±3V, Global

Note: All Channel Inputs sum through Mic preamp:

Instrument Inputs

• Type: 1/4" TS Female, Unbalanced, Hi-Z
• Maximum Input Level (min. gain, 1 kHz @ 0.5% THD+N): +9 dBu ±1.0 dB
• Gain Control Range: 43 dB, ±1 dB (+12 to +55 dB)
• Frequency Response to Analog Outputs: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Frequency Response to USB (Direct): 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Dynamic Range (min. gain, A-wtd): > 105 dB
• Dynamic Range (mid. Gain, unwtd): > 108 dB
• THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, A-wtd): < 0.01%
• THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, unwtd): < 0.01%
• Input Impedance: > 1 MOhm

Note: All Channel Inputs sum through Mic preamp

Line Inputs

• Type: 1/4" TRS Female, Balanced
• Maximum Input Level (min. gain, 1 kHz @ 0.5% THD+N): +26 dBu ±1.0 dB
• Gain Control Range: Mono Channels - 40 dB, ±1 dB (-5 to +35 dB); Stereo Channels - 0 dB or +10 dB (+10 dB Boost)
• Frequency Response to Analog Outputs: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Frequency Response to USB (Direct): 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• S/N Ratio to Analog Outputs (+4 dBu): 85 dB
• THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, A-wtd): < 0.01%
• Input Impedance (Balanced): 10 kOhm

Note: All Channel Inputs sum through Mic preamp

Main, Control Room, Monitor, and FX Outputs

• Type (Main Outputs): XLR Male, Impedance Balanced
• Type (Control Room, Monitor, FX Outputs): 1/4" TRS Female, Balanced
• Rated Output Level (Main Outputs): +24 dBu, ±1.0 dB
• Rated Outputs Level (Control Room, Monitor, FX Outputs): +18 dBu
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Dynamic Range (A-wtd): > 108 dB
• THD+N (Bandwidth 20 Hz - 20 kHz, -1 dBFS, unwtd): < 0.01%
• Output Impedance: 100 Ohm

Headphone Output

• Type: 1/4" TRS Female, Stereo, Unbalanced
• Maximum Output Level: 150 mW/channel @ 60 Ohm
• Frequency Response: 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Dynamic Range (A-wtd): > 103 dB
• THD+N (Bandwidth 20 Hz - 20 kHz, -1 dBFS, unwtd): < 0.01%

System Crosstalk

• Input to Output (Ref = +4dBu, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, unwtd): -90 dBu
• Adjacent Channels (Ref = +4 dBu, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, unwtd): -85 dBu

Signal Level LED

• Signal: -30 dBFS (pre-EQ)
• Clip: -3.0 dB before clip (pre- or post-EQ)

Channel EQ

• Low Cut: 100 Hz, -18 dB/Octave
• High Shelving: ±15 dB @ 10 kHz
• Mid Peaking (Mono Channels): ±15 dB @ 140 Hz to 3.5 kHz (variable)
• Mid Peaking (Stereo Channels): ±15 dB @ 2.5 kHz
• Mid-Band Q: Boost: 1.0, Cut: 2.5
• Low Shelving: ±15 dB @ 100 Hz

Digital Audio

• Host Interface: USB 2.0
• ADC Dynamic Range (Component): 114 dB
• ADC Dynamic Range (Measured: A-wtd, 48 kHz): 105 dB
• DAC Dynamic Range (Component): 114 dB
• DAC Dynamic Range (Measured: A-wtd, 48 kHz): 105 dB
• Signal-to-Noise (a-weighted): -96 dB
• Bit Depth: 24-bit
• Internally Supported Sample Rates: 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96 kHz
• Jitter: < 80 ps RMS (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
• Jitter Attenuation: > 60 dB (1 ns in => 1 ps out)

SD Recorder

• Supported Media Format: FAT16 formatted SD card, FAT32 formatted SDHC card
• Media Storage Capacity: SD card: 2 GB; SDHC card: 32 GB
• Recording File Format: Stereo WAV
• Playback File Formats: Stereo WAV, MP3 (96-320 kbs, 32 / 44.1 / 48 kHz)
• Sampling Rate (WAV): 44.1 kHz
• Bit Depth: Recording - 24-bit; Playback - 16- or 24-bit

Power/Environmental

• Connector: IEC
• Input Voltage Range: 90 to 240 VAC
• Recommended Ambient Operating Temperature: 0 to 40 Celsius / 32 to 104 Fahrenheit

Physical

• Height: 3.5" (89 mm)
• Width (Chassis only): 18.9" (480 mm)
• Depth: 15.6" (397 mm)
• Weight: 14.1 lbs (6.4 kg)