Presonus StudioLive AR12 USB 14-channel Hybrid Performance and Recording Mixer

Built by musicians, for musicians.

StudioLive® AR12 USB 14-channel hybrid mixers make it simple to mix and record live shows, studio productions, band rehearsals, podcasts, and much more. This is a musician’s mixer: lightweight, versatile, feature-rich, and packed with analog connections and digital tools, yet easy to learn and use. Mix with PreSonus’® famous Class A preamps and three-band EQ. Create multitrack recordings and fly in backing tracks with a 24-bit, 96 kHz, USB 2.0 digital audio interface. Record and playback in stereo with the integrated SD™ digital recorder. Stream program music wirelessly, using onboard Bluetooth®. Compact and road-ready, StudioLive AR mixers provide a superior all-in-one solution for mixing and recording your performances.

All of the connections and controls you need.

StudioLive AR12 USB mixers are packed with the connections and controls needed to mix and record live, in the studio, and in rehearsal. Each of the four mono channels and four stereo channels includes a 60 mm fader for level control; a mic input with one of PreSonus’ prized Class A preamps; three-band EQ; and more. Besides the main outputs, you get two monitor mix outputs, each with a dedicate bus, for feeding stage wedges, a headphone amp, or an in-ear system. Since the StudioLive AR12 USB is also a studio mixer, you also get control-room outputs with level control to feed your studio monitors.

Plug guitars and basses directly into the mixer.

Most mixers make you route acoustic and electric guitars and basses through external direct boxes before connecting to a mixer input. But with StudioLive AR mixers, Channels 1 and 2 have high-impedance instrument inputs, so you can plug a guitar or electric bass straight into the board—no direct box needed.

It’s inputs; it’s playback; it’s the Super Channel!

Our unique Super Channel (stereo Channel 13/14) allows you to connect four stereo analog and digital sources at once, enabling you to use the mixer with your high-tech devices. Plug a media player into the Super Channel’s unbalanced RCA and 1/8-inch stereo inputs, play stereo audio from the onboard SD™ recorder or from your USB-connected Mac® or Windows® PC. Use onboard Bluetooth 4.1 to pair your phone to your StudioLive AR mixer and instantly have wireless access to your music library for break music, backing tracks, or ear-training. Have a song you want the rest of the band to learn? Pair your phone and start rehearsing!

Record in the studio or at the gig—with or without a computer.

Naturally, you want to record your gigs, as well as producing studio projects, podcasts, and so on. It’s smart to record your rehearsals, too. So StudioLive AR mixers offer two different ways to record. Connect a StudioLive AR12 USB mixer to your computer via USB 2.0, and you have a 14x4 multitrack digital recorder, ready to capture all input channels plus the main mix to a Mac or Windows PC with professional, 24-bit/96 kHz quality. An onboard stereo SD recorder lets you record the main mix without a computer—just hit Record and go. Recording can’t get much easier than this!

Fly in backing tracks and play break music, too!

Both the integrated USB recording interface and the SD recorder have multiple uses beyond simply recording. With just a few backing tracks, your small band can sound like a much larger act, so we enabled the USB interface to play back two stereo streams through the mixer—great for backing tracks, click tracks, or program music. Use the SD recorder to play up to 32 GB of MP3 and .WAV files for hours of program music or backing tracks without needing a computer. And don’t forget the Bluetooth feature in the Super Channel, which lets you play break music straight from your smartphone. With several ways to get the job done, you can work the way you want to.

Integrated software makes recording a snap.

PreSonus StudioLive AR mixers are tightly integrated with state-of-the-art recording software to help you achieve your creative vision. Record with PreSonus’ Capture™ live-recording software, then edit in our award-winning Studio One® Artist DAW (recording and production software); both are included free.

Sweeten with digital effects for a polished, professional-caliber sound.

To get a great mix, you need high-quality effects. The StudioLive AR12 USB has you covered with an internal stereo effects processor with 16 presets, including an assortment of room, hall, and plate reverbs; chorus and delay effects; even a preset that emulates an acoustically treated studio room to provide a warmer, more intimate tone. A dedicated effects return, complete with master level fader and dedicated monitor sends, lets you adjust the amount of the effects in your main and monitor mixes. You can even bypass the effects with a footswitch (optional). It’s just another way that StudioLive AR mixers enable you to build professional-quality mixes and recordings quickly and easily.

A complete solution that’s compact, easy to use, and built for the road.

Compact and built for the road, the StudioLive AR12 USB is an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution for audio mixing and recording. With a wide variety of connections, two ways to record, and a simple, elegant mixing surface, it will quickly become the heart of your live and studio sound systems.

Highlights

• 14-channel mixer
• 4 mono and 4 stereo channels, each with:
• 60 mm level fader
• Pan
• Mute
• PFL solo
• 1 stereo Super Channel (Ch. 13/14)
• 2 monitor buses with PFL solo
• 1 stereo effects bus
• 1 stereo effects return with:
• 60 mm master fader
• Dedicated monitor sends
• Effects bypass footswitch jack

• 2 instrument inputs
• 12 balanced line inputs
• 2 unbalanced inserts
• 8 balanced mic inputs with:
• Class A microphone preamp
• Global 48V phantom power
• Stereo Super Channel with:
• Stereo RCA inputs
• 1/8-inch stereo input
• Switchable SD™/USB stereo playback
• Bluetooth 4.1 input
• L/R XLR main outputs
• 2 balanced TRS monitor outputs
• 1 balanced TRS effects output
• L/R Control Room outputs with level control
• Headphone output with level control

• Highpass filter on every channel
• Mono channels: 3-band semi-parametric EQ with sweepable mid-band
• Stereo channels: 3-band semi-parametric EQ
• Stereo effects processor with 16 presets

• 14x4 24-bit/96 kHz, USB 2.0 audio recording interface
• Record every channel plus the main mix
• 2x2 SD recorder
• Record main mix
• Supports SD™ and SDHC™ formats up to 32 GB

• Capture™ recording software
• Studio One ® 3 Artist recording and production software (DAW)

• Internal power supply
• Standard IEC power connector

• Sturdy metal construction
• 60 mm faders
• Rackmount kit optional

• Type XLR Female, Class A
• Maximum Input level (unity gain) +22 dBu, ±1.0 dB
• Gain Control Range Mono Channels: 50 dB, ±1 dB (Unity to +50 dB), Stereo Channels: 40 dB, ± 1 dB (+5 to +45 dB
• Frequency Response to Analog Outputs 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Frequency Response to USB (Direct) 20 Hz to 40 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 kΩ
• EIN (+55 dB gain, 150Ω input, 20 Hz-22 kHz, A-wtd) < 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

• Type ¼” TS Female, Unbalanced, Hi-Z
• Maximum Input Level (min. gain, 1 kHz@0.5% THD+N) +22 dBu ±1.0 dB
• Gain Control Range 50 dB, ±1 dB (Unity to +50 dB)
• Frequency Response to Analog Outputs 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Frequency Response to USB (Direct) 20 Hz to 40 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Dynamic Range (min. gain, A-wtd) > 105 dB dB
• Dynamic Range (mid. Gain, unwtd) > 100 dB
• THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, A-wtd) < 0.01%
• THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, unwtd) < 0.01%
• Input Impedance > 1 MΩ
• Note: All Channel Inputs sum through Mic preamp

• Type ¼” TRS Female, Balanced
• Maximum Input Level (min. gain, 1 kHz@0.5% THD+N) +22 dBu, ±1.0 dB
• Gain Control Range Mono Channels 50 dB, ±1 dB (-20 to +30 dB),​ Stereo Channel 50 dB, ±1 dB (-15 to +25 dB)
• Frequency Response to Analog Outputs 20 Hz to 20 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• Frequency Response to USB (Direct) 10 Hz to 40 kHz, +0.5/-1.5 dB
• S/N Ratio to Analog Outputs (+4 dBu) 94 dB
• THD+N (1 kHz, -1 dBFS, A-wtd) < 0.01%
• Input Impedance (Balanced) 10 kΩ
• Note: All Channel Inputs sum through Mic preamp

• Type (Main Outputs) XLR Male, Impedance Balanced
• Type (Control Room, Monitor, FX Outputs) ¼” 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 Ω

• Type ¼” TRS Female, Stereo, Unbalanced
• Maximum Output Level 150 mW/channel @ 60 Ω
• 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%

• Input to Output (Ref = +4dBu, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, unwtd) -85 dBu
• Adjacent Channels (Ref = +4 dBu, 20 Hz to 20 kHz, unwtd) -80 dBu

• Signal -50 dBFS (pre-EQ)
• Clip -3.0 dB before clip (pre- or post-EQ)

• Low Cut 100 Hz, -18 dB/Octave
• High Shelving ±15 dB @ 12 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 Fixed, 0.55
• Low Shelving ±15 dB @ 80 Hz

• 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
• Bit Depth 24 bits
• 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)

• 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
• Sampling Rate (WAV) 44.1 kHz
• Bit Depth (Recorded WAV) 24 bits

• Connector IEC

• Height 3.7” (95 mm)
• Width 16” (402 mm)
• Depth 15.4” (390 mm)

System Requirements

PC

• Windows® 7 x64/x86 SP1 +platform update, Windows 8.1 x64/x86, Windows 10 x64/x86
• Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD® Athlon™ X2 processor (Intel Core i3 or AMD Athlon X4 or faster recommended)

Mac

• Mac® OS X 10.8.5
• Intel® Core™ 2 Duo processor (Intel Core i3 or faster recommended)