PreSonus Releases Universal Control and 64-bit FireStudio Drivers

Jun 25, 2009

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PreSonus has released the Universal Control™ version 1.11 software. The installer for this release includes three major components. The first component consists of new 32- and 64-bit drivers for all PreSonus FireStudio™-series audio interfaces and the StudioLive 16.4.2™ digital mixer. With the new drivers installed, these interfaces now work correctly under 64-bit Windows XP and Vista and will support 64-bit operation in Mac OS X 10.5 and later.

The second component of the installer is our new Universal Control software, which replaces older FireStudio control panels, providing access to the internal features of all FireStudio-family interfaces and the StudioLive 16.4.2 digital mixer. Universal Control consists of two windows: the Launch window and the Device window. In the Launch window, you can set the sample rate, clock source, safe mode, buffer size (PC only), and WDM routing (PC only) for all connected FireStudio-series interfaces. The Device window provides level and routing controls for each FireStudio-series interface's internal mixer, enabling you to set up zero-latency monitor mixes.

The new drivers and Universal Control also allow you to daisy-chain multiple FireStudio-family interfaces via FireWire, giving you a greatly expanded set of inputs and outputs for recording. So if you have, for instance, a FireStudio (26x26), you can expand your recording system by daisy-chaining it with a second FireStudio or with a FireStudio Project or FireStudio Tube.

The final component of the Universal Control installer is firmware version 1.11 for the StudioLive 16.4.2 mixer. The new firmware adds important new features and improvements and is highly recommended for all StudioLive users.

One of the most exciting new features lets you use the mixer's FireWire ports to link two StudioLive mixers for 32 channels of recording or to combine up to 4 StudioLive mixers for 64 channels in live performance, with sample-accurate synchronization between units. Now, you will never have to worry that your needs will outgrow your StudioLive's mixing capacity; when you need more channels, just plug in a second StudioLive 16.4.2, turn on its link ID, and your master StudioLive will detect it and merge the buses to the master unit. You don't even need a computer to cascade multiple units — simply connect them with a FireWire cable — done! You also can daisy-chain one or more FireStudio-series interfaces (such as the FireStudio Tube and FireStudio Project) with a StudioLive to provide additional inputs for recording.

The firmware update also adds a 31-band graphic EQ on the StudioLive's main output, perfect for adjusting your sound system to compensate for your space's acoustics. New Save and Load pages enable you to manage the EQ presets. A new Recall mode lets you recall your fader settings without recalling the master section controls or aux outputs, and the auxiliary outputs now mute when the channel mute button is pushed. The auxiliary meters are now post-output level and post-Talkback circuit.

This installer is a free download and is available on the Drivers/Software page (http://www.presonus.com/technical-support/downloads/drivers-software/ ), in the Technical Support/Downloads section of the PreSonus website.