5 Resources StudioLive™ Series III Rack Mixers

5.2 Compression Setting Suggestions Owner’s Manual

5.2 Compression Setting Suggestions

The following are the compression presets that were used in
the PreSonus BlueMax. We have included them as a jumping-
off point for setting up compression on the StudioLive.

Vocals
Soft. This is an easy compression with a low ratio setting for ballads, allowing a wider
dynamic range. It’s good for live use. This setting helps the vocal “sit in the track.”
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-8.2 dB 1.8:1 0.002 ms 38 ms

Medium. This setting has more limiting than the Soft compression setting,
producing a narrower dynamic range. It moves the vocal more up front in the mix.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-3.3 dB 2.8:1 0.002 ms 38 ms

Screamer. This setting is for loud vocals. It is a fairly hard compression setting for
a vocalist who is on and off the microphone a lot. It puts the voice “in your face.”
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-1.1 dB 3.8:1 0.002 ms 38 ms

Percussion
Snare/Kick. This setting allows the first transient through and compresses
the rest of the signal, giving a hard “snap” up front and a longer release.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-2.1 dB 3.5:1 78 ms 300 ms

Left/Right (Stereo) Overheads. The low ratio and threshold in this

setting gives a “fat” contour to even out the sound from overhead
drum mics. Low end is increased, and the overall sound is more
present and less ambient. You get more “boom” and less “room.”
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-13.7 dB 1.3:1 27 ms 128 ms

Fretted Instruments
Electric Bass. The fast attack and slow release in this setting will tighten
up the electric bass and give you control for a more consistent level.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-4.4 dB 2.6:1 45.7 ms 189 ms

Acoustic Guitar. This setting accentuates the attack of the

acoustic guitar and helps maintain an even signal level, keeping
the acoustic guitar from disappearing in the track.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-6.3 dB 3.4:1 188 ms 400 ms

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5.2 Compression Setting Suggestions Owner’s Manual

Electric Guitar. This is a setting for “crunch” electric rhythm

guitar. A slow attack helps to get the electric rhythm guitar “up
close and personal” and gives punch to your crunch.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-0.1 dB 2.4:1 26 ms 193 ms

Keyboards
Piano. This is a special setting for an even level across the keyboard. It is
designed to help even up the top and bottom of an acoustic piano. In other
words, it helps the left hand to be heard along with the right hand.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE
-10.8 dB 1.9:1 108 ms 112 ms

Synth. The fast attack and release on this setting can be used for
synthesizer horn stabs or for bass lines played on a synthesizer.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-11.9 dB 1.8:1 0.002 ms 85 ms

Orchestral. Use this setting for string pads and other types of synthesized orchestra
parts. It will decrease the overall dynamic range for easier placement in the mix.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE
3.3 dB 2.5:1 1.8 ms 50 ms

Stereo Mix
Stereo Limiter. Just as the name implies, this is a hard limiter, or “brickwall,” setting—
ideal for controlling the level to a two-track mixdown deck or stereo output.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

5.5 dB 7.1:1 0.001 ms 98 ms

Contour. This setting fattens up the main mix.

THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE

-13.4 dB 1.2:1 0.002 ms 182 ms

Effects
Squeeze. This is dynamic compression for solo work, especially electric
guitar. It gives you that glassy “Tele/Strat” sound. It is a true classic.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE
-4.6 dB 2.4:1 7.2 ms 93 ms

Pump. This is a setting for making the compressor “pump” in a desirable

way. This effect is good for snare drums to increase the length of
the transient by bringing the signal up after the initial spike.
THRESHOLD RATIO ATTACK RELEASE
0 dB 1.9:1 1 ms 0.001 ms

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5 Resources StudioLive™ Series III Rack Mixers
5.3 EQ Frequency Guides Owner’s Manual

5.3 EQ Frequency Guides

Table 1

Instrument What to Cut Why to Cut What to Boost Why to Boost

Human Voice 7 kHz Sibilance 8 kHz Big sound

2 kHz Shrill 3 kHz and above Clarity

1 kHz Nasal 200-400 Hz Body

80 Hz and below Popping P’s

Piano 1-2 kHz Tinny 5 kHz More presence

300 Hz Boomy 100 Hz Bottom end

Electric Guitar 1-2 kHz Shrill 3 kHz Clarity

80 Hz and below Muddy 125 Hz Bottom end

Acoustic Guitar 2-3 kHz Tinny 5 kHz and above Sparkle

200 Hz Boomy 125 Hz Full

Electric Bass 1 kHz Thin 600 Hz Growl

125 Hz Boomy 80 Hz and below Bottom end

String Bass 600 Hz Hollow 2-5 kHz Sharp attack

200 Hz Boomy 125 Hz and below Bottom end

Snare Drum 1 kHz Annoying 2 kHz Crisp

150-200 Hz Full

80 Hz Deep

Kick Drum 400 Hz Muddy 2-5 kHz Sharp attack

80 Hz and below Boomy 60-125 Hz Bottom end

Toms 300 Hz Boomy 2-5 kHz Sharp attack

80-200 Hz Bottom end

Cymbals 1 kHz Annoying 7-8 kHz Sizzle

8-12 kHz Brilliance

15 kHz Air

Horns 1 kHz Honky 8-12 kHz Big sound

120 Hz and below Muddy 2 kHz Clarity

String section 3 kHz Shrill 2 kHz Clarity

120 Hz and below Muddy 400-600 Hz Lush and full

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5.4 EQ Setting Suggestions Owner’s Manual

Table 2

• harder bass to low BOOST • vocal presence

frequency
instruments (kick, • kick & tom attack
tom, bass) • more finger sound
on bass
• guitar and snare • brighten vocals,
fullness
• bass line clarity • piano and acoustic acoustic guitar,
guitar attack piano
• piano and horns (especially for softer • bass line clarity
warmth playback levels) and punch • brighter rock guitar • harder cymbals

• kick & tom attack

• percussion attack
• bass “pluck”
• reduce vocal dullness • breathier vocals
• acoustic/electric
• more finger sound on bass • brighten cymbals,
guitar attack string instruments,
• fullness to low
• vocal fullness • lower piano register • sharpness to:
flutes
frequency synths, rock guitars,
attack
instruments • hard hitting snare • bass line clarity acoustic guitars, piano • more realistic
(kick, tom, bass) and guitar and punch • vocal clarity samples and synths

50 Hz 100 Hz 200 Hz 400 Hz 800 Hz 1.5 kHz 3 kHz 5 kHz 7 kHz 10 kHz 15 kHz

• increase guitar clarity • decrease kick and • decrease dullness • adds distance to • vocals: reduce
tom dullness in guitars background “s” sound
• lessen guitar “boom”
instruments
• softens a “thin” guitar

• decrease bass • decrease muddiness in • decrease guitar • enhance background • vocals: reduce
“boom” to increase vocals and mid-range thinness vocal breathiness “s” sound
clarity in the mix instruments
• lessen overly • disguise vocals and
• decrease long bass bright guitar guitars that are slightly
overtones in cymbals overtones out of tune

CUT

5.4 EQ Setting Suggestions

As with the compression settings in Section 5.2, the right EQ setting for any given
instrument will depend upon the room and the tonality of the instrument.

Vocals
Pop Female Vocals

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 130 0.6 -2 ON 465 0.6 -2

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.4 0.4 +2 ON OFF 6.0 0.3 +8

Rock Female Vocals

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON ON 155 N/A +4 ON 465 0.4 +6

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 1.4 0.6 +6 ON OFF 4.2 0.5 +2

Pop Male Vocals

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 225 0.3 -2 ON 960 0.3 0

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.0 0.6 +2 ON OFF 7.2 0.5 +4

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5.4 EQ Setting Suggestions Owner’s Manual

Rock Male Vocals

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 155 0.5 +2 ON 265 0.3 -6

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.4 0.6 -2 ON ON 7.2 0.6 +4

Percussion
Snare

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 130 0.6 -4 ON 665 0.5 +4

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 1.6 0.3 +4 ON ON 4.2 N/A +4

Left/Right (Stereo) Overheads

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 108 0.6 -2 ON 385 0.6 -2

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.9 0.3 0 ON ON 8.0 N/A +4

Kick Drum

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 108 0.4 +4 ON 265 2.0 -4

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 1.6 0.6 0 ON OFF 6.0 2.0 +4

Fretted Instruments
Electric Bass

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON ON 36 N/A -8 ON 130 0.4 +4

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.0 0.6 +4 ON ON 4.2 N/A +1

Acoustic Guitar

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 155 0.4 +4 ON 665 2.0 +2

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.0 0.3 0 ON ON 6.0 N/A +4

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5.5 Technical Specifications Owner’s Manual

Distorted Electric Guitar

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON OFF 320 0.5 +6 ON 960 0.4 0

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 3.5 1.0 +4 ON ON 12 N/A 0

Keyboards
Piano

LOW ON/OFF LOW SHELF LOW FREQ (Hz) LOW Q LOW GAIN LOW MID LOW MID LOW MID Q LOW MID GAIN
ON/OFF FREQ (Hz)

ON ON 108 N/A -2 ON 665 0.2 +2

HIGH MID ON/ HI MID FREQ HIGH MID Q HIGH MID GAIN HIGH ON/OFF HIGH SHELF HIGH FREQ HIGH Q HIGH GAIN
OFF (kHz) (kHz)
ON 2.9 0.4 +2 ON OFF 7.2 0.6 +4

5.5 Technical Specifications

Microphone Preamplifier
Input Type XLR Female, balanced
Frequency Response to Main Output (at unity gain) 20-20 kHz, ±0.5 dBu
Input Impedance 1 kΩ
THD to Main Output <0.005%, +4 dBu, 20-20 kHz, unity gain, unwtd
S/N Ratio to Main Output (Ref = +4 dB, 20 kHz BW, unity gain, A-wtd) 94 dB
Common Mode Rejection Ratio (1 kHz at unity gain) 65 dB
Gain Control Range (±1 dB) 0 dB to +60 dB
Maximum Input Level (unity gain) +12 dBu
Phantom Power (±2 VDC) 48 VDC, switchable per channel

Line Inputs
Type ¼”TRS Female, balanced
Frequ¬ency Response to Main Output (at unity gain) 20-20 kHz, ±0.5 dBu
Input Impedance 10 kΩ
THD to Main Output <0.005%, +4 dBu, 20-20 kHz, unity gain, unwtd
S/N Ratio to Main Output (Ref = +4 dB, 20 kHz BW, unity gain, A-wtd) 94 dB
Maximum Input Level +18 dBu

RCA Inputs
Type RCA Female, unbalanced (stereo pair)
Maximum Input Level +12 dBu, ±0.5 dBu

XLR Outputs
Type XLR Male, balanced
Maximum Output Level +24 dBu, ±0.5 dBu
Output Impedance 100Ω

FlexMix Line Outputs

Type ¼”TRS Female, balanced
Maximum Output Level +18 dBu, ±0.5 dBu
Output Impedance 100Ω